Use LG Volt as mp3 player w/o activating?

[Music1anda2]

My mp3 player has died and I can't find a new one I like. I'm told some people buy pre-paid smart phones and use them as mp3 players, without activating them and starting phone service. Can this be done on the Boost LG Volt? I don't need phone service and would only be using it as an mp3 player, and maybe occasionally using the camera. Best Buy's got a good price on this unit, but I want to make sure I can use it like this without activating it before I buy one.

Does anybody know whether and how this can be done on this phone? I've found some YouTube videos showing how for other phones, but not this one.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[donjuro]

Why not just buy an android device next to be used that way? Like a tablet or an android mp3 player with a camera? If you're going to be taking pictures I assume you'll want to take good ones. Not that this phone has a bad camera but the quality could be better. Otherwise what you want to do is perfectly possible if you want to go that route.

 

[np6s4x]

any android device can be used this way as far i can tell, just some are more annoying in the way the phone may try to activate itself.

 

[bg4m3r]

I took my old SG Prevail and modded it into basically an iPod Touch for my son to play games on. I froze all the phone functions so he couldn't dial 911 or anything like that.

 

[ricksz]

I froze all the phone functions so he couldn't dial 911 or anything like that.

I have an EVO V laying around that I thought had been disabled but I received an Amber alert on it last week. Is there a setting I missed?

Googling, I found this:

Give Your Kid Your Old Mobile Phone As A Toy... But Make Sure They Don't Call 911

 

[np6s4x]

from what i can tell, an amber alert is a special emergency text that goes out to all capable phones. if you froze the messaging app much like the phone app for 911, then that may stop the text.

i'm wondering if airplane mode would also solve the issue?

 

[bg4m3r]

I have an EVO V laying around that I thought had been disabled but I received an Amber alert on it last week. Is there a setting I missed?

All cell phones, even deactivated ones, retain the ability to contact emergency services. Is a safety thing. When I set up my phone for my son I froze the phone and deleted the messaging app.

 

[Music1anda2]

Well, a dedicated mp3 player was my first choice, and I actually bought 3 of them, but had to return all 3 because they had mechanical problems. Quality control is evidently dead in that industry. After 3 tries trying to get a working unit, I started looking at alternative solutions.

A re-purposed cell phone is preferable to a tablet because of its size. I use(d) the player while working out, and a tablet is a bit big to carry around while exercising. It having a camera in it is a nice bonus, even if it isn't the best quality camera around. It might be convenient to have from time to time.

So really the main thing is to find out if I can bypass the activation process and just use the other features of the device, not the phone.

Thanks for your response! I appreciate your taking the time.

 

[Rarewolf]

Having it in airplane mode helps the battery as well

 

[bg4m3r]

So really the main thing is to find out if I can bypass the activation process and just use the other features of the device, not the phone.

Short answer, yes. Obviously you won't have any network data, but WiFi and everything else will work.
You'll just want to root it and at least freeze the phone, messaging, and activation apps.

 

[donjuro]

And disable data to save battery

 

[sandcrest]

I bought the AWE and used it for six months as my mp3 player. It wasn't until I tried putting a 64gb chip in that I activated my AWE as my phone and started using my Triumph as my house mp3 player.
I also have had an LG F3 for over a month that isn't activated, and I use it as my mobile mp3 player. I use my LG Volt as my phone. I also use the unactivated F3 with Skype and Freedompop for calling and messaging.

 

[Phil42]

The answer is absolutely yes. A non-activated LG Volt (and I suspect most Androids) makes a great WiFi only Android. I just purchased a Volt and before any activation I connected to my home WiFi network.

I went on the phone to the Play Store. It asked for my Google account information. At that point I could download all of My Apps (paid and free) from the playstore. (I use MortPlayer for music if you care).

I spent a day fooling around with my apps and even downloaded some new ones which wouldn't run on my older Android. Only after I was satisfied that I actually liked how they worked on the new phone did I activate the phone. I went through this 'backwards' approach just in case I didn't like the phone and wanted to return it.

However, a better choice would be to use an old Android as a dedicated WiFi phone. Now that I upgraded to the Volt, my old phone is available. In addition, I've picked up working used Androids at yard sales for $1 to $5. WiFi only Androids have *lots* of uses.

 

[bg4m3r]

I modded a deactivated Galaxy Prevail into an Android iPod for my kids. Froze all the Phone and Messaging apps to prevent having the cops show up.

 

[Phil42]

Isn't Android iPod a contradiction in terms? Sort of like Ford-Chevy.

 

[bg4m3r]

Lol... not any more than Intel Macs.

 

[Music1anda2]

Thanks to everyone who's replied here. You guys give great advice and info! Much appreciated.

I bought the Volt a couple of days ago and have been experimenting with it. It's a great little device, even un-activated. I haven't been able to short-circuit the activation process it tries to go through every time it's turned on, but that only takes about 10 minutes before it comes to an end on its own, so you can turn it on once in the morning, leave it on and be able to use it all day, no problem.

I've got my tunes again for workouts, so my waistline thanks you!

 

[prrep]

As far as that annoying hands free activation process,I read somewhere "can't remember where" that the only nonroot work around that is to put the phone in airplane mode before shutting down & once you reboot it will skip the activation process.It has worked for me so far on a kyocera hydro vibe that I purchased & I'm using as a mini tablet.

 

[JediJDC777]

I have the same original question but nobody seems to know the answer. My first phone was the LG Optimus V (Virgin Mobile) and the second was the Samsung Galaxy Reverb (Virgin Mobile) and both could be used without activating no problem. When I upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy SIII (VM) and the LG Volt (both VM and Boost Mobile) I have ran into the activation screen where there is no option to bypass or skip in order to use as a wi-fi only device without paying to activate. Hopefully someone out there can assist.

 

[np6s4x]

I just picked up an S5 and noticed that at first I couldn't bypass the activation, but once I let it fail 5 times it let me bypass it. Maybe the S3 is the same or similar? I don't remember what the volt was like, but I know I was able to use it before activation (v3 at that time, not sure if v4 changed it).

 

[DaKillaWilla]

The LG volt can be used without activating. I'm using it now without activation.

 

[kwiknuts]

The LG volt can be used without activating. I'm using it now without activation.

How are you able to keep it from asking to activate everytime you reboot it. see my post. thanks

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Just bought the LG Volt from RS the Boost Mobile version, can't root it yet till a few weeks from now cause it has the V4 software. But every time I restart it I get this annoying HANDS FREE ACTIVATION screen and it takes a few minutes for it to time out. I dont want to activate it yet just want to use it in wifi m,ode for know. How can I turn off that HANDS FREE ACTIVATION permanently ? Any tweaks or tricks ?

thanks

 

[DaKillaWilla]

How are you able to keep it from asking to activate everytime you reboot it. see my post. thanks

--------------

Just bought the LG Volt from RS the Boost Mobile version, can't root it yet till a few weeks from now cause it has the V4 software. But every time I restart it I get this annoying HANDS FREE ACTIVATION screen and it takes a few minutes for it to time out. I dont want to activate it yet just want to use it in wifi m,ode for know. How can I turn off that HANDS FREE ACTIVATION permanently ? Any tweaks or tricks ?

thanks

Not sure about that. I just stopped rebooting it.

 

[Phil42]

When I got my Volt it tried to activate each time I turned on the phone and I hit cancel. After a handful of tries it gave up. Each time after hitting cancel I was able to use it as a WiFi only device. After a couple of days I went ahead and activated it, so using it as a WiFi device did not hurt it or disqualify it from getting activated.

 

[tuesday630]

I would also like to learn how to disable the activation popup on the LG Volt.