A YouTuber who goes by the name Hardware Haven has made a video detailing how to make a cheap and small (or smallest) possible server using an old Android phone.
While it would not be suitable for uses that require terabytes of data at multiple gigabytes per second, it is more than adequate for a lighter load like running Home Assistant.
Postmarket OS, a Linux distribution for old smartphones was used after considering Termux for Docker-on-Android.
The biggest challenge was powering the phone permanently as it wouldn’t charge when using a networking dongle, so the YouTuber ended up dismantling the phone and wiring up a 5V feed to replace the battery internally.
The result is a very low power homelab server that cost almost nothing and gives those who say homelabbing is a rich person’s hobby a viable low-cost option.
