System and method for providing a parameter for an application operating on an electronic device

1. A method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device, comprising the steps of:

upon activation of the device, determining a state of initial configuration for the device from configuration data stored in the device;

if the state of initial configuration indicates that the device requires configuration, initiating the set up application and automatically generating a series of graphical user interface ‘GUI’ screens on a display of said device, said series of GUI screens providing introductory information relating to the device only on a first activation of the device;

if a change is made to a parameter through the GUI interface, updating a storage location in memory of the device with the change;

changing the state of initial configuration of the device after the set up application is activated on the device to reflect an operation history of the set up application; and

if the state of initial configuration indicates that the set up application had previously been initiated, presenting a GUI where said at least one application and said set up application are presented and upon a subsequent activation of the set up application, activating said set up application at a point in its operation based on the operation history.

2. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the introductory information relates to operational parameters of the device and a network in communication with the device.

3. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the parameter is accessed by at least two applications for its operation and the at least two applications operate on the device.

4. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the set up application has access to a table of contents GUI providing topics that are displayed on said subsequent activation of the set up application.

5. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the parameter relates to a display characteristic for elements generated on a the display.

6. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the GUI interface utilizes at least one template providing text to be displayed in a GUI screen and options relating to the parameter.

7. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:

the device has CDMA communication capabilities with the network; and

aspects of the GUI interface can be accessed only if a telephone number has been programmed into the device.

8. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein:

the device has wireless communication capabilities;

time zone information relating to the location of the device is provided from the network; and

the set up application uses the time zone information is used to update an aspect relating to the parameter.

9. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the time zone information is derived using triangulation of signals received from the network by the device.

10. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the time zone information is derived using country code information associated with the device provided from the network.

11. An electronic device comprising:

at least one software application operating on the device, the at least one application having a parameter relating to its operation;

a module for modifying the parameter for the at least one application; the module operating on the electronic device, the module modifying the parameter by:

upon activation of the device, determining a state of initial configuration for the device from configuration data stored in the device;

if the state of initial configuration indicates that the device requires configuration, initiating the set up application and automatically generating

a series of graphical user interface ‘GUI’ screens on a display of said device, said series of GUI screens providing introductory information relating to the device only on a first activation of the device;

if a change is made to a parameter through the GUI interface, updating a storage location in memory of the device with the change;

changing the state of initial configuration of the device after the set up application is activated on the device to reflect an operation history of the set up application; and

if the state of initial configuration indicates that the set up application had previously been initiated, presenting a GUI where said at least one application and said set up application are presented and upon a subsequent activation of the set up application, activating said set up application at a point in its operation based on the operation history; and

said memory to store the configuration data, the state of initial configuration and the record for the parameter.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the parameter relates to a display characteristic for elements generated on a display of the device.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:

the device has COMA communication capabilities; and

aspects of the GUI interface can be accessed only if a telephone number has been programmed into the device.

14. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the GUI interface utilizes at least one template providing text to be displayed in a GUI screen and options relating to the parameter.

15. The electronic device as claimed in 14 , wherein:

the device has communication capabilities with a network; and

time zone information relating to the location of the device is provided from the network; and

the time zone information is used to update an aspect relating to the parameter.

16. A method of providing time information to a portable communication device, comprising the steps of:

upon activation of the device, determining a state of configuration for the device from configuration data stored in the device;

if the state of configuration indicates that the device requires configuration of an internally stored time value, deriving time zone information from location information relating to the device provided from a network communicating with the device;

updating a parameter relating to an application that utilizes the time information;

if the state of initial configuration indicates that the device requires configuration, initiating the set up application and automatically generating a series of graphical user interface ‘GUI’ screens on a display of said device, said series of GUI screens providing introductory information relating to the device only on a first activation of the device;

if a change is made to a setting through the GUI interface, updating a storage location in memory of the device with the change;

changing the state of initial configuration of the device after the set up application is activated on the device to reflect an operation history of the set up application; and

if the state of initial configuration indicates that the set up application had previously been initiated, presenting a GUI where said at least one application and said set up application are presented and upon a subsequent activation of the set up application, activating said set up application at a point in its operation based on the operation history.

17. The method of providing time information to a portable communication device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the time zone information is derived using triangulation of signals received from the network by the device.

18. The method of providing time information to a portable communication device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein:

country code data is associated with the device; and

the method further comprises comparing the country code data to a preset time zone record provided with the device to determine a current time zone for the device.