Abstract: Systems and techniques for controlling an electronic device are described. An electronic device comprises one or more touch sensitive areas, including side touch sensitive areas. Configuration information is stored for operational modes of the electronic device, with the operation of the touch sensitive areas being defined as part of the configuration information. For example, configuration information may define the size, location, responsiveness, and operation of regions operating as controls—that is, regions with which contact causes the device to perform defined operations. The configuration may also include user preference information, which may further define the operation of touch sensitive regions in particular operational modes of the device. Regions of sensitive areas, particularly side touch sensitive areas, may be illuminated to indicate the position and size of controls, and illumination patterns indicating locations and sizes of controls may be stored as part of the configuration information.