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You can turn an old Android into a Raspberry Pi alternative - but know this first
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OK, it's not Raspberry Pi OS, but Linux Debian is what that OS is based on.
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With demand from AI data centers sending RAM and storage prices through the roof, Raspberry Pi buyers have been among the many victims of this trend. We've seen the prices of single-board computers skyrocket to the point where two 16GB Pi 5 boards cost the same as a MacBook Neo.
No wonder there's been a huge spike in interest in turning an old Android handset into a portable project computer.
Also: You're charging your phone all wrong: 6 common myths, debunked
After all, it looks like the perfect portable computer because it is a highly optimized portable computer, and most of us have a few old handsets sitting in a drawer or on a shelf somewhere, doing nothing.
But… there is a but. Several, actually. Before I tell you what you need to do to turn that old phone into a portable powerhouse for your projects, I'm going to list both the pros and the potential pitfalls of using that old handset.