Abstract: Method and arrangement that provides a power-saving mode for a handheld electronic device having a full alphabetic keyboard. The power-saving mode is enabled through disabling a sensor that detects motion of a ball of the trackball navigation tool and disabling the display screen of the handheld electronic device. The power-saving mode may be exited before disablement of the sensor when the display screen is disabled first.

Abstract: System and method that provides audible feedback through a speaker of a handheld electronic device having a reduced alphabetic keyboard upon actuation of a navigation tool. The audible feedback produced by the speaker is capable of being modified based upon the location, speed, and other characteristics of the movement of a cursor on the display of a handheld electronic device. The sound produced by the speaker can originate from an audio file stored or otherwise available on the handheld electronic device.

Abstract: System and method that provides audible feedback through a speaker of a wireless handheld electronic device upon actuation of a navigation tool. The audible feedback produced by the speaker is capable of being modified based upon the location, speed, and other characteristics of the movement of a cursor on the display of a wireless handheld electronic device. The sound produced by the speaker can originate from an audio file stored or otherwise available on the wireless handheld electronic device.

Abstract: Method and arrangement that provides a power-saving mode for a wireless handheld electronic device. The power-saving mode is enabled through disabling a sensor that detects motion of a ball of the trackball navigation tool and disabling the display screen of the handheld electronic device. The power-saving mode may be exited before disablement of the sensor when the display screen is disabled first.

Abstract: A method and hierarchical menu is provided for displaying on the screen of a handheld electronic device having a reduced alphabetic keyboard an extended menu or a short menu, which is a subset of the corresponding extended menu. The method includes displaying a page on a screen and receiving an ambiguous request/selection when no menu is displayed. In response to the ambiguous selection, a short menu corresponding to the displayed page is displayed on the screen. Various short menus are provided with their respective menu items being dependent and adjustable based upon the position of a cursor on the displayed page, the currently opened application, and/or the previous selections. Further, a selection from the short menu is capable of displaying the extended menu corresponding thereto.

Abstract: Method an arrangement for affecting diagonal movement of a cursor 171 on the display screen 322 of a handheld communication device 300 having a full alphabetic keyboard. The method includes sensing movement at an auxiliary user input 328 of the handheld communication device 300 indicative of the user's desire to affect diagonal movement of the cursor 171 on the display screen 322 of the handheld communication device 300. X-direction signals and Y-direction signals are produced based on the sensed movement at the auxiliary user input 328. During that time while the necessary signals are being collected and processed, the cursor 171 is held steady on the display screen 322 until a predetermined criterion is met for discriminating whether the user has indicated x-direction cursor movement, y-direction cursor movement or diagonal cursor movement.

Abstract: System and method that provides audible feedback through a speaker of a handheld electronic device upon actuation of a navigation tool. The audible feedback produced by the speaker is capable of being modified based upon the location, speed, and other characteristics of the movement of a cursor on the display of a handheld electronic device. The sound produced by the speaker can originate from an audio file stored or otherwise available on the handheld electronic device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for changing settable email parameters in a system supporting email using a wireless device, the system including a wireless electronic device and a wireless network. Provided is a way of changing email settings on the wireless device, and storing those changes on both the device and, as needed or desired, on the wireless network. The wireless network and wireless device are adapted to wirelessly communicate with each other.

Abstract: An improved handheld electronic device and an associated method provide an improved call log that presents information relating to logged phone calls in a collapsed manner, meaning that for each phone number having a call stored in the memory of the device, only the most recent in time call is listed on the call log. An improved handheld electronic device and an associated method also provide a call history for any phone call from the improved call log that is selected by the user. The call history includes a listing of all of the calls stored by the device that are associated with the selected call log call.

Abstract: A method for maintaining a log of communications initiated or received at a portable electronic device of a first party. The communications include at least one of short message service (SMS) messages, personal identification number (PIN) messages and cellular telephone calls. The method includes receiving a data record for each of the communications, extracting information from the data record, and storing the information in a log file.

Abstract: A method is set forth for automatically adjusting screen and keypad brightness on a mobile electronic device having a light sensor, display screen and keypad, for optimum legibility under varying lighting conditions, with minimal eye strain and distraction to the user. The method includes obtaining light level samples from the light sensor, and independently adjusting backlight intensity of the display screen and keypad responsive to the light level samples. Preferably, correct screen and keypad adjustments are made responsive to the user pulling his or her handheld device out of its holster notwithstanding non-optimal ambient light detection while the device is being removed from the holster. According to another aspect, the described method allows for ambient light detection in a handheld device where the light sensor and a message notification indicator share a common light pipe.

Abstract: At a wireless communication device having memory storing multiple sets of electronic mail (email) messages, each of the sets of email messages having been received via a distinct email service account, multiple selectable icons are displayed. Each icon is for invoking a computer program for presenting a distinct one of the sets of email messages at the wireless communication device upon its selection. Each icon may include or be limited to a textual component which may identify the relevant email service and may indicate a number of unread messages. The icon may be automatically downloaded to the device from a remote location based on a specified network address, such as a uniform resource locator (URL).

Abstract: A wireless handheld communication device having a housing containing a display screen located above a physical keyboard. The keyboard includes a plurality of physical keys and corresponding indicia. Some of the keys are associated with alphabetic characters corresponding to a QWERTY array of letters A-Z and some are associated with numeric characters 0-9 corresponding to a telephone keypad arrangement. At least some of the keys associated with numeric characters are overlaid on the physical keys associated with alphabetic characters. A microprocessor is included that runs the device in at least a telephony mode, an email mode and at least one additional mode. The microprocessor displays a key-function map on the display screen indicative of enabled functions associated with particular physical keys of the keyboard which are different from any function signified by the indicia associated with the respective particular physical key.

Abstract: A mobile electronic device has a notification mechanism for notifying a user of device events in accordance with an active notification profile defining notification options and one or more exception notification profiles defining notification options based on specified attributes of a device event. A mechanism is provided for identifying one or more attributes in an incoming device event and for overriding the active notification profile with one of the exception notification profiles that has attributes corresponding to the identified attributes. The user is thus notified in accordance with notification options specified in the exception profile of the device.

Abstract: An improved handheld electronic device and an associated method provide a plurality of output modes that can be selected by a user depending upon the circumstances of a given environment. The various modes include, for example, a NORMAL mode, a SILENT mode, a LOUD mode, an OFF mode, and a TELEPHONE ONLY mode. The various annunciation settings applicable to a routine are customizable within the routine. All of the annunciation settings are output settings that are in effect whenever the NORMAL mode is active on the handheld electronic device. The other modes are alternate modes that provide operational masks which, when one of the alternate modes is active on the handheld electronic device, can override certain of the output settings that ordinarily are associated with the NORMAL mode.

Abstract: A method for selecting a wireless network for a wireless device comprising: receiving a command from a user through a clickable thumbwheel and a graphical user interface (“GUI”) presented on a display of the wireless device to scan for and identify available networks; displaying a choice of the available networks on the display; and, receiving a command from the user through the clickable thumbwheel and the GUI to switch operation of the wireless device from a current network to an available network in the choice of the available networks.

Abstract: Method and apparatus with a user interface for controlling the apparatus are provided in which a currently selected menu item is magnified in height relative to other items in the menu so as to distinguish the item. While in addition to providing an appealing way to indicate which item is currently selected, the magnification makes the item easier to read, particularly in poorer lighting conditions.

Abstract: A system includes a central program store location having a memory storing a plurality of application programs and a plurality of identifiers. Each of at least some of the identifiers are associated with at least one of the programs. A communication network, such as the Internet, connects the program store location and the host system. A communication channel connects the host system and a target system. A loader routine is adapted to execute at the host system, communicate with the program store location through the Internet, communicate with the target system through the communication channel and receive an identifier as a received identifier. The loader routine employs the identifiers from the program store location and the received identifier to select one program for download from the program store location to the host system. The loader routine then downloads the selected program from the host system to the target system.

Abstract: A system includes a wireless handheld electronic device having a plurality of e-mail settings associated therewith. A plurality of servers include an e-mail server and a wireless enterprise server having a database maintaining at least one of the e-mail settings. The wireless enterprise server is adapted to wirelessly communicate with the wireless handheld electronic device. The wireless handheld electronic device is adapted to remotely control at least one of the e-mail settings at the wireless enterprise server through wireless communication between the wireless enterprise server and the wireless handheld electronic device.

Abstract: Outgoing phone calls can be made on a handheld electronic device that has been locked to prevent unauthorized use through an override that permits the making of outgoing phone calls while applications additional to the phone application remain locked. In some embodiments, the override can not be selected unless first enabled by a remotely generated enable override authorization signal.