alt Hacker NewsThis is sooo true. I have multiple computing ideas that I want to do just for fun but I am not doing because each requires buying a mini-pc, sometimes with a screen too, and put Linux + my app on it.
At the same time I have multiple old phones laying around, Pixels, iPhones, Galaxy that are out of date, have cracked screens or worn out batteries.
Each one of these old phones have same or more computing power than a $300 mini-pc, but I can't use them because I can't just ssh into them and install an app...
Sad, really.
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I'm using a Nexus 5 with postmarketOS as an SMS gateway connected to the internet! So glad old phones were a bit more open
In Android you can use termux and run them as a servers I have done it that way
Same, the computing capacity and redundancy you could achieve with your spare devices...
> but I can't use them because I can't just ssh into them and install an app...
of course you can. just ask your agent. it took me 1 hour to vibe-code and install an Android app on my locked down Android.
The pixels all ship with unlocked bootloaders.