Having a smartphone is like having the world in your pocket. You can browse the web, choose from countless apps, and stay connected to the world, all from your touchscreen.
However, if you’re looking for new ways to use your phone, here are some ways you can use it to unlock some major geekiness in your life.
1. Control robots
The Lego Mindstorms kit is letting anyone, young and old alike, feel like a scientist. Build your own robot and use your smartphone to control it through a bluetooth “programmable brick” that brings your creation to life.
2. Come up with a good excuse
Ever been on the phone and wish you had a good excuse to end the conversation? There’s an app for that. There’s pretty much an app for everything, including one that plays background music relevant to your location that will give you an excuse to stop talking.
3. Access your phone through your computer
The free AirDroid app lets you use your Android phone through any computer browser. You can send and receive text messages, exchange files, and edit contacts — among many other things — from your desktop without having to connect your phone via USB. It even helps you locate your phone if you lose it, which makes it a must-have app for Android users.
Choosing the Right Smartphone
You might be among the many people who have held off on getting a smartphone, probably because you think it will be too expensive. However, there are smartphones for every budget. If you can find an affordable phone, identifying a monthly plan that you can also afford shouldn’t be too hard.
Most of the major carriers offer monthly, no-contract plans that let you get unlimited text and data, and either 100 minutes of talk or unlimited talk, for between $30-$50 a month. If you don’t use your phone every day, you can go as far as paying for service day by day and get unlimited talk, text, and data for about $1-$3 a day.
Plus, if you have a smartphone and you’re around a Wi-Fi connection, you don’t even need to use a data plan. Having a smartphone is a convenient way to put the Internet literally at your fingertips, and there’s not a lot holding you back from finally getting the smartphone you’ve always wanted.