Abstract: To facilitate text-to-speech conversion of a username, a first or last name of a user associated with the username may be retrieved, and a pronunciation of the username may be determined based at least in part on whether the name forms at least part of the username. To facilitate text-to-speech conversion of a domain name having a top level domain and at least one other level domain, a pronunciation for the top level domain may be determined based at least in part upon whether the top level domain is one of a predetermined set of top level domains. Each other level domain may be searched for one or more recognized words therewithin, and a pronunciation of the other level domain may be determined based at least in part on an outcome of the search. The username and domain name may form part of a network address such as an email address, URL or URI.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for handling a call received at a mobile communication device, in association with an automated number identification (ANI) number are provided. The ANI number is compared with a list of ANI numbers associated with an applications server, the list stored at the mobile communications device. When the ANI number is not in the list, a tone is provided on the call. When a corresponding tone is detected on the call in response to the tone, the call is handled as a call associated with the applications server and otherwise the call handled as a typical mobile communication call.

Abstract: An electronic device and a method implemented within the electronic device for disambiguating email recipient fields by extracting sufficient information from the domain portion of an intended recipient's email address to disambiguate between a personal and a business email address. An exemplary method includes parsing at least one of said multiple addresses in a recipient field of the email to extract information capable of distinguishing the at least one of said multiple addresses from at least another of the multiple addresses, and displaying the information in the recipient field of the email.

Abstract: A method and computing device for processing data are provided. Rule data for visually coding incoming data is stored. First and second profile data are stored, independent of the rule data. Each profile data comprises a respective range of time and a respective recurrence pattern that repeats indefinitely. Each profile data is associated with a respective subset of the rule data. Respective indications are received that first profile data and second profile have been activated. In response, the respective subset is automatically applied during the respective range of time such that incoming data is visually coded at the display device according to the respective subset during the respective range of time. Automatic application of the respective subset during the respective range of time repeats indefinitely according to the respective recurrence pattern until another indication that the respective profile data has been deactivated is received.

Abstract: A communications device includes multiple data transceivers, each configured for communication via a respective communication transport mode. The communication device has one or more data packets which are associated with one of the communication transport modes. The handheld communication device transmits or receives the data packet(s) via the data transceiver that is configured for communication with the corresponding communication transport mode. A user-indication of the communication transport mode of the data packet(s) is provided in accordance with the data transceiver that communicates the data packet(s). The user indication is provided on a per-data packet basis, substantially contemporaneously with the communication of the data packet(s) via the one data transceiver.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for processing a calendar database for time zone shifting are provided. The calendar database is processed to determine a first set of event data associated with a first time zone and a second set of event data associated with a second time zone. Time zone calendar view data is produced, the time zone calendar view data enabled to control a display device to produce a time zone calendar view comprising representations of the first set and the second set sorted according to their associated time zones, said representations displayed on a timeline adjacent to one another, with concurrent times in each of the first time zone and second time zone temporally aligned. A display device is controlled, via the time zone calendar view data, to produce the time zone calendar view.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing shared data at a portable electronic device of a first entity is provided. A message is received advising that data associated with a second entity is being shared. A request is transmitted to a server for a list of shared folders associated with the second entity, in response to an option to view shared folders associated with the second entity being selected. The list is received. An initialize command is transmitted to the server, the initialize command identifying at least one folder in the list. The data associated with the second entity is received, responsive to the transmitting the initialize command. The data is stored in association with a second entity identifier.

Abstract: According to embodiments described in the specification, a method and apparatus, for determining the state of a computing device is described, by first determining at least one unique code associated with at least one file resident on the computing device, the at least one unique code representative of a state of the at least one file. Then at least one unique reference code associated with at least one update file is determined, the at least one update file for updating said at least one file resident on the computing device, and the at least one unique reference code representative of an expected state of the at least one file resident on the computing device. Finally, the state of the computing device is determined to be in an expected state if the at least one unique code matches the at least one unique reference code, and in an unexpected state if the at least one unique code does not match the at least one unique reference code.

Abstract: An improved system and method for managing data on a handheld electronic device includes a server that periodically pushes data to a particular handheld electronic device, with the data being stored on the handheld electronic device by way of a routine running in the background whereby such reception and storage is generally transparent to a user. The data can be any type of data and may be data that is desired by the user or that fits a profile or preference of the user. The profile can, for instance, be predetermined and/or can be customized by the user and/or can reflect a preference of the user. The data pushed to the handheld electronic device can also be related in some fashion to a geographic disposition of the handheld electronic device. Such pushing of data and storage is managed by a routine running in the background of the handheld electronic device. The routine enables current data to be maintained on the handheld electronic device for ready access by a user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for unlocking a mobile communication device are provided, the mobile communication device comprising an input device, and a display device, the mobile communication device enabled to initiate emergency calls in a locked state. Password input data is received via the input device, when the mobile communication device is in the locked state, the password input data for unlocking the mobile communication device, the password input data comprising at least a sequence of characters for initiating an emergency call. In response to receiving the sequence of characters for initiating the emergency call, the display device is controlling to provide a representation of instructions to initiate the emergency call upon receipt of emergency call initiate data from the input device.

Abstract: An enhanced email system incorporating mobile wireless communication devices includes program logic for efficiently managing (i.e., at least partially synchronizing) “messages sent” files in the mobile device and in a related message server. The exemplary program logic also more efficiently handles resending of previously sent email messages from the mobile wireless communication device (especially in the context of synchronized messages sent files) by sending to the message server only abbreviated unique message ID in the first instance. In this way, wireless bandwidth is conserved as is the device battery.

Abstract: A method for customizing a delivery status notification from a recipient to a sender, comprising associating at least one sender device with a notification message; and upon receipt of a message from the sender device delivering the message to a recipient device and returning the notification message to the sender device.

Abstract: A novel method and apparatus for controlling operation of a photosensor array in a portable electronic device to reduce flicker resulting from fluorescent light having a periodic intensity. The method comprises selecting a time zone in which the device is to be operated, correlating the time zone with a corresponding frequency of the fluorescent light, and signaling the photosensor array to operate in accordance with a mode optimized to reduce flicker based on the selected time zone.

Abstract: A method of securely synchronizing cache contents of a mobile browser with a server includes initiating a session between the browser and server, including transmission of browser state information regarding the cache contents and an authentication key to the server; maintaining a record of data sent from the server to the browser for storage in the cache; maintaining a record of the state information regarding the cache contents transmitted from the browser to the server; and transmitting data requests from the browser to the server, in response to which the server uses the key as a seed generation function and accesses each the record of data and returns only data that does not already form part of the cache contents, and wherein the data includes a result of a hash of data generated by the generation function for authentication by the browser before updating the cache contents with the data.

Abstract: A method and computing device for managing calendar data records are provided, the computing device comprising a processor interconnected with a memory enabled to maintain the data records and with a touchscreen controlled to generate a representation of a subset of at least two of the data records within a first portion of the touchscreen. The touchscreen is further controlled to generate a representation of details of a first one of the data records in the subset in a second portion of the touchscreen, different from the first portion, when input data associated with the first portion is detected by the touchscreen. The touchscreen is further controlled to generate a representation of details of a next data record in the subset, in a given order, in the second portion, each time an input event is detected at a portion of the touchscreen associated with providing next data records.

Abstract: A novel method and apparatus for controlling the display of a portable electronic device having a user input device and a camera function; the portable electronic device including a photosensor chip having a sensor array of a predetermined number of rows and columns of pixels for converting radiant energy into electronic signals representing an image for display via a viewfinder. The method comprises selecting via the user input a zoom level and viewfinder resolution for the camera application, and in the event the zoom level is 1× then scaling the predetermined number of rows and columns of pixels to the selected viewfinder resolution and generating an image corresponding thereto; and in the event the zoom level is greater than 1× then cropping a region of interest of the predetermined number of rows and columns of pixels in accordance with the zoom level and then scaling the cropped region of interest in accordance with the viewfinder resolution and generating an image corresponding thereto.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing shared data at a portable electronic device of a first entity is provided. A message is received advising that data associated with a second entity is being shared. A request is transmitted to a server for a list of shared folders associated with the second entity, in response to an option to view shared folders associated with the second entity being selected. The list is received. An initialize command is transmitted to the server, the initialize command identifying at least one folder in the list. The data associated with the second entity is received, responsive to the transmitting the initialize command. The data is stored in association with a second entity identifier.

Abstract: A method and communication device for processing data for transmission from the communication device to a second communication device is provided. It is detected that the data comprises an attachment. An address of a copy of the attachment is determined, the attachment present on a storage device external to the communication devices. An address of the copy of the attachment is substituted in the data such that the copy is retrievable at the second communication device via the address. The data is then transmitted to the second communication device.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for routing of data transmitted from a mobile electronic device to a first host of a plurality of hosts in a communication network using a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is provided. It is determined that the first host has failed via receipt of BGP rerouted data at least one network element, the BGP rerouted data originally intended for the first host. A negative acknowledgement (NACK) is transmitted to the mobile electronic device from the at least one network element, the NACK enabled to trigger the mobile electronic device to transmit data that was to be transmitted to the first host to another of the plurality of hosts and wherein the NACK is identifiable by the mobile electronic device as having been transmitted by the at least one network element.

Abstract: A mobile electronic communications device and a method for modifying a scheduling database are provided. The scheduling database is modified via the mobile electronic communications device in communication with a proximate electronic device comprising a display device, the mobile electronic communications device is engaging an oral communications session with a second communications device. Time slot data associated with an available time slot is retrieved from the scheduling database, via the mobile electronic communications device. The time slot data is transmitted to the proximate electronic device causing it to display the time slot data at the display device. Input data representative of a command to update the scheduling database is received at the mobile electronic communications device. An entry of the scheduling database is updated, via the mobile electronic device, based on the time slot data associated with the available time slot displayed at the display device.