Turn an Old Phone or Tablet into a Media Remote

Over the last few years we've seen a flurry of new wireless streaming protocols arrive and expand in scope. Think about how many ways you have to stream media wirelessly now, including Apple AirPlay, Google's Chromecast system, the apps that Sonos provides with its speakers, and plenty more.

What this means for your old phone or tablet is that you can use it as a dedicated media remote or hub. Keep an old iPad next to your Apple TV for beaming over shows and movies, or keep an old Android tablet next to your Chromecast dongle for streaming Spotify or YouTube playlists to it.

This frees up your phone from the job, which means less of a strain on battery life, and it also means everyone in the family can pick up the device and start streaming, without worrying about logins or lock screens.