9 New Uses For Your Old iPhone

Personal WiFi Phone

VoIP, also known as Internet telephony, is a small but growing application for office dwellers today. Thanks to dropped calls, poor battery life, or other problems normally associated with cell phones, VoIP is becoming more and more popular, especially on smartphones like the iPhone. The most popular application for VoIP is Skype, which has recorded over 23 million simultaneous users online.

The problem with any VoIP program on the computer is that it requires a microphone and speakers or a headset. A microphone and speakers are generally discouraged because they can cause a feedback loop (that echoing and high-pitched squeal you hear when you put two cell phones on the same line close to each other). Most of us use headsets, but they’re usually wired, anchoring us to our workstations. Fiddling around with audio settings and tangled cables is the last thing anyone wants to do before making or receiving a call. And besides, if the phone call is more than five minutes long, you don’t want to be tethered by a wire the whole time.

However, with an extra iPhone or iPod Touch, you can install Skype or a number of different free VoIP apps, such as iCall Free VoIP or VoipMobile, and call out through your handheld. With the iPod Touch, users will need a headset because it has no microphone, but it’s still better than being glued to the chair. With the iPhone or Touch, now you can make VoIP calls while pacing the office, staying connected all the while through a local WiFi connection. This can also be done with your new iPhone 4, but why block your cell line and spend precious battery life when you don’t need to? The older i-device can do that for you!

The downside is that unlike standalone VoIP phones, the application must stay open to receive calls unless you pay for another phone number. For Skype, which allows for free online calls, the app must remain open but it won’t ring and will only vibrate. Still, prospective users can have Skype open on their computer and iPhone, which would ring on a PC and vibrate on a phone.

The other problem is that to remain connected to a WiFi connection constantly, the iPhone or iPod Touch must be plugged in and charging or set so it does not go to sleep. More proficient users can jailbreak their devices and use the application Insomnia, which will keep your iPhone connected to WiFi even when the phone is in standby mode. (See more on Jailbreaking on below.)

James Pikover is the founder and CEO of More Voltage, a product development company helping deliver better products to consumers. He also teaches courses in user experience design and product management. Prior to that, he worked as a freelance tech journalist. His work has appeared on many sites, including Tom's Guide, Medium, IGN, Mashable, and more.

  • icepick314
    what?

    no paper weight or door stop?
    Reply
  • abhifx
    or it can be given to someone like me who cant afford a smart phone. believe me its a good idea :)
    Reply
  • NuclearShadow
    Apple products have a perfect logo a Apple with a bite taken out of it. What do you do when you no longer want/need a apple that you took a bite of? Do you give it away? NO! Do you find some other purpose for it? NO! You throw it in the trash. And that is what Apple wants you to do. Buy the new and discard the old because the old is uncool and you want to be cool right?

    This is a paid advertisement from the Church of Steve Jobs and the Macintosh Saints.

    P.S. Expect your new hardware to be outdated in 6 months. Remember only those who stay true to Jobs and buy all the new products to be saved from eternal torment from the devil Bill Gates and his place of eternal anguish Microsoft.

    Praise Jobs! Macllelujah!
    Reply
  • dredg98
    NuclearShadowApple products have a perfect logo a Apple with a bite taken out of it. What do you do when you no longer want/need a apple that you took a bite of? Do you give it away? NO! Do you find some other purpose for it? NO! You throw it in the trash. And that is what Apple wants you to do. Buy the new and discard the old because the old is uncool and you want to be cool right? This is a paid advertisement from the Church of Steve Jobs and the Macintosh Saints.P.S. Expect your new hardware to be outdated in 6 months. Remember only those who stay true to Jobs and buy all the new products to be saved from eternal torment from the devil Bill Gates and his place of eternal anguish Microsoft.Praise Jobs! Macllelujah!

    Everything gets outdated in 6 months!
    Reply
  • brianmoz
    dredg98Everything gets outdated in 6 months!i dont get it. are you talking about technology in general or apple...my wife has 3g and is happy with it...that came out 2 years ago. Its not good to be a fanboy or a hater. the more you guys make these indignant claims as if your victims of apple or something the more you sound pathetic. Its a company that makes products. People buy them that want them and people who dont want them dont buy them. some people get angry about them for ...why?
    Reply
  • JimmiG
    abhifxor it can be given to someone like me who cant afford a smart phone. believe me its a good idea
    Same here. Still using a Samsung clamshell phone I bought for about $90 in 2006. It still works great, but I'm buying a smart phone finally this summer. I will keep the Samsung as a secondary phone for when I don't want to bring the bigger and more expensive smart phone (ie pubs etc.).
    Reply
  • dredg98
    brianmozi dont get it. are you talking about technology in general or apple...my wife has 3g and is happy with it...that came out 2 years ago. Its not good to be a fanboy or a hater. the more you guys make these indignant claims as if your victims of apple or something the more you sound pathetic. Its a company that makes products. People buy them that want them and people who dont want them dont buy them. some people get angry about them for ...why?

    Technology in general once you buy something its pretty much outdated
    Reply
  • OK.. so basically an old iPhone can be hacked and improved or used like a flash drive. Since the replacement phone will presumably be better than a jailbroken iPhone with a skype app; and since flash drives are smaller and more reliable than anything Apple makes I think my conclusion is: I'd rather smash it with a hammer.
    Reply
  • NuclearShadow
    hammatimeOK.. so basically an old iPhone can be hacked and improved or used like a flash drive. Since the replacement phone will presumably be better than a jailbroken iPhone with a skype app; and since flash drives are smaller and more reliable than anything Apple makes I think my conclusion is: I'd rather smash it with a hammer.
    Now your thinking the Apple way! Why do you think the all mighty Jobs does not want you to upgrade a Mac? The very thought of upgrading is silly you simply smash the old Mac and buy a new!

    Jobs iBless you, Jobs ibless us all! iAmen
    Reply
  • compprob237
    JimmiGSame here. Still using a Samsung clamshell phone I bought for about $90 in 2006. It still works great, but I'm buying a smart phone finally this summer. I will keep the Samsung as a secondary phone for when I don't want to bring the bigger and more expensive smart phone (ie pubs etc.).
    >_> I'm still using a Motorola SLVR L7e. Although, my Zune HD replaced everything a "Smartphone" would do without the bulk. On the plus side I like the fact I can drop my SLVR from my 2nd story balcony (everybody drops their phone at least once) and know that it will still work and not be broken nor expensive to fix/replace.
    Reply