[EdY]

Wanted to start a thread showing how useful your old Blackberry devices are. I have a closet full of old BB phones and use them all the time!

Share how you use your old BB phone! Let's see how wild the uses can get... some people really use their BB phones to the Max!!!

I have an old Storm that I have loaded a modified OS and installed TrekBuddy and offline maps downloaded from OpenStreetMaps. I also load videos from iTunes University onto the device. I use this to view videos and track my position while commuting! That way I save the battery on my primary phone.

I also have an old Curve 8900 which I use with WiFi at home, work or hotspots simply to browse the web or play a few games. I can watch Youtube, listen to music radio streams, record videos/photos, etc. I can install some apps on there but have to use OTA installs from JAD repositories since Appworld doesn't work without a SIM card.

I still use these 2 Blackberries on an almost daily basis, in addition to my primary SIM-enabled phone! I just don't have the heart to junk them... they are still functional and do a great job as internet/entertainment/mapping devices even without the phone function!

So share your stories... Long live BB!

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Crackberry Tapatalk Forum app

[TheScionicMan]

I've been replacing the old bulky CD changers that play our Hold music in each office with 8330s. I ripped the CDs to MP3, copied them to the BBs and set it to shuffle all and replay. Got two U's of rackspace back.

This was so amusing, I had to take a pic. Our former HelpDesk guy's use of old BBs to solve a problem:

[Spencerdl]

Wow, I just leave my old 9650 in the box in the closet just in case I need a backup.

[EdY]

I have the "TuneIn" app on my old Curve 8900 and listen to internet radio over WiFi anywhere around the house. I also found I could install "Grooveshark" app without Appworld, if you go to their website on your old phone it will let you install directly.

Good idea there for "on hold" service for phone callers, or even to pipe "Muzak" over my office or store ceiling speakers and P.A. system. I have WiFi at my work, so I can just have my Curve plugged in all day playing an internet radio stream and plug the phone audio jack out and into the speaker system!

Non-stop music server for free! Awesome!


Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Crackberry Tapatalk Forum app

[dpw09]

I use an old 8900 as a baby monitor with a cool app. Same app is installed on both wifes and my BB so we can listen. Very handy.

[EdY]

Almost forgot... One other nice "bonus" is that, at least on my Curve 8900, when I point my browser to a Shoutcast stream, it gives me an option to save it... It then proceeds to download continuously and save to an MP3 file. I can leave this on for hours... As long as I have storage available, it will download and save the music!

Try this for example:

http://205.188.215.225:8018

It asks, do you want Open or Save the item. If you choose Open, it will launch Media Player and play the stream. If you choose Save, it will ask for a location to save the file and then show the download screen and proceed to download the entire stream to an MP3 file to your phone!!!

I love it!!!


Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Crackberry Tapatalk Forum app

[Spencerdl]

I'm getting some GOOD ideas here, I guess it's time to take the 9650 out of the closet

[Blacklatino]

I've updated four over the last three years and gave one to a family member in college, one to a battered womens' center, another to an abuse crisis center, and one to one of my old instructors to bring him into the 21st century. I'll probably do the same with the rest- eventually, Especially when you see the price ppl are charging and getting from consumers that don't have a clue. Anyway, it's all about karma for me when helping others.

[Spencerdl]

That's what I did with my 8330. I gave it to a good friend that showed interest in a smartphone. She still has it and it looks as good as the first day I gave it to her.

[Lendo]

Mine have all been shot by 20-gauge or compound bow...

[EdY]

I love the fact that Blackberry's have a life beyond the initial 2-3 year phone contract. Still amazing devices to use years later.

Kudos to the person who donated them to people in need of a Smartphone! Very nice!

And another advantage of BB removable batteries... Once they start to go on your old phone, you can find cheap ones on eBay for next to nothing. I got a bunch of D-X1 laying around just in case! :-)

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Crackberry Tapatalk Forum app

[TheScionicMan]

I've given a few away and passed a few down to the kids and wife. I gave a friend an 8700 since he wanted something cheap for texting and calling when he went to Ireland. That was a few years ago. He broke it out a few weeks ago to ask me about a problem since he's getting ready to go back there. It was so weird using the scroll wheel. Talk about being built like a tank, I bet you could knock someone out with one...

[Draconianfire83]

This is a fun thread! Love the idea of using old BBs for music "servers"... I'm thinking that'll be a good use for my 9930 once BB10 hits

My old 8330 and 9650 were donated to good causes and are both still being used.

Or, don't know if this will work... I'll use my 9930 bridged to a new BB10 Full-touch and rig the 9930 to the bottom of the new phone and have a GIANT REDNECK FLIP PHONE!

[blueyestm]

I've given mine away except for the last one - 9700 - as back up just in case.

[kill_9]

Build a Stonehenge replica using BlackBerry smartphones with the added requirement that it replicate the astrological features. For bonus points sacrifice someone from HQ in hopes of appeasing the former BlackBerry faithful.

[Celandine]

These are such great ideas, I actually went and dug out my old 9630. It needs to charge up again, but will be using it once again with Wifi. Yes.

I have a question. I'm off to Europe in a few short months for a little over two weeks and wonder if it's possible to use a local sim card, through perhaps Orange, and have it activated for the time I'm there for local calls and such? Maybe with a top up card bought at their store? Is this even possible?

[Viktor_Volkov]

I've been replacing the old bulky CD changers that play our Hold music in each office with 8330s. I ripped the CDs to MP3, copied them to the BBs and set it to shuffle all and replay. Got two U's of rackspace back.

This was so amusing, I had to take a pic. Our former HelpDesk guy's use of old BBs to solve a problem:

Click to view quoted image

I expected something like this in OP pretty painful

[SnoozerBold]

Lots of great ideas in this thread. Especially the music ones. So simple yet I wouldn't have thought of them. I've got 3 old bb sitting around collecting dust. Can't wait to hear more ideas.

[ealvnv]

I have a 9850 that I use as a media player/media server, wifi web browsing, apps testing, I also use it as my gps navigator connected to my 9900's hotspot.

9780 is kept as backup, from there down to the 8700 all have found new homes with family and friends.

[Celandine]

I guess I won't be using my old Tour. No Wifi capabilities.

Great ideas though everyone so please keep on sharing!

[LilPumpSketit]

Mp3 players!

[LilPumpSketit]

Orrr, car GPS!

[rthonpm]

I set up a Raspberry Pi with Kodi and connected it to my stereo system to access all of my ripped FLAC files on a NAS. Using F-Droid and the Kore app, I re-purposed an old Q10 as the remote. It's small enough to fit in with the stereo remotes, and the keyboard makes it easy to search for artists or albums.

[Poplet]

I use my Passport for taking pictures. My KEYone takes terrible pictures, and the editing tools don't help much. Editing pics with the passport is easy and it does so much more with zero learning curve.

[Toodeurep]

When it's not my active phone, my Z10 is my everyday alarm clock.