# I just got a new cell phone. Let's have some fun with the old one. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 14, 2004, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199 "2004-02-14T10:50:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2004, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/21 "2004-02-15T02:02:55Z")
The old cellphone may also be used as an emergency phone. By federal law, all cellphone towers must be able to transmit 911 calls even if there is not a valid cellphone contract on the phone. As long as the battery is good, of course. I think the woman’s shelter is a good idea. I tend to be cynical, though. Has anyone actually done any statistics that these phones are actually used in the manner in which they were intended? ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/22 "2004-02-15T03:52:50Z")
Find an old outhouse, one that doesn’t get serviced often (maybe one of those portable things at a festival). Drop the phone down the hole, take a photo of it, then run outside and catch your breath. Or … run outside find the nearest cop and tell him you dropped your cell phone in the toilet, can he help you out? Take photos of the rescue. Or … drill a big hole through the phone and wear it around your neck on a necklace made of shells. After you have 4 or 5 phones on your necklace, refer to yourself as Big Chief Cellphone. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2004, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/23 "2004-02-15T06:22:31Z")
> [@Bruce\_Daddy](#): > > :clap clap clap: Come on people!!! > > The following dopers have decent ideas: > **misstee** , **xstalkerx89** , **ccwaterback** , **lurksfromwork**. > > The rest , may they be noble, exciting or technologically advanced, are WRONG because either they cannot be documented by digital camera properly, or they are too difficult to recreate. I ask you, what good is it if I can’t share the fun with my doper buddies? > > My favorite so far is the train tracks one. . . Hey, I’m proud of that piranha idea. And when you’re done with the cell phone you can keep the fish around in case you have need of emergency body disposal. If you don’t want to touch chicken liver (and really, who would?) I would third (fourth?) the give-it-to-charity suggestion. I’m a 911 dispatcher and we take numerous calls from women who are equipped with donated phones. Not all of them are emergencies, of course, and some people do abuse it, but it’s still a good program. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2004, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/24 "2004-02-15T14:12:46Z")
Sorry, Charlie. I’m not in a very charitable mood these days. I figure the value of an old beater like my old phone to be 20 dollars. Therefore, in lieu\* of donating my phone, I will donate 20 dollars to a local charity. I promise. I’ll take a picture of that too. NO MORE NICE GUY IDEAS!!! We need shards of plastic and circuit board! \*It’s so fun to fuck up **lieu** ’s vanity searches. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2004, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/25 "2004-02-15T14:34:25Z")
Are fireworks legal in SC? How many cases of beer did you get for the party today? Do you see where I’m going with this? ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/26 "2004-02-15T16:42:52Z")
One word: Trebuchet. ---
**Author:** ![AnnaLivia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@AnnaLivia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnnaLivia)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/27 "2004-02-15T17:21:04Z")
Everything is better in the microwave. what? (I swear I didn’t microwave that balloon. that was my lecturer.) But that would require having other electronics you don’t mind ruining… I vote for fire, if it must be destroyed. AL ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/28 "2004-02-15T17:42:51Z")
The thing is, your phone may only be worth $20 but $20 won’t buy a phone, even one without a contract that can only be used to contact the police in the case of an emergency. The phone can be destroyed senselessly or it could save a person’s life. That’s a no-brainer from where I sit. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/29 "2004-02-15T17:46:39Z")
Model rocket motors. The biggest ones you can buy without a permit are Ds. I say get three or four of them and see how high you can launch that puppy. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2004, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/30 "2004-02-15T20:16:46Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Model rocket motors. The biggest ones you can buy without a permit are Ds. I say get three or four of them and see how high you can launch that puppy. “Can you hear me now? Goooood.” ---
**Author:** ![grisham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@grisham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grisham)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/31 "2004-02-15T20:27:45Z")
Bruce— yep my local petstore has em. For the use after I am thinking telemarketers. Anyway, if you are a golfer tee up and see how far you can drive that bad boy. Next idea— go to your local wal mart or k mart or gun store and by some black powder drill a hole stuff it full… figure out a fuse and blow that sucker to kingdom come. Go to your local batting cages. Either run it through the pitching machine into a wall or hit with a bat. Or just go psycho with a hammer. Not as pleasing for us to view but will do wonders for your psyche. ---
**Author:** ![misstee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/32 "2004-02-15T22:27:16Z")
" Accidentally" drop it as you are walking in front of a car. Unsuspecting motorist runs over it. You run behind said motorist waving your arms about in the air. As soon as motorist gets out of the car, start crying. “look what you did to my phone” I am expecting a very important call. Cry, let the tears roll. Bonus points if it’s a shy teenage boy who thinks he is going to be in very big trouble. Wait, that’s evil. See how it with stands the lawn mower test. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![grisham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@grisham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grisham)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/33 "2004-02-16T05:11:35Z")
One request dont do it to a unsuspecting teenaged boy. I had that happen to me but it was one of my moms friends playing a joke. They hid a bag of feathers in their driveway. I hit it they made me think I had hit their pet goose. Drama ensued not a cool thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/34 "2004-02-16T07:58:38Z")
Get a helium balloon big enough, tie the phone to the balloon and let 'er go. Put the phone in a jar, toss the jar into the ocean or a large river (with a note saying, “It’s for you”). ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/35 "2004-02-16T13:21:41Z")
> [@ccwaterback](#): > > Get a helium balloon big enough, tie the phone to the balloon and let 'er go. > > Put the phone in a jar, toss the jar into the ocean or a large river (with a note saying, “It’s for you”). What would be even better is if you could rig the phone so that it was ringing when you put it in the jar and was still ringing when it was found. My suggestion would be to go to a construction site and try to slip it under a moving steam roller. Another would be to open it up enough to put in as many firecrackers in it as possible (all strung together of course), then light the fuse and watch what happens. ---
**Author:** ![Testacleaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@Testacleaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testacleaz)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/36 "2004-02-16T14:23:59Z")
I think something along the lines of a “Rube Goldburg” contraption would be an absolute hoot. Start out by calling the phone which activates the “machine” and eventual destruction of your phone. The longer and more complex the operation of the machine, the more opportunity for pictures with your new cell. ``` The final movement would be something like a bowling ball dropped from about 20 feet onto your old phone. I await pictures with great anticipation. ``` ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/37 "2004-02-16T14:52:18Z")
find out its boiling point. may get a bit smelly cooking it in a pot though, but try it with vinegar and some salt, for taste. or failing that, you could always nuke the site from orbit. thats the only way to be sure. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/38 "2004-02-16T15:09:46Z")
Alrighty, there seems to be a few themes developing. Let’s settle on a theme and then work out the details. 1. Blow it up. 2. Send it high. 3. Crush it. 4. Cook it. \ ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/39 "2004-02-16T23:20:09Z")
Thinking it over, I really like choice #2 (Helium Balloon Option). Because the person finding it would get that “WTF” look on their face. ---
**Author:** ![da\_pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ba0ec/32.png) [@da\_pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/da_pope)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199/40 "2004-02-17T00:33:33Z")
along with the note that says ‘it’s for you’, add the URL for straightdope forum search, and ask them to search on some odd word that only this thread would contain. maybe they’ll post. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-a-new-cell-phone-lets-have-some-fun-with-the-old-one/229199.md?page=3)