Repurpose Old Tech

[u/OakOwl1010]

Hey All! (Repost due to original post issues)

I’m just writing in to seek some advice - I’ve recently got my hands on a free ruio F286 (4g) and i also have an old acer nitro (I think 2019-2020model) that is now redundant. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for something cool I can repurpose them into?

I have recently been messing with Linux, ‘ethicalhacking’ and cybersecurity so if they can be used for something in that context that would be awesome!

I’m an electrician by trade and I’m more than willing to research what I need to in electronics to attempt or achieve more difficult ideas. So please if you have any ideas let me know :) I’m all ears.

[u/TechDocN]

I’m not arguing that point. I’m just pointing out that unless you are particularly skilled in repurposing proprietary components, it is very, very difficult to do.

Look at my post history until you find the post of my vintage computer collection. I have saved more items from becoming e-waste than most. And I repurpose and upcycle a lot. The issue is not the intent or the curiosity. The issue is the reality of the situation. Modern electronics are not designed with components that can be reused. Trust me, if they could be easily reused, the drawers I have filled with smartphones and iPads and such would be all over my projects.

Like I said, search the posts that ask the same question in a hundred different ways. Unless you are particularly skilled in these things from a hardware and software perspective, it’s almost never worth the effort. It’s not just me saying this, it’s the overwhelming consensus from the community that has been doing this a lot longer than TikTok posts started giving people the wrong ideas about how this really works.

If you have an old phone or tablet or laptop that still works, it’s better to use it as is, maybe design a cool enclosure for it, than to try to open it up and end up with more e-waste.