this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2026
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Hey guys, since I got into hosting my own servers, any electronic device I see I wonder - can it become a server?

This is probably not a crazy and new idea with android phones, but I had to share it with you. If you don’t know, there’s this thing called postmarket OS, full linux experience on an android phone.

Of course, not all phones are supported, but a phone like Galaxy Note 9 is a great candidate - it supports LAN over usb, postmarket OS fully supports it (the Exinos version) and setting up a phone as a selfhosted server has it’s real perks. Pis got really expensive, not to mention they don’t have a built-in UPS (phones have batteries), they use slow SD cards, while phones have faster UFS memory, phones draw way less power.

What do you guys think? I will for sure get a used Galaxy Note 9 and explore this idea, and if all goes well, I might even buy more of them and create a cluster.

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[–] FoxAlive@lemmy.zip 3 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (2 children)

I have 3 pi 4s that where maybe 45 dollars each when I bought them, last time unchecked they where 600 dollars. I thought about selling them, but completely forgot if I want a pi again, and go to buy one, by then they might be 400 each.

[–] gandalf_der_13te@feddit.org 1 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)
[–] FoxAlive@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Amazon and adafruit lists it for around 120-150 USD now so yes. 200 for one with a case and charger, etc.

I don't know what those services are they look sketch to me so that screen shot means nothing to me. Even if they are legit I doubt they will ship to me. Or if they do ship it me its going to cost 80 dollars and take 3 months.

Theres generally a reason why it's so cheap.

[–] wry@sh.itjust.works 5 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

You can buy x86 mini PCs for less now with only a minor hit to power consumption (they use slightly more power). I used to love Pis for home labbing, but I have switched to mini PCs for it.

[–] FoxAlive@lemmy.zip 4 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (1 children)

I have two spare 8th gen Intel PCs I saved from the garbage bin, and a old gaming desktop that I now use as the server. So if I need a spare server I'm probably going to use one of those. I can get USB to gpio so been thinking of trying trying that route more considering how often people get rid of old pcs. I have a stack of windows vista-7 era laptops I was going to take apart for scrap too which could be used.

I bought the pis a long time ago, each time a found a project for one I was sad I didn't have one to play with and kept buying more. They aren't really even in use now. Ones built in to my work station and occasionally I boot into it and use raspberry pi imager to flash ubuntu or something on a USB. Its useful to have just ready on occasion. I have a hard time getting rid of them because of use cases like that, and in have a lot of hats/accessories for them like the ai camera. Even though I'm not really going to use them like I used to anymore.

[–] wry@sh.itjust.works 2 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

I love reusing old tech like this. People toss / sell at a loss a lot of stuff that has quite a bit of use left in it.

[–] FoxAlive@lemmy.zip 3 points 11 hours ago

If you already make a recycling run to the scrap yard its worth doing. I got 120 bucks last run just off old PCs and it wasn't even that much, you just get more when you separate it. Aluminium cases, ram, motherboard, hard drives, CPUs. The older they are often the more they are worth, and if you are into eBay selling im sure you could make a killing. I heard even DDR 3 is coming back so who knows anymore.

Only thing you shouldn't take is TVs you have to pay to get rid of them. Maybe don't take appliance too. some people do, for example fridges have a few valuable components but I would not reccomend it. You end up with plastics and other junk sometimes and have to pay to get a dump run.

A lot of it only makes sense if you can store a pile until it gets big enough to be worth a trip out.