3 apps to give your old android some new life

This phone could be like the Ugly duckling, the one that could... 
This is an "lightly"  beaten Samsung Galaxy S3 i9305 which surprisingly packed 2gb of ram and has 4g
I was faced with either repairing the screen to sell it (which is annoying and tedious) or I could put it to good use.
First I installed Cyanogenmod 11 a custom Rom that makes the phone run better and allows for some cool customisation down the track.
Then I installed 3 apps that give it essentially three new uses.

1. Emulator
Emulators would have to be one of the cooler things to do with an android phone, they allow you to play old console games right on your smart device.  I installed the free Snes9x Ex+. From their I can play it as a hand-held console or I can connect it via a HML cable to display the game on my TV. When it is connected to a TV and paired with a controller it creates a console like experience. 

2. Security Camera
The app Ip Webcam is free and allows you to turn your Android phone into a wireless security camera.  I have only tested the app on my home network via my laptop and it worked flawlessly allowing me to monitor audio and control when I want the camera to record. Their are instructions on the app to view the feed from any 3g or WiFi connection anywhere in the world but requires pairing it to a service which is also free.

3. Media Player (XBMP)
The last app is a bit harder than the others as it is not available on the google play store.  However A quick google of XBMC or Kodi as it is called, should bring up a download link. You will need to allow your phone to install unknown sources which can be found in the security tab of your phones settings. The Kodi app is great for turning your phone into a dedicated media player, the layout inside the app suits the big screen. When paired with another phone with either Yatse or XBMC remote installed, the experience matches other media boxes as the phone can be connected to your TV and hidden as it is controlled via another android device.

I hope these three apps give your old android device a new life.
To connect your phone to your TV your need a HML micro usb to Hdmi converter, and only some phones are compatible so make sure to check before investing in the cable.

~ The Conventional Blogger