Abstract: An exemplary method is implemented by a wireless mobile device that transmits and receives text-based messages. Public records are stored in a public contact database in the mobile device, the public records containing public contact information for persons. Public contact information contained in a public record corresponding to a person selected by a public user is displayed upon the request of any public user of the device. Private records are stored in a private contact database in the mobile device, the private records containing private contact information for persons. Upon a valid password being received by the device from a private user, access to the private contact information is provided to the private user. In response to the receipt of a request from the private user, private contact information for a selected person from a corresponding private record is displayed on the screen of the mobile device.

Abstract: An exemplary method is implemented by a wireless mobile device that transmits and receives text-based messages. Received messages are stored in memory of the wireless mobile device. Based on a privacy criteria stored in the memory, some of the received messages are automatically identified as public and others of the received messages are automatically identified as private. Access is provided to stored received messages that are designated as public to any user of the mobile device. Access is provided to stored received messages that are designated as private only after receipt of a password entered by a user of the wireless mobile device that permits access to the privately identified messages.

Abstract: An exemplary method implemented by a wireless mobile device provides user selectable access to programs and files defining items that are resident on the mobile device. Screen icons associated with a privacy group are visually differentiated from icons associated with a public group. On receiving a user first input to initially access one of the items, where the first input is the first attempt by the user to access any item since a power up activation of the mobile device, determining whether the first input is a request to access an item associated with the privacy group or public group. If the sought access is to one item associated with the privacy group, a request is displayed on the screen requesting the user to enter a predetermined group privacy password and access is inhibited to the item unless the predetermined group privacy password is input to the mobile device by the user.

Abstract: An exemplary method implemented by a wireless mobile device controls user access to programs and files defining items that are resident on the mobile device. A first icon associated with a corresponding first program installed on the wireless mobile device is displayed on the screen of the wireless mobile device, where the first icon can be seen by any person using the wireless mobile device and the corresponding first program is available for execution to said person. A privacy gate and a corresponding privacy icon displayed on the screen are created using a privacy interface program installed on the wireless mobile device. A password associated with the privacy gate is entered by a first user so that a subsequent request by a user to traverse the privacy gate will require entry of this password. The first program and the privacy gate are linked so that a user must traverse the privacy gate in order to execute the first program.

Abstract: An exemplary method is implemented by a wireless mobile device that transmits and receives short message system (SMS) text messages. Entered first text to be transmitted as a first SMS text message from the wireless mobile device is accepted and stored by a resident application. A user selectable input is received by the resident application of the wireless mobile device, where the user selectable input controls whether a resident encryption algorithm will be used to convert the first text into an encrypted first text message. A user control input is received by the resident application that causes the transmission of the first SMS text message from the wireless mobile device. The text of the transmitted first SMS text message contains the first text if the resident encryption algorithm is not selected by the user. The text of the transmitted first SMS text message contains encrypted first text if the resident encryption algorithm is selected by the user.

Abstract: An exemplary method controls the display of information on the screen of a mobile device during a request for login information. Independently controlled regions of the screens are used to concurrently convey different information associated with each region to a user of the mobile device during the rendering of a login request that is contained in one of the regions.