The 5 Best Ways to Use Your Old iPhone

December 25, 2014 9:17 AM EST

If the plot of Toy Story was about iPhones instead of action figures, you might have some more sympathy for your former handset. Though it was your sidekick over the last couple years, you’re now ready to kick it to the curb in favor of that bigger, better iPhone 6 you just got for the holidays.

Well, don’t.

Firstly, swapping your old iPhone with a cellular carrier for a new device is a terrible investment — your iPhone 5 is worth much more than its trade-in value. And if tragedy befalls your new handheld, you’ll have a backup at the ready.

But until that dark day, don’t stuff your old friend in a drawer. Put it to work with one of these five great ways to use your old iPhone:

Wall mount it as a smart home controller

With Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and access to all the latest apps, iPhone 5s are still very powerful tiny computers. This in-wall charging dock by Savant Systems can be connected into your home’s electrical system next to a light switch and serve as a permanent smart home controller.

So, if you’ve got app-powered lights, Bluetooth or Airplay music speakers, or other connected devices in your home, anyone from your babysitter to your house guests can access them without asking for your personal iPhone.

Make it a safe space for kids

Touchscreens are like catnip for kid’s fingers. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should not let children under two watch television or play with your phone. But try arguing that point with a toddler and you’ll lose every time. Fortunately, you can severely limit the amount of things they can play with if you set aside a device specifically for them.

Developed for businesses looking to give their employees iPhones while limiting the things they can do with them, Apple Configurator is a professional level app, but anyone can download it for free. Letting you easily create and install configuration profiles for each phone in your house, you can install authorized apps, filter out certain web content (sorry Sally, no YouTube for you), and even shut off the camera. Though a couple of years old, this post from Ars Technica shows you how to turn your iPhone into an iToy with Apple Configurator.

Top 10 Tech Product Designs of 2014

**Nest** Acquired by Google in Jan. 2014, Nest Labs wants to turn your home into a smart device. The home automation system includes Internet-connected smoke detectors and thermostats, which have screens and chic, round designs — a huge design boost for devices that haven't really changed in recent decades. Aya Brackett—Nest

DJI Inspire 1 The latest DJI quadcopter retains the simple style that's made their drones so popular, but adds 4K video capability — and the ability to transmit the HD video wirelessly to an on-the-ground devices. A new ground-facing camera also allows Inspire 1 to fly steadily to keep the video footage clean. — **DJI Inspire 1** The latest DJI quadcopter retains the simple style that's made their drones so popular, but adds 4K video capability — and the ability to transmit the HD video wirelessly to an on-the-ground devices. A new ground-facing camera also allows Inspire 1 to fly steadily to keep the video footage clean.DJI

**iPhone 6 and 6 Plus** Bigger is better, or so the critics cried, calling for Apple to make a supersized phone. That was before Apple quieted them with the release of the iPhone 6 Plus in September, the company’s largest iPhone ever. With an alluring 5.5-inch display that makes it feel something like a portable iPad, the phone is is a challenge to Samsung’s larger models. Along with a powerful 8-megapixel camera and longer battery life, the phone is more a statement than an answer.Apple

**Osmo Tangram** Tired of seeing your kids staring at screens like zombies? This iPad game brings virtual play to life. A reflector equipped with artificial intelligence snaps over your iPad's camera and can sense when objects are moving (or being drawn) on a pad in front of it. Osmo comes with three games, all of which promote creativity and—because it’s best played in groups—social intelligence. The best way to understand how Osmo works is by watching the video of kids who have never played with the device before testing it out for the first time.Osmo

**Tesla 2014 Model S** Tesla 2014 Model S has been praised both for its luxury feel and high-tech interior. The electric car offers instantaneous acceleration from a stop, a function very few other cars on the market provide. Tesla

Jawbone's Up3 wristband — **Jawbone's UP3 Wristband** Depending on your view, Jawbone is on the road to making us all super fit athletes or brutally efficient cyborgs who operate by data alone. How many minutes of REM sleep did I get last night? What’s the difference between my heart rate while resting and during a workout? How hydrated am I? How many calories did I burn on my last run? Jawbone UP3 answers all those questions better than any other Jawbone did before. The $179 wearable fits on your wrist and comes in black and silver.Jawbone

**Square Stand** The iPad holder and credit card reader launched last year with the goal of transforming an iPad into a point-of-sale. The sleek, white stand also offers an enhanced credit card reader, and can be adapted to include a cash register.Square

**Nerf Rebelle Rapid Red Blaster** Last year, Nerf decided to even the battlefield and create a new line of guns, arrows and crossbows specifically for girls. The resulting Nerf Rebelle line takes a cue from the success of *The Hunger Games*: The box is covered with tweens styled like that series' hero, Katniss Everdeen.Hasbro

Oculus Rift Crescent Bay The latest Oculus Rift prototype, Crescent Bay, marks one step further before the commercial release of the virtual reality handset. Crescent Bay features upgrades like 360-degree head tracking, a lighter weight, and high-quality audio. Lucky participants in the demos recalled the mind-boggling immersion in the scenes they were watching. The consumer version, Oculus Rift, is expected to launch as early as April 2015. — **Oculus Rift Crescent Bay** The latest Oculus Rift prototype, Crescent Bay, marks one step further before the commercial release of the virtual reality handset. Crescent Bay features upgrades like 360-degree head tracking, a lighter weight, and high-quality audio. Lucky participants in the demos recalled the mind-boggling immersion in the scenes they were watching. The consumer version, Oculus Rift, is expected to launch as early as April 2015.Oculus VR

**Qualcomm WiPower** Sick of tangled phone charging cables? Qualcomm WiPower allows you to power up your phone without plugging it in — a function that, to most people, is basically magic. The wireless charging pad eliminates the fuss of power chords, while also allowing you to turn everyday furniture like tables and chairs into charging surfaces.Qualcomm

Turn it into a “home phone”

According to a 2014 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 40 percent of U.S. households only have cellphones now. (And these guys know, because in case of emergency, you hope they’ve got your number.) But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a “home phone.”

With iOS 8’s Wi-Fi Calling feature, you can set your old iPhone up to still ring if you’re home with your new iPhone and they’re both on the same Wi-Fi network. This means you can dock your old iPhone in the kitchen, by the bed, or anywhere you used to have a cordless phone. And it only works when you’re home, so you don’t have to worry about missing any calls.

Create a permanent dash-mounted navigation system

Admit it, your old phone still works great, and on most cellular carriers, you can add it to your wireless plan for just $10 more per month. That price will let you use data and make calls, just as it always has. Now slap it into a car dashboard mount and you’ve got a dedicated GPS device and in-car music system, to boot.

You’d be right to point out that your new phone can do that for $120 per year less, but that’s only true if you leave your phone in the car. This method gives you a Lojack and On-Star on the cheap, letting you track your vehicle via “Find My iPhone.” And it lets you keep your phone in your pocket or purse — and out of your hands — while you drive.

Set up a home security camera

Wi-Fi connected security cameras were on many Christmas lists this year, and while solutions like Dropcam work great, they’ll still set you back at least $100. Your iPhone’s camera is perfectly suited to keep your home safe, it just needs the right software to capture the scene.

Presence, a free iOS app, lets users stream video from their iPhone (new and old) to multiple, simultaneous viewers, and it even offers control of the phone’s backside LED light for nighttime viewing. Also free, Manything is a highly customizable solution that can stream video and record it to the cloud, while offering top end features like motion alerts. It works great, unless you just stuff your old iPhone in a drawer.

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