Abstract: This invention includes a stylus that employs a translucent material for conducting light to convey information from a portable electronic device to a user. In one preferred embodiment, the stylus provides a thermometer style fuel gauge. Inserting the stylus into a special stylus holder actuates the fuel gauge. A thermometer like fuel gauge reading then appears in the body of the stylus. Other embodiments include changing color, focal point of a lens and light intensity to convey information. The stylus may be used to convey any type of information, including receipt of e-mail by the portable electronic device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for efficient magnitude approximation, for example, for approximation of magnitudes of complex rectilinear Fourier transform coefficients in portable or other low-power speech recognition equipment, and for cartesian-to-polar coordinate transforms.