System and method for providing a standby mode in a handheld electronic device

1. A system for providing a standby mode in a handheld electronic device, comprising:

a dedicated standby key, the dedicated standby key being the only key for initiating the standby mode in the handheld electronic device;

a display for displaying a confirmation message of entry of the handheld electronic device into the standby mode;

a standby mode module for disabling at least a portion of a keyboard and any navigation actuator of the handheld electronic device upon entry into the standby mode; and

wherein the dedicated standby key is identifiable by handling of the device without visual confirmation and actuable with a single action.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the display is configured to further display a message providing an option to abort entry into the standby mode.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising user actuable means for aborting entry into the standby mode.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the user actuable means for aborting entry into the standby mode comprises at least one of the dedicated standby key, another designated key, and a trackball.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dedicated standby key is located along a first edge of the handheld electronic device closest to the display and opposite an edge closest to the keyboard on the handheld electronic device, and the dedicated standby key is the only key provided along the first edge of the handheld electronic device.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the dedicated standby key is located at a recessed portion of the first edge of the handheld electronic device, such that the dedicated standby key is substantially flush with or recessed from the surface of the first edge of the handheld electronic device.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising means for enabling at least one of a call answer key and a call disconnect key when an incoming telephone call is detected by the standby mode module.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising user actuable means for exiting the standby mode.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the user actuable means for exiting the standby mode comprises at least one of the dedicated standby key, another designated key, and a trackball.

10. A method of providing a standby mode in a handheld electronic device, comprising:

configuring a dedicated standby key in the handheld electronic device to be identifiable by handling of the handheld electronic device and actuable without visual confirmation and with a single action;

initiating a standby mode upon actuation of the dedicated standby key, the dedicated standby key being the only key in the handheld electronic device for initiating the standby mode;

displaying a confirmation message of entry of the handheld electronic device for entry into the standby mode; and

disabling at least portion of a keyboard and any navigation actuator of the handheld electronic device upon entry into the standby mode.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising displaying a message providing an option to abort entry into the standby mode.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising aborting entry into the standby mode upon actuation of a user actuable means.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising configuring at least one of the dedicated standby key, another designated key, and a trackball as the user actuable means.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising enabling at least one of a call answer key and a call disconnect key when an incoming telephone call is detected by the standby mode module.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising configuring user actuable means for exiting the standby mode.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising configuring at least one of the dedicated standby key, another designated key, and a trackball as the user actuable means.

17. A computer readable medium storing computer code that when loaded into the handheld electronic device of claim 1 adapts the device to perform a method of providing a standby mode, the computer readable medium comprising:

code for configuring the dedicated standby key in the handheld electronic device to be actuable without visual confirmation and with a single action;

code for initiating the standby mode upon actuation of the dedicated standby key, the dedicated standby key being the only key in the handheld electronic device for initiating the standby mode;

code for displaying the confirmation message of entry of the handheld electronic device into the standby mode; and

code for disabling at least a portion of the keyboard and any navigation actuator of the handheld electronic device upon entry into the standby mode.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising code for displaying a message providing an option to abort entry into the standby mode.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising code for aborting entry into the standby mode upon actuation of a user actuable means.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19 , further comprising code for configuring at least one of the dedicated standby key, another designated key, and a trackball as the user actuable means.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising code for enabling at least one of a call answer key and a call disconnect key when an incoming telephone call is detected by the standby mode module.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising code for configuring user actuable means for exiting the standby mode.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22 , further comprising code for configuring at least one of the dedicated standby key, another designated key, and a trackball as the user actuable means.