Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are described for generating a virtual keyboard user interface that includes a popup area for selecting alternative characters. The user interface may include a plurality of keys generated on a display, with at least one key among the plurality of keys having a first character or action associated with the at least one key. The user interface may also include a popup area displayed so as to at least partially cover the at least one key, the popup area displaying one or more alternative characters or actions to the first character or action, and a visual indicator that instructs a user that the user may move the user's finger to the left or right of the at least one key, and without any vertical movement of the user's finger, to cause an alternative character or action within the popup area to be highlighted.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are described for generating a virtual keyboard user interface with at least one multi-state display portion. The user interface may include a plurality of keys of a virtual keyboard generated on a display, with at least one key among the plurality of keys having a first function. The user interface may also include a mnemonic device configured to be displayed on the virtual keyboard, where the mnemonic device may be irrelevant to the first function. The mnemonic device may have a first display state when the at least one key is not selected, and have a second display state when the at least one key is selected. In some aspects, the mnemonic device has a reduced visibility in the first display state and a heightened visibility in the second display state, so as to emphasize the second display state.

Abstract: An apparatus in one embodiment comprises a processing platform that includes a plurality of processing devices each comprising a processor coupled to a memory. The processing platform is configured to implement virtual resources for use by client applications. The processing platform is further configured with a multi-layered architecture including at least a client applications layer, a distributed resource scheduling layer, a resource abstraction layer and a resource layer comprising the virtual resources. The distributed resource scheduling layer registers as a framework with the resource abstraction layer, and the client applications register as respective processing tasks with the distributed resource scheduling layer. The distributed resource scheduling layer controls allocation of the virtual resources of the resource layer to the client applications. The virtual resources illustratively comprise respective containers, respective virtual machines, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are described for generating a virtual keyboard user interface with at least one multi-state display portion. The user interface may include a plurality of keys of a virtual keyboard generated on a display, with at least one key among the plurality of keys having a first function. The user interface may also include a mnemonic device configured to be displayed on the virtual keyboard, where the mnemonic device may be irrelevant to the first function. The mnemonic device may have a first display state when the at least one key is not selected, and have a second display state when the at least one key is selected. In some aspects, the mnemonic device has a reduced visibility in the first display state and a heightened visibility in the second display state, so as to emphasize the second display state.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are described for generating a virtual keyboard user interface that includes a popup area for selecting alternative characters. The user interface may include a plurality of keys generated on a display, with at least one key among the plurality of keys having a first character or action associated with the at least one key. The user interface may also include a popup area displayed so as to at least partially cover the at least one key, the popup area displaying one or more alternative characters or actions to the first character or action, and a visual indicator that instructs a user that the user may move the user's finger to the left or right of the at least one key, and without any vertical movement of the user's finger, to cause an alternative character or action within the popup area to be highlighted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing multi-layered graphical user interface controls is described. The user interface controls are comprised of several graphic control layers, each having a transparent region and an opaque region. User input actions over a transparent region is effective to tunnel the user input action to the next graphic control layer until the user input action is determined to occur over an opaque region of a subsequent graphic control layer. In one embodiment, the present invention includes push button and radio button controls. In other embodiments, the present invention includes check boxes, sliders and lists. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention includes backout behavior in which a selection action over an opaque region followed by motion into a transparent region is effective to cause the appearance of the graphic control layer to change from an activated appearance to an deactivated appearance without tunneling the input action to the next graphic control layer.