How to re-purpose an old tablet into a smart mirror display

              Today I will be showing you how to breathe some new life into that old tablet you have lying around. I have found the coolest project you can do with an old tablet is to convert it into a smart mirror display. This is a very easy project requiring very little technical knowledge and less than $20 in supplies assuming you have the most basic of tools at your disposal. Out of everything on the list below the only item I needed to source was the mirror which I got on Amazon for $14 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017ONH3EG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

Supplies:

• ·       Old Tablet
• ·       Wall charger
• ·       12" x 12" Acrylic See-Through Mirror
• ·       Cardboard
• ·       Tape measure
• ·       Scissors or razor knife
• ·       Electrical tape
• ·       Marker

These are all the supplies you need for this project and almost every single one could be substituted to fit what you have laying around your house. Now that you have compiled everything you need to assemble this smart mirror we must start by first selecting the correct settings and installing the software on the tablet.

Prepping the Tablet

              First make sure your tablet is running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or higher. I recommend doing a factory reboot to purge the device of any clutter that may have accumulated in the devices past life. Assuming you are now running a clean reset Android 4.0 or higher tablet the next step is getting into the power saving settings of your device. Go to Settings, Display, Advanced, Sleep and then select always on when plugged in. After you have set the correct power / screen settings you will want follow this link from the playstore and install this free app. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.morristaedt.mirror This is the app that will run your smart mirror display. It includes many features including:

• ·       Day, time, and weather display
• ·       Biking recommendations
• ·       Stock price swings
• ·       Face detection
• ·       Mood detection
• ·       Today's XKCD
• ·       Next calendar event
• ·       Top news headlines

You can go into the apps settings to select which of these features you want displayed on your mirror and turn off the ones that are of no interest to you. Once you are happy with your selections it is time to physically build our smart mirror!

Smart Mirror Display Assembly

Step 1. Use your tape measure and marker to mark out a 12” by 12” square on the cardboard

Step 2. Align your tablet on the inside corner or the square your marked out, then trace the tablet with your marker.

Step 3. Take your scissors or razor knife and carefully cut out all the lines you have traced. You will be left with cardboard housing that fits your tablet.

Step 4. Line up your mirror with the cardboard, assuming you bought a 12” by 12” mirror and followed my directions thus far the mirror and cardboard backing should line up perfectly leaving a slot that will perfectly fit your device. Once lined up take your electrical tape and tape the cardboard to the mirror creating a border of electrical tape on all sides not only holding the housing together but also creating a sleek black frame for your display.

Step 5. Place your tablet in the housing and plug in the power cable, notch out the cardboard if needed to connect power.

Step 6. Take your electrical tape and tape the tablet and power cord into place. This can be done by simply taping every side of the tablet to the back of the cardboard.

Step 7. Plug power adapter into wall and enjoy your new Smart Mirror Display!