3 Clever Things You Can Do With an Old Amazon Kindle - WIRED

What the report says

Wired’s David Nield outlines three ways owners can repurpose an older Amazon Kindle after upgrading, arguing that the devices’ E-Ink screens and basic web capabilities make them useful beyond reading ebooks. The suggestions range from a simple music-control setup to more involved maker projects that require coding or hardware work.

The easiest idea uses Kindlify.co in the Kindle’s built-in browser to connect a Spotify account. According to Wired, the Kindle must be on the same Wi-Fi network as the device playing the audio, and it functions through Spotify Connect rather than by installing an official Spotify app or storing music locally. From the e-reader, users can pause, resume, and skip tracks while playback continues on another device.

A more advanced project turns the Kindle into a smart home-style information display. Wired points to instructions from developer Matt Healy, who built a setup involving a custom website and a frame for the e-reader. The display can show information pulled from compatible services, such as weather, calendars, tasks, or delivery updates, depending on which platforms allow third-party access.

The third option converts the Kindle into a literary clock, showing the current time through book excerpts that mention each minute of the day. Wired says the project uses prepared images and scripts for all 1,440 minutes, and can also serve as a guessing game because the source title and author are hidden until revealed. The article frames these projects as practical ways to extend the life of aging electronics while giving technically curious users a low-stakes hacking challenge.