MIUI = Droid made up to look/act like an iPhone?

[Redflea]

So what's the allure...nothing I've seen in MIUI video and in the screen shots here makes this look as exciting as the buzz it's generating.

Unless, of course, you really like the looks. Aside from that, I haven't seen much. Where's the beef, so to speak?

Losing the app drawer is like throwing away one of the best parts of Android, IMHO. Having to have your home screens stuffed to the gills w/apps you don't use regularly just seems like we've taken a huge step backwards. You can create folders w/apps in 'em, I know. But I can do that with apps organizer and back up those folders/associations to carry them across ROMs/phones, etc.

The ability to have separate lock-screen wallpaper is nice, and the lock screen actions are nice (but you can get some or all of that w/widgetlocker, I believe)...

So aside from the look, which I can see would get some people very excited, what additional functionality/features does MIUI provide that is so compelling?

Really asking this question, not here to bait. If the look is the core value, I get it, I LOVE certain themes and have avoided upgrading to newer releases in the past just to keep using a theme, but just wondering if I'm missing something else here.

 

[christim]

Hiyas Redflea,

The drop down notification bar is the coolest thing since sliced bread. The handle, once partway or all the way extended, has a scrollable toolbar that includes the Power Control Widget controls as well as some others. No longer are you in Maps, realize you don't have GPS on and have to jump around screens to toggle GPS on. I did use Quickdesk which is a cool tool for laying an additional launcher desktop on top of your existing one to achieve similar results but Miui's Notification pull down tool is way better.

I finally decided on a default launcher, settling on what I used before, Launcher Pro. So I don't have icons scattered everywhere and I do have my app drawer but also get to use the Pull Down Notification bar which is an excellent combination imho.

The contacts and dialer are also different. The contacts/dialer take a couple minutes to figure out how to move from one tool to the other, but the icons are there to do so, you just have to look for them.

As I installed Miui on top of SS I don't know what the Miui default texting app looks like so can't speak to that.

 

[starscream]

one feature I am really liking is that it has a scrollable "Power Control Widget" built right into the notification pull down..

also it is "so far" running very smooth.. Ive been running it for about two or three days now and just updated to V3 and it is great

I agree it is mostly an aesthetic appeal... aside from the looks and this ROM really just being different enough to make you feel like you just got a new phone its the same old android 2.2 we all love..

simple answer... cuz we can

 

[starscream]

Here is a look at the stock MIUI SMS app
for both of you
I really like it

 

[yakitori]

Personally, I dont like not having an app drawer, but with the MIUI rom, on my homescreen I created a folder called applications, which I can dump all my apps into (which basically has the function of an app drawer)...also I have computing apps in a "computing" folder, and games in Games folder. All of which have preview icon. Its basically a catalog of apps classified based on their function rather than one large app drawer that has ALL apps in one alphebetized order.

So...honestly, I like the folder concepts better than the app drawer. Thats just preference. Also, as stated, you can use other launchers like ADW etc...which will have the same feel as any other android rom.

Also, the ease of organization is better for me. And I too like having the widget feature on MIUI. Its different than the typical droid.

There are other things that make the ROM great, like others have said...dailer, contacts, MMS, layout...and basically the UI (hence MI UI). Its not that much like Iphone. Its still android software and hanles processes in the same manner.

Its not for everyone though. Its just preference. I like having something COMPLETELY different.

I have not updated to the v3, because its running smooth for me now as is. I dont get force closes except when dialing *228....that is basically the ONLY update I care to get at this point. Dont sync facebook friends with my phone. Facebook for me is people "ya dont meet in person" kinda social page. Like old friends from school

 

[Sundown]

I with the OP on this one. I tried it as soon as it came out, and it just "felt" like my iPod Touch. There's a reason I own a Droid, and it's not so I can make the UI like an iPhone. I like the app drawer way better than screens and screen of apps or having to place everything in folders. Yes, the pulldown power control widget is slick, but I'm betting another ROM will extract that and start using it.

Yes, it's slick, stable, and fast.

To me, it just reminds me of the iOS too much, and that's why I'm sticking with CM6 or UD9 (as soon as it comes out).

I want my Droid to be a Droid.

 

[bp328i]

I'm running it because some of the other Officers at my company have, live and breathe the iPhone and when they saw it on my Droid they were like "what the **** how in the hell did you do that". I was able to tell them Droid Does!

That and it's differrent than all the other ROM's out right now. I've had my phone almost a year now and it's a nice change, makes it feel like a different phone.

 

[ASN-121]

I with the OP on this one. I tried it as soon as it came out, and it just "felt" like my iPod Touch. There's a reason I own a Droid, and it's not so I can make the UI like an iPhone. I like the app drawer way better than screens and screen of apps or having to place everything in folders. Yes, the pulldown power control widget is slick, but I'm betting another ROM will extract that and start using it.

Yes, it's slick, stable, and fast.

To me, it just reminds me of the iOS too much, and that's why I'm sticking with CM6 or UD9 (as soon as it comes out).

I want my Droid to be a Droid.

Running this ROM is showing that your Droid is a Droid... You have the freedom and ability to run a completely customized OS on your phone. Much different than that of the original OTA OS...
I like it for the power control, and I actually don't miss the app drawer, because as was said, it usually housed my lesser used apps. I set up my screens just the way I wanted, then put all the apps onto their own screens, which I can scroll to/through quickly and easily. I like the lockscreen, all it's missing is a audio toggle to be perfect (for me). I get around that by quickly unlocking the phone and pulling down and selecting silent/ringer in a flash though.
I like the ROM because it runs stably and I'm also getting really good battery life compared to other ROMs I've tried.
I like the "Favorite Contacts" widget, the new dialer, and the customization available. I have yet to see another ROM move the battery to the top of the notification bar, which is great because it reduces clutter and makes judging the battery at a glance much easier for me.
You say that all you see is just a revamp of graphical proportions, but there's much more to it. It's like upgrading from Vista to Windows 7 in my book, I seriously feel like I have a new phone. No other ROM has made me feel that way... yet. :icon_ banana:

 

[dbuglio]

I like a few things about the MIUI "look".

I like the pulldown menu a ton, as well as the lockscreen (some like it some dont). Everything else can be interchanged.

I think im forgetting a 3rd thing that is basically a must have feature for me, i'll edit it when I think about it.

Also this rom (I'm using a 2 week'ish version) is FAST, I mean like fluid fast. chevy's ULV kernel 1250. Also it has excellent battery life (one of the best i've tested)

I DO use setCPU even though most say to not use it, I have had zero speed issues and without setCPU my battery life goes down.

I do dislike the skinned contacts and messaging that they have, stock (black) was so much better, however with how finniky this rom was to install without issues I don't want to change it back to stock. I actually really HATE the look of the messaging app.

 

[publicanimal]

Since I can remember I've been using LauncherPro w/ 7 home screens and accessing my apps from the home screens 90% of the time. So I really have to disagree that the app drawer is one of the best features of Android. Handy occasionally, but it took me all of about a day to adapt to not having it.

While I do acknowledge that Miui's icons do aesthetically somewhat resemble iPhone icons, that (and I guess the lack of the app drawer) are the only parallels that can be drawn to the iPhone. All the functionality of Android is still there - with a lot of added tweaks that we've never seen in any other ROMs. The iPhone-ish looks are not what drew me to Miui whatsoever, I love Android and hate Apple Inc with a passion.

I really recommend giving this ROM a try. There is truly a dizzying array of never before seen features unleashed.

 

[yakitori]

oh, yes...and I forgot to mention this as well...and publicanimal pointed it out. I hate Apple iphone as well. I love this ROM though, at a glance one would think "why would you want your droid like an Iphone", but after using it...it is not like an iphone. (although like mentioned it has larger bubbly icons and no app drawer with stock launcher).

I too am using setCPU, and chevy 1.0 ghz lv kernel (rather than the one that came with it). My cpu will freeze anything above 1.0, so thats its limit. I only overclock to 800 and still get linpacks in the 11.4-11.55 range. And i have my battery save profiles and heat profiles in place as well. I paid for it...Im using it. Also havent seen any drawbacks/slow laggy effects from using set cpu with miui.

 

[Redflea]

Thanks for all the feedback, helpful to understand more about what this provides and folks' perspectives on it.