What is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw (formerly Clawdbot/Moltbot) is a free, open-source autonomous AI agent created by Austrian engineer Peter Steinberger. Released in November 2025, it went viral in January 2026 — now with 200,000+ GitHub stars.

Think of it as your personal J.A.R.V.I.S — an AI assistant that actually does things:

📧 Manages your emails (read, reply, organize)
📅 Handles your calendar & bookings
💬 Lives in your chat apps (WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Signal)
🛒 Can order groceries, check flights, negotiate deals
🧠 Learns from your behavior and adapts over time
🔧 Extensible with custom "skills" (plugins)

Why Use an Old Android Phone?

Low power + built-in UPS — runs 24/7 on minimal power; battery survives outages
Repurpose old phones — put that spare phone to work instead of buying a mini PC
Sufficient performance — even older models handle OpenClaw easily