This is another of Darren's finds.  It's a single app containing multiple mini-apps or widgets. Each widget is for a separate service. There are IM and email widgets, news feeds, games and calculators. iDea comes with Gmail, Google Talk, Sudoku, a Currency Converter, TechCrunch, Yahoo News, Google Search and ICQ Widgets. There are over 70 more available for download including Twitter, Facebook and MySpace widgets.

Darren says iDea works well on his i856 but I found it much too slow to use on my i776. So it's probably only for i856 and i9 users.

Free registration is required.  You can use the app for one day without registering. Registration can be done on the phone.You need to enter your phone number and then click a link in a text message that iDea sends to validate your registration.  When I tested it I got the text in less than a minute and was charged the normal 10 cents.

Type: Freeware
Vendor: Mobile Innovations - Product Page
Data Connection Required: Yes
Supported iDEN phones: i9 and  i856 only
File Size: 349 KB

I've never posted eBuddy 1.5 because it doesn't install on my i776.  Plus it's supposed to be a very minor update to fix a connection issue on some non-Boost phones. On the other hand eBuddy 1.4 works, although it keeps telling you there is an update available.

Boost apps reader Darren found a version of eBuddy 1.5 that does work on his i9. I tried it on my i776 and it  fails with a "Class Loading Error on "bz.class" just like the other one I tried.  I'm posting it anyway for the benefit of i9 users.  It may work on other models with likely candidate being the i856 because it is the latest models.

If you try this on a phone other than the i9, please post a comment saying if it works or not and I'll update this post.  If you try it and it doesn't work, you can always go back to eBuddy 1.4.

eBuddy supports Yahoo, MSN, GTalk, AIM, ICQ, MySpace and Facebook.

Keys:
1. Press the green "Call" key for "OK" key's action
2. Press the right soft key for the left soft key's action
3. Press the menu key for the  right soft key's action
4. Exception : When entering text in a pop up window the soft keys (labeled OK and Cancel) work as labeled.

Type: Freeware
Vendor: eBuddy- Product Page, Online Help
Data Connection Required: Yes
Supported iDEN phones: Confirmed working on the i9. Does not work on the i776 or i465, use eBuddy 1,4 instead..

Provided you use Google Talk, GoTalkMobile is one of the best IM apps I've seen for iDEN phones. Nothing fancy, just a  fast loading, no  frills GoogleTalk IM app with all keys mapped correctly.

You can set up GoTalkMobile to notify you with a beep or vibe whenever messages arrive, friends come online or new Gmail email is received. You can't actually see new email in GoTalkMobile, but it tells you how many unread emails you have.

The only downside to this app is that it will not notify you when the app is suspended or the phone's flip is closed, but none of the other IM apps do either on iDEN phones.

Thanks to Kim for finding this app.

Type: Freeware
Author: GoTalkMobile - Product Page
Data Connection Required: Yes
Supported iDEN phones: All Falcon Series (MIDP-2) with Java  (i290, i335, i465, i776 i856, i9, etc.)
File Size: 114 KB

Thanks to dontae for finding it on GetJar we have a new IM client to play with. It's WeBuzz and supports AIM, Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, MSN Messenger, ICQ and Facebook. It seems pretty good. All the keys work, it fits the screen and loads quickly.  The only thing missing is that it doesn't beep or vibrate when you get a new IM.

Setting up Facebook in WeBuzz is a little tricky because you have to use  your Facebook username, NOT the email address that you log into Facebook itself with. Usernames are optional in Facebook, instructions for creating them are in Facebook help.

Type: Freeware
Vendor: WeBuzz - Product Page, Help, Forum
Data Connection Required: No
Supported iDEN phones: All Falcon Series (i856, i776, i465, i9, i290, etc.)

dontae

Nimbuzz released version 1.6 of their multi-protocol IM client for Java phones a couple of days ago.

Supported networks are the same as in version 1.5, Windows Live Messenger,  Skype, Yahoo, Facebook,  Google Talk, AIM, MySpace, ICQ, Twitter, studiVZ, shuelerVZ, Gadu-Gadu and Hyves.

It seems to start up a little faster than 1.5 and do a better job of staying connected to Facebook. Other than that I don't see much difference. Off line Facebook friends are still listed in the buddy list as numbers instead of by name and  the OK button and the soft keys are still mapped incorrectly.

Because of the messed up key mappings you need to:

1. Use the green "Call" key as the "OK" key
2. Use the right soft key for the left soft key's action
3. Use the menu key for the  right soft key's action
4. Exception : When entering text in native pop up windows,  the soft keys (labeled OK and Cancel) work as labeled.

Type: Freeware
Vendor: Nimbuzz - Product Page, Online Help, Forum
Data Connection Required: Yes
Supported iDEN phones: All Falcon Series (i776, i465, i9, i290, etc.)

Here's the multi-protocol IM client that Lise found, Papaya Mobile. It supports AIM. Yahoo IM, MSN Messenger, Google Talk and ICQ all at once with a separate tab for each active chat.

The IM feature is pretty well hidden. From the "Home" tab, press left to go to the "Features" tab, then scroll down to "Chat" rooms and press the left soft key to expand it and choose "Add IM"

Papaya has a lot of other features too, it's a social network with Avatars, Friends. Mini-Blogs, Chat rooms, Games, cheap international calling and SMS and what it calls email but is really direct messaging as you can only send email from other Papaya members.

The app is only 110kb, it loads quickly, the user interface is pretty snappy and everything fits nicely on the i776's tiny screen. Except for the OK key, keys are mapped correctly. Use the Call key as the OK key.

There are a couple of things I don't like about Papaya. It doesn't beep or vibrate when you get an IM and you have to give Papaya your mobile phone number to receive an activation PIN. I hope they don't start spamming me with texts.

Type: Freeware
Vendor: Papayamobile- Product Page, Mobile Web,  Online Help, Blog
Data Connection Required: Yes
Supported iDEN phones: All Falcon Series (i776, i465, i9, i290, etc.)

JonnyChat is a free AOL IM (AIM) client that works well on Boost phones. It's fast loading, has a responsive interface and messages arrive instantly. All the keys are mapped correctly except the OK key, use the Call key as OK.

The phone vibrates when you get a new IM and when a buddy logs if the app is running in the foreground. Hat tip to Trinitario for finding this.

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

Trinitario

Update: This app doesn't seem to work any more.  It just hangs displaying "Request Key" when you try to connect.

If you use Yahoo IM, you have to try this great find from BoostApps reader, Tal. It's the first IM client I've seen that really works well on my i776. It's quick, all the keys mapped correctly and everything fits the screen. Too bad it's Yahoo IM only.

Nefanasa Yahoo beeps when you get a new message, but unfortunately only when the app is in the foreground with the flip open. If it would notify when the flip was closed it would be perfect.

This is version 2.1.0.  The latest 2.4.12 version doesn't work due to a required certificate that is missing on IDEN phones. The instructions on the Nefanasa site say that if you are using 2.1.0 you need to change the server to cn.scs.msg.yahoo.com but that doesn't actually seem to be necessary as that is the default server.

One quirk about installing this app is that the download appears to contain two apps called "Nefansa Yahoo".  The first one installs and works but the second one gets an error. You can safely delete the broken one by highlighting it, pressing Menu and choosing "Remove".

Type: Freeware
Vendor: Nefanasa - Project Page, Help
Data Connection Required: Yes
Supported iDEN phones: All Falcon Series (i776, i465, i9, i290, etc.)

Here's the latest Nimbuzz,  version 1.5 full. The user interface has been completely redesigned compared to previous versions.  According to Nimbuzz, the new features in 1.5 are:

• Direct access to active chats and chatrooms from the top of  your buddylist
• Chat previews in the buddylist – easily see what’s going on and monitor multiple chats
• Fast switching between buddylist and chats/chatrooms
• Save space on your screen – chose to view one group at the time
• Quick Navigation to the top or the bottom of your buddylist using right and left navigation keys
• Separate menu icon for settings
• New sounds for chats and messages
• Improved stability and performance

Supported networks are the same as in version 1.1, Windows Live Messenger,  Skype, Yahoo, Facebook,  Google Talk/Orkut, AIM, MySpace, ICQ, Twitter, Giovani, studiVZ, shuelerVZ, Gadu-Gadu and Hyves.

As seems to be the case with many apps on iDEN phones, the OK button and the soft keys are mapped incorrectly.  I's not that hard to compensate if you remember to:

1. Use the green "Call" key as the "OK" key
2. Use the right soft key for the left soft key's action
3. Use the menu key for the  right soft key's action
4. Exception : When entering text in native pop up windows,  the soft keys (labeled OK and Cancel) work as labeled.

Type: Freeware
Vendor: Nimbuzz - Product Page, Online Help, Forum
Data Connection Required: Yes
Supported iDEN phones: All Falcon Series (i776, i465, i9, i290, etc.

By request here is JedIRC.  It's another  Internet Relay Chat (IRC) client that is faster than UtaIRC and Virca.  Besides being fast it seems full featured and has lots of options. I do see one issue though. The last line of the most recent message is cut off until a new message comes in and scrolls it up.

Type: Freeware
Author: Jedi-Knight- Product Page
Data Connection Required: Yes
Supported iDEN phones: All Falcon Series (i776, i465, i9, i290, etc.)