This article was co-authored by Mobile Kangaroo and by How.com.vn staff writer, Eric McClure. Mobile Kangaroo is a full service repair shop and Apple Authorized Service Provider headquartered in Mountain View, CA. Mobile Kangaroo has been repairing electronic devices such as computers, phones, and tablets, for over 19 years, with locations in over 20 cities.
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Microsoft has crafted some truly phenomenal products over the decades, but the Windows phone didn’t quite catch on the way many of us might have hoped. Microsoft officially stopped issuing Windows phone updates in 2019, which means that—in theory, at least—these phones could be risky to use and unstable going forward. However, there’s a little bit more to consider here, and there are still plenty of things that you can do with your Windows phone that don’t involve placing calls or sending texts!
Steps
What else can I do with my old Windows phone?
A lot of folks use it as a GPS device. Windows phone users are huge fans of the phone’s map and GPS functionality, claiming its more accurate and readable than the other, newer options out there. As a result, many people just use keep the phone in their car and use it as a standalone GPS device.[3]
You could use it as a storage device or dedicated media player. Windows phones actually have pretty good storage. You can simply transfer mp3s from your PC to your Windows phone’s SIM card and you’ve got a dedicated device for your tunes. Alternatively, you can use it as an external hard drive and just use the storage space for old photos, videos, mp3s, or files.[4]- You can also download an FTP server app to use the phone as a cloud storage device if you’d like.
- You can also use it as a mobile gaming device. There are still a ton of great games on the Microsoft app store.[5]
It would work as a dedicated camera or baby monitor. The camera on your Windows phone is probably surprisingly good, depending on what specific phone you have. If you want a dedicated camera, it’s hard to beat the convince and quality of an older Windows phone. You can also download a remote camera app to use the phone as a baby monitor or general security camera.[6]- Beyond that, you could use your Windows phone as an e-reader, fitness tracker, or Wi-Fi hotspot.
- It’s possible to pair your phone with your PC’s remote access program to turn the phone into a remote keyboard and mouse.[7]
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Is it safe to still use my Windows phone?
In theory, the lack of updates is a security risk. The last security update for Windows phones was published in 2019.[10] This means that your phone is especially weak to hackers, data breaches, and network vulnerabilities. As a result, it may not be a perfectly safe device from a data security or virus perspective.[11]
In practice, it’s probably not a big deal at this point. The security concerns are likely overstated as of 2021. It’s unlikely that any hackers are spending their time trying to exploit a phone that’s so rare. Sure, your phone is technically vulnerable, but to what? Most of the malicious software out there is designed to exploit Android or iOs systems, and your phone can’t even access the popular platforms out there where data breaches are a big concern.[12]- Think of it like you’re using a Tamagotchi or graphing calculator; sure, the security is terrible, but who would even be trying to hack into it?
- So long as you have a password on your phone and you aren’t using it to do any mobile banking or sensitive work, it’s probably not anything to be worried about.
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Expert Q&A
References
- ↑ https://redmondmag.com/articles/2020/07/07/windows-phone-opportunity.aspx
- ↑ http://allaboutwindowsphone.com/features/item/23776_Status_report_for_February_202.php
- ↑ https://blogs.windows.com/devices/2015/05/28/10-ways-to-re-purpose-your-old-lumia/
- ↑ https://www.windowscentral.com/best-windows-phone
- ↑ https://youtu.be/5uOkGG0k3Yk?t=153
- ↑ https://www.windowscentral.com/best-windows-phone
- ↑ https://digicular.com/old-lumia-windows-phone-uses/
- ↑ http://allaboutwindowsphone.com/features/item/23776_Status_report_for_February_202.php
- ↑ http://allaboutwindowsphone.com/features/item/23776_Status_report_for_February_202.php
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