5 Things You Didn't Know You Can Do With Old Android Tablets

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Unlike iPads, Android tablets come in many forms, ranging from low-cost options great for media to high-end models best-suited for gaming and productivity. The biggest downside is that most Android tablets are not supported for very long. After two or three years, most of them stop receiving OS upgrades, which shortens their overall lifespan as newer apps become unavailable. Another issue is that most people already have a phone or laptop that can do all the same things as a tablet, making these devices more likely to fall out of favor. 

While they may not have the longevity of an iPad, these gadgets aren't useless once their specs and operating system are outdated. Aside from watching YouTube or scrolling through Instagram, you can use it for gaming, content creation, and other activities. So, if your Android tablet has been relegated to the bottom of a drawer, it's time to bring it back out and put it to use. And if cleaning out that drawer revealed other old electronics, explore more upcycling ideas with this list of the 15 best ways to repurpose your old Android phone or this round-up of five ways to reuse PC towers.

According to Xbox, everything is an Xbox nowadays. That statement applies to your Android tablet as well. You don't even need the newest Android tablet to do this. Any tablet with Bluetooth 4.0 and Android 12.0 or later will work. Since you'll need to access the cloud, Xbox recommends Wi-Fi speeds of 7 Mbps or more over a 5 GHz network. If your Android tablet qualifies, you can play Xbox games over the cloud.

While it was once possible to stream games via the Xbox Game Pass app on Android, this feature has since been discontinued and, like many others, moved to the Xbox app, which doesn't support cloud gaming. Instead, you'll need to access Xbox games via your browser by visiting Xbox.com/play. Of course, to stream and play any games, you'll need an active Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, which costs $19.99. However, Xbox Cloud Gaming could get a free ad-supported tier soon. 

While you can stream any cloud-enabled Game Pass game via the browser, not every game comes with touch controls. The company recommends using an Xbox Wireless controller, but other Bluetooth controllers compatible with your tablet (including Sony's DualShock 4) will also work just fine.

Streaming games on your tablet is a dream come true if you're into modern titles, but if you're nostalgic for the games you grew up with, an Android tablet can also deliver a retro gaming experience. Rather than stream games via the cloud, you'll have to download RetroArch, one of the best retro game emulators on the App Store.

Also available on the Google Play Store, RetroArch can emulate dozens of consoles, from the Atari 2600 and the Nintendo Entertainment System to the GameCube and PlayStation 2. Which consoles your device can comfortably emulate will depend on its specs, with higher-end tablets designed for gaming being suitable to run consoles like the PS2. That said, most Android tablets can easily run SNES, Genesis, and Game Boy Advance games, among other, less graphically intensive consoles. RetroArch has a bit of a learning curve, but there is a healthy community online that can answer most of your questions. When emulating games via RetroArch, it's best to dive into the settings to get the most stable performance. Within RetroArch, you can also switch to a different core, which is the actual software that emulates games. 

There is a common misconception that emulating games is illegal. That's not true. What's illegal is downloading pirated games (or ROMs). The most ethical route for emulating games is to rip carts or discs to create ROM files of titles you own. 

Manga is more popular than ever, and if you feel left out, it's never too late to play catch-up. The Shonen Jump Manga & Comics app from Viz gives you access to hundreds of manga series for only $3.99, which is an amazing value. You can even read "Sakamoto Days," a manga title that was adapted into an anime that's must-watch for "John Wick" fans.

The app's free version is fine if you only want to read the latest chapters of a manga series, but the paid version unlocks over 20,000 chapters, and you'll have the option to download them for offline reading. While the app previously had a daily limit of 100 chapters, that's no longer the case. Avid manga readers can consume as many chapters as they want. 

Still, subscriptions are a drain on your wallet, so it's understandable if another monthly payment puts you off. Another option is to download a comic reader app that lets you read your collection of manga files. CDisplayEX Comic Reader Lite is a free app that can read all comic book formats and even has manga-specific features that flip the page orientation for an authentic experience. The paid version costs $5.99 and removes ads in addition to making dark mode available. If you've collected dozens of digital manga files through Humble Bundle deals, this option is a must. 

Whether you're a full-time content creator or you make videos as a hobby, a teleprompter is a game-changer. If all you have is your tablet, download apps like Teleprompter.com, which now has a voice-activated scrolling feature that makes it so much easier to cleanly deliver your lines. You only need a tripod or other mount to secure the tablet near your camera while recording.

For the best results, you'll want to buy an actual teleprompter like this Neewer C12 model, which features a reflective display and hood for your camera. You can slot your tablet in the bracket and watch as your words reflect back. This is the ideal way to ensure you're always looking directly into the camera. This particular model comes with a remote that pairs with the Neewer Teleprompter app, giving you the option to scroll manually, adjust the speed and text, and play or pause. The app also has a mirror mode, which makes it possible to read the text when reflected off the teleprompter glass.

Non-linear editing (NLE) software is necessary for creating quality content and useful even if you're not a professional YouTuber. The downside is that popular NLE programs, like Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro, require a computer with a lot of memory and processing power. While that's still the case, you'd be surprised at what you can do with an Android tablet.

Apps like CapCut, InShot, and LumaFusion are a revelation. With these affordable apps, you can create high-quality content for TikTok and YouTube. CapCut and InShot both offer free versions, and they're popular among young users making short-form videos. Meanwhile, LumaFusion offers a more traditional video editing workflow, albeit shrunk down to a mobile screen. It should feel like riding a bike for those who already know their way around NLE. This app, which costs $29.99, offers a full-fat video editing experience with a multi-track timeline, transitions, titles, and effects. It may not be as feature-rich as Premiere Pro, but it gives you all the essentials.