Every once in a while, I get an inexplicable urge to revitalize one of my old, forgotten tech products by finding a new use for it. This happened a couple years ago with an old Android phone, which I briefly repurposed as a Chromecast remote, and later with my Surface Pro 3 keyboard, which I turned into a multi-device Bluetooth keyboard using a $15 adapter from eBay.

My latest endeavor involved reviving an old Chromebook--Samsung's Series 5 550--that I bought in 2012. I've long since moved onto more powerful hardware for mobile computing, including the aforementioned Surface Pro 3 and my trusty iPad Pro. Still, I figured that with the right software, I could turn the Chromebook into a tool for distraction-free writing. My plan was to replace Google's Chrome OS software with Linux, which would in turn let me install my favorite writing app (that'd be Typora), along with my current web browser of choice (Firefox) and Dropbox for syncing documents.

The project turned out to be more onerous than expected. To circumvent the laptop's write protection, I had crack it open and stuff some tinfoil into a tiny box connected to the motherboard. Then, I had to download some custom firmware from a random site on the internet, install it through a command prompt (reminiscent of the Microsoft DOS days), and finally install Linux through a bootable USB stick.

In the end, though, it all worked out as planned. For a 7-year-old laptop, the Series 5 550 runs pretty well, at least with a lightweight operating system and a small number of applications. And while its primary purpose is writing, it is capable of playing Doom.

The point of this story is not to boast about my nerd skills--though, admittedly, I'm boasting a little--or to recommend that you all start dismantling your laptops. I would, however, encourage you to consider whether an old PC really deserves permanent retirement. Instead, it might be able to serve some new purpose, whether it's as a writing tool, a home media server, or just a way to tinker without messing up your primary device.

To that end, here are some general pointers:

Repurpose for a reason: There's no shortage of PC revival idea articles on the web, but often times you’re better off using current hardware instead of an older machine for those suggested uses. (Turning an old PC into a Skype kiosk sounds nice, for instance, but using your main laptop—or phone, or tablet—will be more convenient in almost every circumstance.) In the case of my old Chromebook, its low-quality screen and lackluster performance are virtues, because they prevent me from wanting to do much besides writing. Before you start repurposing, consider whether the end result will excel in ways your current device does not.

Embrace the full wipe: My first step when revitalizing any old computing device is to give it a full factory reset, which frees up space, possibly improves performance, and removes potential distractions such as push notifications. (In the case of my Chromebook, replacing the operating system wholesale was sort of an extreme version of the full wipe.)

Consider a new battery: All lithium ion batteries degrade with use, limiting their ability to hold a charge. Finding replacement batteries online is fairly easy, provided you know your laptop’s model number. (In my case, I found a good price for my Chromebook's battery at Exact Parts.) Meanwhile, the website iFixit provides detailed repair instructions for many PCs, so you decide whether you’re up for the task.

If all else fails, harvest and recycle: I once had a laptop whose motherboard died, rendering it useless. The only option at that point was recycling, but first, I opened up the laptop, pulled out the hard drive, and used a SATA-to-USB cable to recover my data. Years later, I threw the drive into my desktop computer as a secondary storage location. Before you bring a laptop to your nearest recycler, consider harvesting the storage inside. You never know when you might need it.

Got questions on what to do with your old laptop, or a restoration idea you'd like to share? Get in touch by replying to this email.
 

While we’re on the topic of repurposed hardware, I loved reading about a new Mac app called Ejector, which turns the Eject key on Apple’s Magic Keyboard and older Macs into an all-purpose eject button for external drives, network drives, partitions, and disk images. (Without the software, the key only works with internal CD/DVD drives or Apple’s USB SuperDrive.) Even if your Mac lacks an eject key, the folks at TidBits note that you can map Ejector to any key combination with a program like Keyboard Maestro.

Ejector costs $10, which might seem steep given that developer Dave DeLong is openly telling Apple to copy the feature and make his app irrelevant. But if you're disconnecting external drives by simply yanking out the USB cable--rather than, say, opening Finder and clicking the Eject icon next to your drive--you're risking data loss every time. Having a physical eject button to press might help break the habit.
 

Samsung's expanding Galaxies: As is customary this time of year, Samsung has updated its line of Galaxy S phones. The new Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ are both larger than their predecessors with 6.1-inch and 6.4-inch displays, and they’ve also followed Apple’s iPhone X series into higher starting prices of $900 and $1,000, respectively.

The main attractions this time around include include a triple-lens rear camera system--good for switching between zoom, wide, and ultra-wide angles--and a fingerprint reader embedded under the screen, so you can unlock the phone without reaching behind it. Also neat: Both phones can wirelessly charge other devices—including smartwatches, phones, and Samsung's wireless earbuds—by resting one device atop the other. The S10+ has a secondary front camera as well, allowing for depth-of-field effects (and some amazing Wall-E wallpaper that utilizes the screen's dual camera cutouts.)

If those prices seem like too much, Samsung also has an iPhone XR-equivalent in the $749 Galaxy S10e, which has a smaller 5.8-inch display with no curved edges, two rear cameras instead of three, and a fingerprint sensor built into the side power button instead of under the display. All three phones will ship on March 8, and you can already read some early reviews.

Samsung is also working on a 5G version of the Galaxy S10, plus a phone with a flexible display called the Galaxy Fold. Both will be expensive, bleeding edge products that you can safely ignore.

Google Duo on the web: Speaking of Android phones, my status as the black sheep Android user in the family means I’m constantly pleading with people to install Google Duo, so we can video chat without using Apple's Facetime. My case has gotten a little stronger now that Duo has a web version, which works with any desktop browser and doesn’t require any extra software. Head to duo.google.com to check it out.

The trouble with VPNs: Slate's Will Oremus wrote a great piece last week about the challenges of using a virtual private network, or VPN, to protect your privacy. VPNs can mask your internet activity and location by routing traffic through secure servers, and the idea that you should use one has become a kind of conventional wisdom among tech experts.

But as Oremus points out, good VPN services require paid subscriptions, while free alternatives can hit you with ads, slow down your speeds, or fail to actually protect your data. Many of the companies offering VPN service are also inscrutable private entities, making them tough to trust, and even reputable review sites like CNet and The Wirecutter can't seem to agree on which services are best. I'll also note that using a VPN can be a ordeal, requiring you to either set one up on every device you own or reconfigure your Wi-Fi router to have a VPN handle all the traffic.

In return, you don't get much besides an intangible feeling of privacy, which is undercut by the fact that companies like Google and Facebook have other ways to track and collect data from you. VPNs can be useful in certain scenarios, such as staying secure on public Wi-Fi. But for most people, in most circumstances, they're not worth the trouble.
 

Add some storage to your laptop (new or old) with this tiny 128 GB Samsung flash drive, on sale from Newegg for $23 with promo code "EMCTVVB25" at checkout. It's small enough to sit permanently in the USB port of a laptop or fit discreetly in a streaming media player, plus it has a little cutout on the end so you can hook one onto your keychain. At this price, Samsung's USB drive is only a buck more than a similar 128 GB drive from SanDisk, but it offers much faster transfer speeds.