Give Old iPhones and iPads a New Lease on Life -Security System

Give Old iPhones and iPads a New Lease on Life - WSJ: Then you’ll need the Manything app: Like its full-fledged counterparts, it can send you alerts if there’s motion in certain areas, or even   Security System
Internet-connected cameras like the Nest Cam are popular for spying on—I mean checking in on—family and pets, or alerting you if there’s a burglary afoot. An old phone running on Wi-Fi can accomplish the same.

  An app called
Manything can turn a used Apple or Android phone into a security camera,
so you can check on all the creatures in your home from afar.

Emily Prapuolenis/The Wall Street Journal

You’ll need a tiny tripod or some way to hold the phone upright, and an extension cord so it can stay plugged in all the time. Then you’ll need the Manything app:
Like its full-fledged counterparts, it can send you alerts if there’s motion in certain areas, or even save your recordings to the cloud if you pay a monthly fee. (Click here for requirements.) One caveat: Unlike a dedicated security camera, your phone probably doesn’t have a dedicated night mode.

While you’re at it, you can also use your phone to bring your smoke alarm into the digital age. A free Android and iOS app called CleverLoop Smokey listens out for the siren on a traditional alarm when you’re not at home, and sends you a text if one goes off.