Abstract: The preferred embodiments described herein provide a method and system for selecting a character with a user input device comprising a plurality of buttons. In one preferred embodiment, a first plurality of characters is displayed on a display device in a pattern corresponding to a pattern of a plurality of buttons of a user input device, and a character from the first plurality of characters is selected in response to actuation of one of the plurality of buttons. In this embodiment, the number of characters displayed on the display device for selection by the user input device is less than or equal to the number of buttons in the plurality of buttons. In this way, any of the characters displayed on the display device for selection by the user input device can be selected by actuation of a single one of the plurality of buttons.