Thread: Boost mobile?

Your right, in my “car” I have the phone connected to the PC via a USB cable which means I normally turn on the phone manually and it charges thru the PC. What I'm trying to do is install a screen of a boost phone running mologogo on the dash of my truck for GPS and maps only. I'm lucky because I have a pretty good location for it but since the phone will be hidden (a clean install is my # 1 priority) and I will not have access to the power button I would like the phone to power on when I start the car. I don't know how to do this. I know PURDooM was trying something similar (actually I got the idea for the install in my truck from his post) so I'm wondering if he or anybody else has a way or idea how to power on the phone without the toggling the power button physically. Any suggestions?

You may can just tie a simple relay into the accessory wire of the truck to connect the contacts on the power button on the phone. I think you'd need a latching circuit to hold it for about a second, because if you try to turn the phone on, you'll notice you have to hold the button for a second to turn on. Luckily, the I450 has a seperate power button, some phones the talk/send button turns them on.

Sonicxtacy02 has a good point too, the screen will come back on when the computer boots and the USB is charging it if you leave it on all the time, and it will just black out when not in use, and will appear to be off, unless you're using it standalone, then you will need a way to constantly access the buttons.

Originally Posted by necrolyte

Sonicxtacy02 has a good point too, the screen will come back on when the computer boots and the USB is charging it if you leave it on all the time, and it will just black out when not in use, and will appear to be off, unless you're using it standalone, then you will need a way to constantly access the buttons.

i love when people say i make a point lol. I understand what you are tryin to do but you are over thinking it. You dont have to turn your phone off AT ALL unless ur leavin your car parked for weeks at a time. Try this test, turn the phone on, unplugged from usb, with the flip open. Wait 60 seconds. The screen will turn completely black. Then without pressing any buttons plug the usb in (computer on). The screen will come back on and stay on. Its really that simple.


On a side note, anyone found a way to stop receiving those stupid "horiscope" text messages they send? They're damn annoying!

Originally Posted by Sonicxtacy02

On a side note, anyone found a way to stop receiving those stupid "horiscope" text messages they send? They're damn annoying!

I have not. But I do get random phonecalls from time to time that mess up whatever java app is running.

My 2 C:

You never need to turn your phone off (I don't, it just idles until the car is on then it starts charging again) but the on off thing is nice for mologogo as a saftey incase mologogo crashes (it happens from time to time).

Soldering the power button was a pain in the *** and its easy to peal off the printed power button contacts if you arent careful on the i415. So be careful and do it right the first time if you have too!

Other than that, the only other way I figured to turn it on was a momentary (less than 1.5 seconds?) disconnect of the battery - the phone will simply reset rather than power off.

Thanks for the reply necrolyte. I think you understand what I’m trying to do though I don’t know if I’m crafty enough to get your solution to work. Sonicxtacy02, I’m only trying to install the phone in my truck (which does not have a pc in it) and it will be running mologogo at a fairly high refresh rate. I’m doing this so I can have a moving map on my dash WITHOUT a pc. Because mologogo is going to refresh every few minutes it won’t last weeks like you say. It will be more like less than a day. Since I don’t drive the truck every day the phone will die and I will need to access the power button which I won’t be able to do because only the screen will be on the dash and the phone will be in it. This is why I’m trying to get this thing to power on when the car starts. Also, I’m sure you’re aware you can have the phone start any 1 Java app automatically when the phone starts up. This means if I could get the phone to start with the car, then mologogo can start automatically. I’m sorry if I didn’t make this all clear. I going to bust out the torx wrenches this weekend and see what I can do. Of course if there is any easier way to do this please let me know. Thanks for your help

Thanks PURDooM.

I dont know if you guys reliaze this, but i was too lazy to call them and have my internet turned on, so hooked the phone up to my laptop and had internet access anyway. I'm not entirely sure whats going on (im not getting charged), nor do i know if paying gets you a slightly faster service or anything (it seems like im hitting about 2KBPS on download). I'm kinda curious as to what you are actually paying for when you pay the $.35 a month because opera also works just fine (when uploaded onto the phone).


oh yeah, i have a motorola i415, and this was done on an unaltered phone .

I've been reading this informative thread and, being that I am interested in reducing costs, was considering going to Boost for their wireless data offerings.

A problem came up after poking around various forums. You see, I currently have Tmobile on a Bluetooth phone. I do not plan on dropping my Bluetooth capability because I have a Dell Axim X3H that I Bluetooth with. Currently, the only phone Boost offers with Bluetooth is the i875. Great I say....

The phone is pricey, but I can shave about $80 off getting it (new) off of eBay. Then I look into the phone's capabilities. "Houston, we have a problem..."

According to the Boost forum on HowardForums, it seems the phone's Bluetooth stack is crippled so that only 200 KB of information can be transmitted at a time.

Too bad, Boost just lost a perspective customer unless someone can confirm that the 200 KB limit is erroneous.

I would not use Boost as my primary cell if they paid me money.

I am still seriously considering buying an i450 for the car only. At $20/mo it may be worth it to have always-on internet in the car.

Questions to those that use it (asked before, but I'm taking an updated poll)

How much does it really cost?
What speeds to you really get (Wi-DEN)?
Have you used it with Google Earth?
Hav you used it with Sling-Player?
Does it auto connect when you start the car and stay connected untill you turn off the car?