5 Ways to Make Use of Old Technology

In the modern age, technology is constantly changing and developing. Keeping up with this rapid development has left us all with obsolete technology.

The rapid turnover of technology has meant we no longer feel satisfied with last year’s product, so what should we do with the devices we no longer want or, for instance if you now use Blu-ray instead of DVD, no longer have the ability to use?

Read on for five solutions to your old tech problems.

Sell it

The most obvious choice would be to sell them on, but where? Lots of websites offer auction style sales of your items, allowing you to make a hefty profit on your more rare or collectible items. Some, such as Music Magpie allow you to sell your stuff for free and dictate the price.

Other websites offer you a fixed price for each of your DVDs, CDs and electronics and provide a free pick up service, cutting out the time-consuming process of posting and packaging each item individually.

Give it to charity

If you’re not interested in profit, then giving away your old technology to charity will make you feel better about disposing of your stuff. Some websites give you the option to send your laptop to Africa, or give old working mobile phones away to people in deprived parts of the country, or even the world.

Sell it for parts

Many websites now offer to buy your old mobile phones and mp3 players in order to recycle parts, similarly some offer to buy individual parts. So if you have a spare keypad, phone screen or trackpad, why not sell it online? If your phone or mp3 player is old or faulty, this may be the best option for you, as individual parts may fetch more than the sale of the item itself.

Recycle it

Many of us have old games consoles, laptops and phones lying round the house, however rather than sell them on for little profit or give them away, why not recycle? Many websites offer this environmentally friendly service, some telling you what exactly your phone will become. Why not give mobile phone recycling a go and turn your old brick into a traffic cone?

Trade it in

Many music stores and game stores offer a ‘trade in’ where you can trade in a selection of old games for a new one. Another option is trading in games to lower the cost of buying a new game. Many websites offer the same opportunity, allowing users to trade in books, computers, CDs, DVDs and mobile phones for a percentage off a newer model.

There are plenty of ways to make use of old technology, including those not listed here. Many modern arts studios would appreciate a donation of technology for art pieces; similarly, theatres are always in need of props. Whatever your decision, there are plenty of ways to make use of old technology.