Abstract: A hand-held information processing device, such as a mobile phone, has a thumb wheel that lets the user scan a circular array of options. Each respective one of the options is represented by a respective audio output that gets played out when the wheel is turned a notch up or down. This enables the user to select an option with one hand and without having to look at the device: It also allows for a form factor smaller than that of a conventional mobile phones since a keypad is not needed for entering digits to make a call from a personalized directory.

Abstract: Tasking systems and methods are provided that support user interfaces for displaying objects, the displayed objects enabling user access to resources that provide for effecting tasks among the system and devices of the systems' environment. More particularly, tasking systems and methods are provided that support the foregoing features, wherein the systems and methods support clustering operations respecting such task-associated objects so as to enhance the effecting of the associated tasks, such clustering operations responding to context. The clustering operations preferably are both adaptive and dynamic. Tasking systems and methods preferably support the tracking of selected states, including, as examples, one or more of environment states, device states, and system states. Tracked states typically also include states respecting other relevant criteria, such as temporal criteria.

Abstract: A data processing system comprises at least a client, a control process unit and a customization unit. The control process unit is configured to execute a control process that enables access to the system from the client. The control process is based on a decision-tree. The decision-tree is comprised of inter-linked decision nodes. The customization unit is coupled to the control process unit. The customization unit determines from user-information a user entry decision-node and the customization unit configures the control process to enable the user to access the system from the client at the user entry decision-node.

Abstract: A software agent is a functional part of a user-interactive software application running on a data processing system. The agent creates a user-perceptible effect in order to mask latency present in delivery of data to the user. The agent creates the effect employing cinematographic techniques.