You need an Internet connection and valid username and password to enjoy the full benefit of MyStrands Mobile. You can create a new username and password at http://www.mystrands.com. Once you have your username and password, enter your information in "Preferences" in your MyStrands Mobile.
The first time you run MyStrands Mobile, you need to update your library. From the "Library" view, select "Library Manager->Update Library" to scan your device and storage card for all MP3, WMA, and ASX files and add them to your library. This requires an Internet connection to register your local library with MyStrands.
Anytime you add or remove tracks or playlists to your mobile device, you need to update your library to reflect the changes you have made.
In the "Library" view, you may view the tracks you wish to play in one of four different ways, Playlist, Artist, Album, and Folder. You can change the view in "Browse by". In each view, the top item is alway "All Music".
To play tracks falling under your selection, highlight any single item in the current view and select "Play" or double-click the item.
To play specific tracks, highlight an item and select "View Tracks". This gives you a list of tracks. Check all the tracks you want to listen to, and select "Play".
Simply check all tracks you are interested in the "Track" view, and select "Save As New Playlist". Save the playlist in any location you desire. You can see the new playlist later in the "Playlist" view in the "Library".
Another great way to create a playlist is to have MyStrands Mobile pick a list of tracks from your library based on tracks you select in the "Track" view or an item in the "Library" view or based on tags created by you and community users for tracks you have. To perform this task, select "Build Playlist->From Selection" or "Build Playlist->From Tag Cloud" from either view. This returns to you a non-duplicated list of tracks that you can save as a new playlist or start play immediately.
MyStrands Mobile can recommend you a set of tracks you do not have in your library. Simply highlight an item in the "Library" view or check individual tracks in the "Tracks" view and select "Recommendations". You may also see recommendations for the currently playing track from the "Now Playing" view if any recommended tracks are found. Select "Recommendations".
In the "Recommendations" view, highlight a track and select "Play Clip" to listen to a music clip of the highlighted track. This option is available only when a clip is available.
You may view community and view/edit personal tags for the currently playing track on the "Now Playing" view.
Select "Tags" to go the the "Tags" view. "Tags" view allows you to edit, delete or add new personal tags to the current track. Simply type a new tag name in the text box and click "Add". When you are done adding, click "Publish" to upload your personal tags to MyStrands.
You may view the status of users from the "Now Playing" view"
Select "Who's Listening?". This view allows you to view any contacts you may have and users who have recently listened to the current track, artist or album. A blue icon next to a user's alias represents that the user is currently online and a grey icon represents offline. Select a user and select "View Play History" to view play history of the selected user. Like recommendation view, you can play clips from the history if the note icon is not grayed out.
From any view you may choose "Preferences" to update your preferences.
You may edit your login and password, the maximum number of tracks for "Recommendations", the maximum number of tracks for "Build Playlist", and your online visibility options. You can also switch to "Offline" mode. In offline mode, all online functionalities are disabled.