[Fascinate General] hoppermi:
Fascinate MIUI User Guide

NOTE: All features may not be available yet. Still Alpha

With the release of Fascinate MIUI I thought I would share my User Guide I wrote for the Droid. It will help keep UI questions out of the Development Thread. Feel free to post in this thread with questions and for support. I am not always available but I will try and keep up.

This guide will highlight the differences that the MIUI launcher and apps bring to your experience, and help with settings so your phone works the way you want.

I am not an expert with this or any ROM(or the English language for that matter), but I thought it might be useful to have a guide to save thread posts from redundancy.

HOME SCREENS

(1) There is no App Drawer. Your apps are on your home screens(seemingly random) to the right of the clock screen. When you download a new app the shortcut will be found furthest to the right

(2) Launcher Dock can be populated up to six shortcuts by drag and drop. No custom shortcuts will drop here, but folders will! (hello app drawer)

(3) Edit Mode(long press on screen, or select from MENU). This will allow you to customize your home pages.

While in edit mode pressing the MENU button will bring up the add button for custom shortcuts, widgets, folders, and wallpapers.

Widget dropdown and wallpaper options are also accessible via buttons in the upper right and left hand corners of the screen.

(4) Folders are drag and drop(easiest in edit mode) Rename by selecting folder then press pen and paper button in top left. You can also sort your apps by dl order, alphabetically, or frequent use.

(5) Widgets- one of the coolest things about this launcher is the ability to add all of your widgets in one session. Simply drag widget from dropdown menu to desired thumbnail screen, you may have to adjust on screen placement later. Then grab the next one and repeat until you are done, AWESOME.

(6) Adding and removing home screens. You can view your homescreens in thumbnail fashion by tapping twice on the home button or pinching on the screen.

Once here you may add, move(drag and drop),remove(if it is empty)screens. I haven’t heard if there is a limit, but I think I read that someone had 20 or so.

The last screen you were at before entering this mode will be highlighted.

The defaut home screen will have just the home button highlighted. Just tap the little home button on the thumbnail to switch the default.

(7) Deleting Apps. Since there is no app drawer, when you drag a shortcut to the trash can it is going to ask if you would like to uninstall.

You may not uninstall system apps in this manner.

OTHER SETTINGS AND FEATURES

(8) Contacts – You may select custom ringtones for each contact if desired.

Swiping across a contact in the list will give an option to Delete.

In order to use the Favorite Contact widget that is included you need to add favorite contacts by pressing add to favorites button when you open the contact.

(9) Notification Bar - If you hadn’t noticed there is a scrollable toolbar at the bottom of the notification pulldown. It contains all of the power control widget functions plus a few more.

The CPU button, Lit= lowers cpu speed when screen is off to reduce background app power consumption. Unlit = business as usual.

(10) Battery- Settings/Battery/ Battery indicator style gives 3 options for your battery status Graphically,Percentage, Top-Bar. Select your preference.

Power Saving Mode w/ many options for saving battery. When PSM is set to auto, and your battery gets below the selected threshhold, selected functions will not be available.

There is also an option to disable auto PSM.

Low battery alarm is percentage adjustable.

(11) Lock screen - You may change the wallpaper for the lockscreen in the same menu as normal wallpaper, select lockscreen wallpaper gallery to pick image from your SD card.

There are notification counters for Phone calls and Text messages. long pressing on the phone or texting icons will preview the missed calls or texts.

Unlocking with these icons will open directly to those apps.

For now the text notifications are tied to the MIUI MMS app. You must open the messages with that app to clear the notifications. The icon can be directed to handcent or other messaging app but notifications still come from MIUI MMS.(Edit:At least one user is reporting using ChompMMS and has lockscreen notifications working)

New locksreen music controls! Double tap lock icon, or play something and return to lock sreen.

(12) Task Killer - MIUI has a built in task killer. Long pressing on the home button brings up recent apps like normal, but has a button for task killing in the lower left, and a shortcut to App Manager on the lower right.

(13) Return to call button - You can leave the call screen to do other tasks, including browsing the web (WiFi only), during a call.

When you leave the call screen a button appears across the top of your screen that will return to the call screen so you can hang up.

(14) *228 Phone activation, reprogramming can be reached by dialing *228+.

(15) Settings Menu MIUI completely redid the settings menu, giving you four tabs at the bottom. Each tab has its own menu of settings, browse around to familiarize yourself with where your most used settings are located. You can now access settings for Gmail, MMS, GTalk, Calendar, and Browser, right from the main settings Menu. Just select Programs tab. (Why didn't I think of this.....oh yeah, I'm a building contractor)

(16) Themes MIUI changes the game once again with the addition of built-in themeing. In the settings menu press Personal tab/ Theme Manager or click on the Theme Manager Icon from the launcher. There are a couple preloaded. To add theme, dl, and move to MIUI/Themes on your SD card.

MIUI Theming allows for you to mix and match theme catagories. You select a System Style which will be the base for your personal theme. From there you can add features of other themes you have in your themes folder including, icons, fonts, text style, boot animation and boot audio.

(17) Screenshots Hold down on the menu button and press volume down to take a screenshot. Pics are in the MIUI folder on your SD card.

(18) MIUI Backup MIUI comes with its own backup utility. This allows you to backup and restore both apps and settings, including Launcher layout. Its a very simple backup utility. This only works for MIUI roms.

(19) Do Not Disturb mode MIUI now has support for blacklist/whitelist communication filtering. Settings/personal/DNDmode

(20) MMS Font color/ Background editor In MMS settings select themes and you will be presented with a menu that will allow you to change font color and backgrounds for your Conversation and In-Message screens. You may also select from several general MMS Themes.

(21) Personal Password Protection You can password protect Folders, dialer, SMS/MMS, and DNDMode.

Settings/Personal/ Security and Privacy Settings

(22) Visitor Mode Hides your call log and MMS msgs if you are letting someone use your phone or just showing it off. Long press power button, select Visitor Mode.

(23) MMS Favorites Tab Long pressing on a text message pops up a menu where you can forward, add to favorites, copy, get details, or delete. Selecting Favorites will add message to your Favorites Tab.

(24)MIUI Global Search App MIUI has added thier own search app. There is a widget. You can also access it by long pressing home to bring up recent apps and app killer then swipe right, notice the page dots at the top. Odd placement if you ask me, but there it is.

(25) Launcher Settings There are Launcher settings in the personal settings tab.

Keep in memory should always be on, and will prevent redraws.

Hi-res Graphics can be disabled and smooths out the launcher considerably, without any noticeable difference in appearance.

New Transitions settings in Launcher Settings=Sweet

(26) File Explorer has some nice features including a wireless sync for your PC. No need to plug in to access your SD. Just type the ftp address in the address bar of My Computer and you are in!

MMS/SMS Incorrect Timestamp Correction In MMS Settings/Advanced, Turn off Sort SMS by date (toggle left)

This is all I can think of for now. If there is something other features you would like to see added, or find an error in my post, post below and I will check periodically and update. Thanks