Abstract: A method for rendering an e-mail item listing within a graphical user interface of an e-mail application on a display device is disclosed. The method includes receiving an input from an input device to select a first item of the e-mail item listing, applying a first selection highlighting to the first item, wherein the applied first selection highlighting is visually distinguishable from a background color of the e-mail item listing, identifying a second item of the e-mail item listing based on a relation of the second item to the first item, and applying a second selection highlighting to the second item, wherein the applied second selection highlighting is visually distinguishable from the first selection highlighting and the background color.

Abstract: A method is provided to assist a user in selecting, identifying, and handling email messages. A display of color coding and selection highlighting may be provided. A secondary highlighting color may be provided to indicate messages related to a selected message. One or more of the following may also be provided: an indicator that provides the user with a number of items that are off the screen for a particular category, a command that causes the first entry for a category to be scrolled into view, a label to indicate the number of items in a particular category matching a particular criteria, and/or a control for scrolling between next or previous categories.