What To Do With Old Devices

Mobile devices don’t last forever. Many breaks and malfunctions can be repaired, but at some point people find themselves accumulating devices in various conditions.

What should you do with these devices? Here are some ideas.

1. Devices that have some but not all of their functionality can be kept around the house and used for such things as alarm clocks, television remotes, sleep recorders, etc. An iPhone that is not activated with a cell phone carrier can still be used like an iPod and might be a good alternative if you’d like some of the phones functionality while not being bothered by phone calls or texts.
2. Phones in any condition can be donated to such organizations as cellphonesforsoldiers.com, which uses the donations to offer free cell phone time for military personnel. Functional but nearly obsolete devices can oftentimes be donated to such places as nursing homes to be used for listening to music by patients.
3. If your phone is completely dead but you are uncomfortable donating it because of your data on it, you could have a repair shop remove its battery and you could take a hammer to it before surrendering it to a transfer station. Never do damage to a phone with its battery inside. That will not go well for you.
4. Phones in perfect working condition can be sold on such places as craigslist, Facebook marketplace through online auctions and phone resellers.
5. If you have a phone that you assume is dead but have never had checked, consider visiting a repair shop where you may be able to get a free diagnosis and also the hope that the device could be brought back to life for a reasonable price.