It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since it was announced that more than 30 subway stations would now have cell phone reception access. In today’s changing world, more than ever we’re looking at ways to keep ourselves entertained, particularly in tedious situations like the commute to work. Next time you find yourself bored on the subway, take a look at the gadget in your pocket – are you really aware of just how much it can do? Here are just a few ways you can use your mobile to pass the time.

Go back in time

One of the biggest things we use our smartphones for in the modern day is to play on social media, but if you’re finding constant status updates all a bit tedious, you can make your Twitter or Facebook experience more fun. Take a look back through all your old photos and remind yourself of previous vacations you’ve been on, weddings you’ve attended, or even just silly ‘laugh out loud’ moments that make you smile. They’ve even created a whole app for it called Timehop just to help you look back on yourself over the years. You never know what you might find!

Watch a movie

This is one of the best ways you can use you can use your smartphone if your signal is less than impressive. Consider purchasing an app like Netflix to give you access to a huge selection of your favorite shows and movies, and take the time the night before your commute to download your best picks. You might get a few funny looks if you can be seen jumping out of your skin or laughing your head off just by looking at your phone, but it will be more than worth it.

Real time gaming

More and more of today’s smartphone gadgets have become synonymous with gaming rather than making calls, so why not make the most of your phone’s gaming potential? One way in which you can do this is to try your hand at a little real time gaming. If you’re not sure how it works, there are plenty of online guides available out there, but the premise is quite simple – they are simply online casino games which are both legal in the United States and also take a far more light-hearted approach to gambling, so you can get your kicks on the subway and still raise a smile.