Method of using visual separators to indicate additional character combinations 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 set of character combinations based, at least in part, 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 set of character combinations, said first visual separator indicating the availability of a second subset of said set of character combinations in response to a navigational input in a first direction; and

responsive to detecting a navigational input in said first direction, displaying on the display said second subset and a second visual separator having a first component and a second component, said first component indicating the availability of a third subset of said set of character combinations 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 said third subset; and

displaying on the display a third visual separator indicating the availability of said second 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 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 1 , further comprising displaying on the display as said first visual separator a graphic having a portion that is elongated in a vertical direction.

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 and a pointing portion that points horizontally towards said first direction.

6. 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.

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

8. The method according to claim 7 , 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 combinations, a graphic having a common visual appearance.

9. 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 set of character combinations based, at least in part, on a first input;

display a variant component and a first visual separator, said variant component comprising a first subset of said set of character combinations, said first visual separator indicative of the availability of a second subset of said set of character combinations in response to a navigational input in a first direction; and

responsive to a navigational input in said first direction, display said second subset and 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 set of character combinations 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.

10. The handheld electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein said set of routines cause said handheld electronic device to perform operations further comprising:

detecting another navigational input in said first direction;

displaying said third subset; and

displaying on the display a third visual separator indicating the availability of said second subset in response to a navigational input in said second direction.

11. The handheld electronic device according to claim 10 , wherein said set 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 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.

12. The handheld electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein said first visual separator comprises a graphic having a portion that is elongated in a vertical direction.

13. The handheld electronic device according to claim 9 , 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.

14. The handheld electronic device according to claim 9 , 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.

15. The handheld electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein said first subset comprises a plurality of alternative character combinations, and wherein said set of routines cause said handheld electronic device to perform operations further comprising:

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

16. The handheld electronic device according to claim 15 , 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 between each adjacent pair of alternative character combinations comprise a graphic having a common visual appearance.