Controls
The toy is controlled by the stem, which acts like a joystick. To turn the toy on, you press down on the stem for one second. It will turn onto the lowest constant setting. You can increase or decrease the speed by pushing the stem towards the + or - symbols. You can access the patterns by pushing it towards the ~ or .. symbols. Pressing the button down during use will take you back to the low setting. To turn it off, you press the stem down for 3 seconds.
The controls weren't totally intuitive to me, and this is one of very few toys where I actually had to check the instructions to figure out how to do some things. Once I read the instructions, the controls seemed logical, but I still have some issues with them. The symbols aren't raised, so you need to stop and look at them to change the vibration settings. They aren't backlit, so you won't be able to change the settings in the dark.
I also had some problems with turning the toy on and off. It worked most of the time, but occassionally the toy just wouldn't react, or would accidentally go into the patterns instead. I think the problem was caused by me pressing the stem slightly to the side, instead of perfectly straight down, or by not pressing it hard enough. I wish there was a separate power button to make it easier to turn the toy on, and especially for those times when I might need to quickly turn it off to avoid an embarassing situation.
The Forbidden fruit comes locked, and needs to be unlocked before use. Hold the stem down for 5 seconds until the light flashes and there is a pulse of vibrations. If you'd like to lock it for travel, hold the button fown for 5 seconds again, until the light turns off. The locking feature also worked most of the time, but not 100% of the time for me.
Vibrations
There are 5 strengths of steady vibrations, along with 3 speeds of pulsing and 3 speeds of waving. You can adjust the strength for the patterns.
I was disappointed with the Forbidden Fruit's vibrations. I was hoping they would be similar to Matryoshka's, but they are weaker and louder. They aren't ridiculously loud, but can definitely be heard through a door. This is a problem for me, since I live with others. The vibrations do not travel well through the seemingly hollow toy. They are strongest at the base. The vibrations have a very electronic sound and feel to them, where it almost seems like a really fast pulsation rather than a steady vibration. The vibrations are medium in pitch - not super buzzy, but not rumbly, either. I need strong vibrations, and these really don't do much for me. I can easily feel them, but I don't get any pleasure from them. I almost gave this 2 vrooms, because I've given 3 vrooms to some toys that could just barely get me off, and the Forbidden Fruit doesn't even get me aroused. But the vibrations aren't ridiculously weak. They feel medium in my hand, but just do nothing for my clit. I think it's mainly the type of vibrations that doesn't work for me at all.
Charging
The Forbidden Fruit charges wirelessly by setting it on it's charging base. The base has a cover, which is perfect for discreet charging. You'll need to attach one end of the cord to be back of the base, then choose the correct adapter from the 4 provided, connect it to the other end of the cord, and plug it into the wall. Forbidden Fruit uses the same cord as Matryoshka (another Rianne S. toy) but they use different bases.
You should charge the Forbidden Fruit for 8 hours the first time. After that, a full charge will take about 2 hours, and will last up to 3 hours of use. A light will flash while the toy is charging, then turn off when it is fully charged. The instructions warn not to leave the toy on the charger for more than 24 hours. The light will also flash to give you warning if they battery is about to die during use.
jmex83- Thanks for reading!