In an age where technology rapidly advances, the smartphones we carry daily are remarkable in their capabilities. Todays smartphones possess an astonishing amount of computing power, allowing users to access vast amounts of information and services at their fingertips. Yet, it seems that many people have become desensitized to this technological marvel. When these devices reach the end of their life cycle, they are often relegated to junk drawers, discarded without a second thought. However, as Denys demonstrates, these aging devices can be repurposed effectively, especially as components in a computing cluster.

One of the notable challenges with smartphones is that they are often tightly controlled by their manufacturers. This means that many devices are locked down, preventing users from installing alternative operating systems. Fortunately, if a smartphone has an unlockable bootloader, users can install a smartphone-oriented Linux distribution called postmarketOS. This distribution is lightweight and designed specifically to work on older hardware, making it a perfect candidate for revitalizing old phones.

Once postmarketOS is installed, users can access the device via SSH (Secure Shell), allowing the phone to function as part of a Kubernetes-based computing cluster. Denys has successfully integrated three of his old smartphones into this cluster, enabling them to run various self-hosted services, which demonstrates the remarkable potential of these devices beyond typical use.

In his detailed guide, Denys emphasizes the financial benefits of utilizing old smartphones for computing tasks. Many users might find that leveraging an old phone can be more economical than investing in a Raspberry Pi for similar services. In fact, due to the advanced hardware specifications of many older smartphones, they can outperform some single-board computers in certain tasks. This approach is not unique to Denys; several individuals within the tech community have highlighted the viability of repurposing old smartphones as functional computing devices.

Furthermore, even smartphones with broken screens or other physical defects can still possess usable computing power. Denys encourages anyone with such devices lying around to consider this innovative approach, transforming what might be considered electronic waste into valuable computing resources.

Thanks to mastro Gippo for the tip!