BoostApps

Here's something people have been requesting forever here on BoostApps, a streaming Internet Radio app that actually works on Boost iDEN and Nextel phones. I've tried over a dozen radio apps and never managed to find one that worked on my i776.

The wait is over thanks to  BoostApps reader Lise, who found iRadio on GetJar and got it working on her i856. Lise was kind enough to share her find with us.

iRadio has a directory over offer 500 stations which you can browse or search for a particular type of music like hip hop or classical.

According to Lise, on the i856 it takes several minutes to load the list of stations and a couple more to begin playing the selected station, but it does actually work and the sound is good.

I never managed to get iRadio to play anything on my i776. The program did install and run. But it took nine minutes to load the station list. After I picked a station I waited another 40 minutes but it never started playing. The i856 and i9 have a much faster processor and twice as much memory as the other iDEN phones. I suspect that iRadio will only work on the i9 and i856

Type: Ad-supported
Author: Dr. Hu - Project Page
Data Connection Required: Yes
Supported iDEN phones: i856 and i9

Alternate links for side loading and non-iDEN devices: ZIP JAD JAR

Multi-level role playing adventure game incorporating elements from NetHack and Rogue. Large dungeon, many levels. Be sure to collect all the gold, food, weapons from each level before going to the next one.

The user interface is bare bones,  there isn't even a menu. You move your avatar with the with arrow keys, attack by pressing the Call button. When your die you have to exit the game and restart.

Type: Freeware
Author: Unknown - A "MScIT Project"
Data Connection Required: No
Supported iDEN phones: All Falcon Series (i776, i465, i9, i290, etc.)

Alternate links for side loading and non-iDEN devices: ZIP JAD JAR

I've received several requests for an English - Japanese dictionary but until now haven't found one that was small enough to load on Boost phones. I just discovered the KODi  series of free mobile Java translating dictionary apps. They are remarkably small, only 800 KB for this "full" version Japanese dictionary compared with several MBs for other vendors Japanese dictionaries.

This dictionary is very fast loading and searches are almost instantaneous.  The user interface is attractive and easy to use too. The only downside is that it only provides "rōmaji" Japanese translations using the Latin (Roman) alphabet rather than actual kanji or kani Japanese characters.

Small is a relative term, this app is about 800KB in size and you will need about 2500 KB free space on your phone to install it. Delete any games and apps that you don't use before trying to download it.

Keys:
left or *  - delete
call key - toggle English-Japanese-English, select in the menu
up or down - move through results

Type: Freeware
Vendor: KODi - Project Page, Help, Forum
Data Connection Required: No
Supported iDEN phones: All

Alternate links for side loading and non-iDEN devices: ZIP JAD JAR

Recommended by a BoostApps reader, MobileBG is a a backgammon game. It features three difficulty levels, a tutor mode, automatic saving and restoring of games and matches, and cumulative statistics for wins and losses. It is based on artificial neural network technology.

If you don't know how to play backgammon start by reading The Rules of Backgammon.

Keys:
Call key - pick up and drop checkers
Arrow keys - move selection

Type: Open source
Author: Markus Herven - Project Page
Data Connection Required: No
Supported iDEN phones: All Falcon Series (i776, i465, i9, i290, etc.)

Alternate links for side loading and non-iDEN devices: ZIP JAD JAR

Fantasy adventure based on the board game Dungeonquest. Find the hidden treasure before the time runs out or the monsters get you.

Keys:
Direction keys: Move hero or map, open doors and gates
Call key: Search room and get popups
1:   Zoom in
3: Toggle between map and hero
7: Rest or drink potion
9: Help, stats

Type: Free
Vendor: Zuul.inc - Product Page
Data Connection Required: No
Supported iDEN phones: All Falcon Series (i776, i465, i9, i290, etc.)

Alternate links for side loading and non-iDEN devices: ZIP JAD JAR

Update: The ManyBooks version of the this book that I originally posted aparently doesn't work on the i856.  I've updated the links and the  Send To Phone button to point to a copy from Books In My Phone which hopefully will work on all phones.

Oscar Wilde's classic horror story The Canterville Ghost. published as an eBook by Books In My Phone. Hat tip to BoostApps reader Lise for finding, testing and recommending this book. I've substituted an ad free version for the ad-supported one she found on GetJar.

Keys:
0 - Exit
left, 2 - previous chapter
right, 3 - next chapter
down, 1  - next page
up, 4 - back
8 - cycle font size
5 - day mode
6 - night mode
7 - help

Type: Freeware
Vendor: Books In My Phone - Product Page
Data Connection Required: No
Supported iDEN phones: All

Alternate links for side loading and non-iDEN devices: ZIP JAD JAR

Another reader find. PocoLoco is a shoot 'em up game with very good graphics. It's not very challenging but a lot of fun.

You are Poco, an indestructible  Yosemite Sam like character with big pistols. The goal of the game seems to be to shoot at everything; bombs,crates and soldiers.

You have to register to play, which you do from within the game.  Registration requires an email address. You can use a bogus address and the will game still work but if you use a real address you get a link for 200 Keicho coins which can be used to buy powerups. GetJar says the game is ad-supported. I didn't see any adds but game start-up takes as long as most ad-supported games.

Keys:
5 - throw grenades, select in menus
4 - run left, shoot left
6 - run right, shoot right
2 - shoot up
8 - shoot down
7 - Buy Weapons
Menu - Main Menu

Type: Ad Supported?
Vendor: Muzi
Data Connection Required: Yes
Supported iDEN phones: All Falcon Series (i776, i465, i9, i290, etc.)

Alternate links for side loading and non-iDEN devices: ZIP JAD JAR

I really enjoyed this book when I read it last year. It's contemporary science fiction writer Cory Doctorow's 2008 novel, Little Brother.

Set the San Francisco in the near future Little Brother a fast paced tale of a band of hacker kids in a knockdown battle against a repressive police  state.

Little Brother was released under a  Creative Commons license which allows it to distributed for free.  The mobile edition was published by Books In My Phone.

Keys:
0 - Exit
left, 2 - previous chapter
right, 3 - next chapter
down, 1  - next page
up, 4 - back
8 - cycle font size
5 - day mode
6 - night mode
7 - help

Type: Creative Commons
Author: Cory Doctorow  Author Page
Data Connection Required: No
Supported iDEN phones: All

Alternate links for side loading and non-iDEN devices: ZIP JAD JAR

BoostApps reader Lise has been scouring GetJar looking games and apps that work on her i856. Mario55, also called Mario MIDP is one of her finds. It's an oldie but a goodie, a Super Mario Bros. clone from Hungarian development house AquaJava.  It has working sound, correctly mapped keys and very fast gameplay on my i776.

Keys:
left and right arrow keys to run
up arrow to jump
# to start a new game after you loose.

Alternate links for side loading and non-iDEN devices: ZIP JAD JAR

Requested by a BoostApps reader, SpyBlue, also called SpyScan, is an app that scans for Bluetooth devices within range. You can set it up to scan for all devices or only the ones you specify.  The vendor suggests using it to find friends in a crowded club or on the subway.

Type: Ad Supported
Vendor: Javaphone.it - Product Page
Data Connection Required: Yes
Supported iDEN phones: All Falcon Series (i776, i465, i9, i290, etc.)

Alternate links for side loading and non-iDEN devices: ZIP JAD JAR