Method of using visual separators to indicate additional character combination choices on a handheld electronic device and associated apparatus

1. A method of enabling input on a handheld electronic device having at least one processor and a display, comprising:

generating, using the at least one processor, a number of character combination choices based on a first input;

displaying on the display a variant component and a first visual separator, said variant component comprising a first subset of said number of character combination choices, said first visual separator indicating the availability of a second subset of said number of character combination choices in response to a navigational input in a first direction, said first visual separator being located adjacent an end of said first subset; and

responsive to detecting a navigational input in said first direction, displaying on the display within said variant component said second subset and displaying a second visual separator having a first component and a second component, said first component indicating the availability of a third subset of said number of character combination choices in response to a navigational input in said first direction, said second component indicating the availability of said first subset in response to a navigational input in a second direction.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting another navigational input in said first direction;

displaying on the display within said variant component said third subset; and

displaying on the display a third visual separator indicating said second subset being displayable in said variant component in place of at least a portion of said third subset in response to a navigational input in said second direction.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

detecting another navigational input in said first direction; and

redisplaying on the display within said variant component at least a portion of said first subset in place of at least a portion of said third subset, and displaying said first visual separator.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said second end of said third subset is disposed in said second direction with respect to said third subset.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising displaying on the display as said first visual separator a graphic having a portion that is elongated in a vertical direction.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising displaying on the display as said first visual separator a graphic having a portion that is elongated in a vertical direction and a pointing portion that points horizontally towards said first direction.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first end of said first subset is disposed in said first direction with respect to said first subset.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying on the display as said first component of said second visual separator a graphic

having a portion that is elongated in a vertical direction and a first pointing portion that points horizontally towards said first direction; and

displaying on the display as said second component of said second visual separator a graphic having a portion that is elongated in said vertical direction and a second pointing portion that points horizontally towards said second direction.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first subset comprises a plurality of alternative character combination choices, said method further comprising displaying a visual separator between each adjacent pair of alternative character combination choices.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

displaying on the display as each of said first visual separator, said first component of said second visual separator, said second component of said second visual separator, and said visual separator between each adjacent pair of alternative character combination choices a graphic having a common visual appearance.

11. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a processor; and

a memory having stored therein a routine that, when executed by the processor, causes said handheld electronic device to:

generate a number of character combination choices based on a first input;

display a variant component and a first visual separator, said variant component comprising a first subset of said number of character combination choices, said first visual separator indicative of the availability of a second subset of said number of character combination choices in response to a navigational input in a first direction, said first visual separator being located adjacent an end of said first subset; and

responsive to a navigational input in said first direction, display within said variant component said second subset and displaying a second visual separator having a first component and a second component, said first component indicative of the availability of a third subset of said number of character combination choices in response to a navigational input in said first direction, said second component indicative of the availability of said first subset in response to a navigational input in a second direction.

12. The handheld electronic device according to claim 11 , wherein said number of routines cause said handheld electronic device to perform operations further comprising:

detecting another navigational input in said first direction;

displaying within said variant component said third subset; and

displaying a third visual separator indicative of said second subset being displayable in said variant component in place of at least a portion of said third subset responsive to a navigational input in said second direction.

13. The handheld electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein said number of routines cause said handheld electronic device to perform operations further comprising:

detecting as another input a navigational input in said first direction; and

redisplaying within said variant component at least a portion of said first subset in place of at least a portion of said third subset, and displaying said first visual separator.

14. The handheld electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein said second end of said third subset is disposed in said second direction with respect to said third subset.

15. The handheld electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein said third visual separator comprises a graphic having a portion that is elongated in a vertical direction.

16. The handheld electronic device according to claim 11 , wherein said first visual separator comprises a graphic having a portion that is elongated in a vertical direction, and a pointing portion that points horizontally towards said first direction.

17. The handheld electronic device according to claim 11 , wherein said first end of said first subset is disposed in said first direction with respect to said first subset.

18. The handheld electronic device according to claim 11 , wherein said first component of said second visual separator comprises a graphic having a portion that is elongated in a vertical direction and a first pointing portion that points horizontally towards said first direction and wherein said second component of said second visual separator comprises a graphic having a portion that is elongated in a vertical direction and a second pointing portion that points horizontally towards said second direction.

19. The handheld electronic device according to claim 11 , wherein said first subset comprises a plurality of alternative character combination choices, and wherein said number of routines cause said handheld electronic device to perform operations further comprising:

displaying a visual separator between each adjacent pair of alternative character combination choices.

20. The handheld electronic device according to claim 11 , wherein each of said first visual separator, said first component of said second visual separator, said second component of said second visual separator, and said visual separator comprise a graphic having a common visual appearance.