Abstract: Characteristic menu information corresponding to applications are stored in a menu storage unit. A menu development unit discriminates an application which is now started and develops a menu corresponding to the application on a screen using the stored menu information. In the menu operation, a menu is developed on the screen by operating a defined button, a menu item is selected by scrawling while the menu is being developed and the selected menu item is executed by operating the defined button.

Abstract: An apparatus has a main display screen and an auxiliary display screen being smaller in size than the main display screen, and a received mail is displayed on a scroll basis on the auxiliary display screen and is outputted in form of a voice reading aloud the received mail in synchronism with the display.

Abstract: Information about models of computers of a plurality of users and the information about software pre-installed in those computers is registered in a correlated manner as model data. In formation about models of the computers, information about software other than those pre-installed, and information about peripheral equipment that is connected to those computers are registered as user data. Information that is useful to the user and data of software and peripheral equipment that is necessary to use that information are stored as useful data. Information that is useful to a particular user is extracted and provided to that user based on the model data, the user data, and the useful data.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing software information includes an acquiring unit that acquires software information concerning at least one of a software product used in the computer and a suitable software product for the computer; and a providing unit that provides the software information to a computer that is connected to the apparatus via a network.

Abstract: An electronic equipment is provided with a main display section, an auxiliary display section which displays status information of the electronic equipment, a plurality of buttons provided above and/or below the auxiliary display section, and a controller. The controller displays definitions or meanings of the plurality of buttons, within the auxiliary display section at positions corresponding to each of the plurality of buttons, depending on an operation mode of the electronic equipment.

Abstract: An apparatus has a main display screen and an auxiliary display screen being smaller in size than the main display screen, and a received mail is displayed on a scroll basis on the auxiliary display screen and is outputted in form of a voice reading aloud the received mail in synchronism with the display.

Abstract: Characteristic menu information corresponding to applications are stored in a menu storage unit. A menu development unit discriminates an application which is now started and develops a menu corresponding to the application on a screen using the stored menu information. In the menu operation, a menu is developed on the screen by operating a defined button, a menu item is selected by scrawling while the menu is being developed and the selected menu item is executed by operating the defined button.

Abstract: An electronic equipment is provided with a main display section, an auxiliary display section having a display area smaller than that of the main display section, and a controller displaying a plurality of status information of the electronic equipment in the auxiliary display section by a combination of a message using characters and at least one of symbols and a color display and/or a blinking display of the auxiliary display section.