Text entry on portable device

摘要

A portable electronic device has a keypad for entering alphanumeric characters including a plurality of single contact keys and a multi-way shift key. A character is entered by actuating a single contact key (2) alone or in combination with the multi-way shift key (3). The multi-way shift key (3) may be a four-way rocker switch, with each single contact key having five character labels, four of which are arranged to indicate the direction in which the rocker switch should be actuated to enter the corresponding character.