9 Ingenious (and Odd) Ways to Repurpose Your Old Tech

DIY enthusiasts have been turning broken or ancient technology into something new for years. From iMac fish tanks to CPU keychains, here are some of their more creative ideas.

By Evan Dashevsky & Jason Cohen

Technology often advances faster than we can comprehend. By the time you get the latest smartphone, Apple is already getting ready to announce its next model. The specs in your new gaming laptop will be outdated in about a year.

Think back to the number of computers, phones, remotes, game consoles, flash drives, and other tech paraphernalia you have burned through over the years. What did you do with all those gadgets? While you may be able to sell your old iPhone online and get something back for your investment, most of it just becomes old junk. Ahead of Earth Day 2020, take note of all the tablets and computer components you no longer use and ponder how they can be re-purposed.

The internet is filled with resources that can help you turn that forgotten printer into your next big DIY project. If you’re looking for a project you can get started on right now, read on.

iMac Into a Fish Tank

If you’re looking to try something just a little crazy, why not transform that old iMac unit into a working fish tank? DIY enthusiast Jake Harms documented his process on his website and via YouTube, so you can try your hand at it, too.

Computer Monitor into Cat Bed

Make your cat feel like the most important thing in your life by making a cat bed out of an old computer monitor, like Instructables users AlpineButterfly did.

VHS Player Into a Toaster

Remember VHS? You probably haven’t watched one in two decades, but there’s a chance you have an old VCR hidden away in the attic. It’s time to make a toaster out of it, just like Instructables user lemonie did.

CPU Into a Keychain

Show off your geek creds by turning a CPU into a keychain. As Tom McCready demonstrates above, it’s a relatively simple process for a trinket that’s a lot more interesting than your standard keychain.

Computer Fan into a Desk Fan

In this tutorial, Instructables user soundman3103 crafts a battery-powered computer fan. In the video above, Chirag Patel creates a USB-based one.

iPad Into a Halloween Costume

There are a number of things you can do with an old, first-generation iPad, but perhaps the best use of your time and effort is to make it appear as if you have a gigantic hole in your body.

Fire TV Stick into DIY Karaoke Machine

If you own an old Amazon Fire TV Stick, press the mic button on your Fire Stick remote and say, “Alexa, play Karaoke Night.” It brings up a playlist from Amazon Music and displays each song’s lyrics on the big screen while playing your song. You can also search YouTube and other sites for songs to play your TV.

Scanner Into a Tabletop Saw

Here’s a weird one: turn your old scanner into a fully functional tabletop saw. It gets a bit complicated, but if you have the technical know-how, Instructables user sudarshan can walk you through it.

Create a Smart Speaker with a Raspberry Pi

You can make your own smart speaker with a Raspberry Pi and a few components you may already have lying around your house thanks to the open-source voice assistant Mycroft. Install the software and hook up a compatible speaker, and you’re ready to go. Among the the viable options is the PlayStation Eye, which comes highly recommended by the community.

Originally published at https://www.pcmag.com.