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A physical keyboard includes a plurality of multi-functional keys with a reduced column QWERTY key arrangement overlaid with a numeric phone key arrangement for use in both text entry and telephony. Another physical keyboard includes a plurality of multi-functional keys having an array of alphabetic

A physical keyboard includes a plurality of multi-functional keys with a reduced column QWERTY key arrangement overlaid with a numeric phone key arrangement for use in both text entry and telephony. Another physical keyboard includes a plurality of multi-functional keys having an array of alphabetic characters and an overlaid numeric array of numbers. A handheld mobile station has a first user interface having a standard alphabetic key arrangement and a second user interface having a numeric phone key arrangement.

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What is claimed is: 1. A physical keyboard comprising: a plurality of keys and corresponding indicia including keys associated with alphabetic characters corresponding to a QWERTY array of letters A-Z and an overlaid numeric phone key arrangement, said plurality of keys associated with alphabetic c

What is claimed is: 1. A physical keyboard comprising: a plurality of keys and corresponding indicia including keys associated with alphabetic characters corresponding to a QWERTY array of letters A-Z and an overlaid numeric phone key arrangement, said plurality of keys associated with alphabetic characters numbering fewer than 26, wherein the plurality of keys comprise four rows and five columns of keys, with the four rows comprising in order a first, second, third and fourth row, and the five columns comprising in order a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth column, wherein the numeric phone key arrangement is associated with the second, third and fourth columns. 2. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device. 3. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device having a telephony mode and a text-entry mode. 4. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device that includes an auxiliary I/O device in addition to said physical keyboard. 5. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein said physical keyboard is incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device that includes an auxiliary I/O device in addition to said physical keyboard, said auxiliary I/O device being one of a touchpad, a rocker switch, and a thumb-wheel. 6. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the QWERTY array of letters is associated with three of the four rows and the numeric phone key arrangement is associated with each of the four rows. 7. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the QWERTY array of letters is associated with three of the four rows. 8. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the fourth row of keys includes an "alt" function in the first column, a "next" function in the second column, a "space" function in the third column, a "shift" function in the fourth column, and a "return/enter" function in the fifth column. 9. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the first row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "QW", "ER", "TY", "UI", and "OP", the second row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "AS", "DF", "GH", "JK", and "L", and the third row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "ZX", "CV", "BN", and "M". 10. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the first row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "QW", "ER", "TY", "UI", and "OP", the second row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "AS", "DF", "GH", and "JKL", and the third row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "ZXC", "VB", and "NM". 11. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the first row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "QW", "ER", "TY", "UI", and "OP", the second row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "AS", "DF", "GH", and "K", "L", and the third row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "Z", "XC", "VB", and "NM". 12. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of keys is a "return/enter" key associated with a return/enter function. 13. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of keys is a "return/enter" key associated with a return/enter function, and the "return/enter" key is positioned in the fifth column. 14. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of keys is a "return/enter" key associated with a return/enter function, and the "return/enter" key is positioned in the fourth row. 15. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the first row of five keys comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "QW", "ER", "TY", "UI", and "OP", the second row of five keys comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "AS", "DF", "GH", "JK", and "L", and the third row of five keys comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "ZX", "CV", "BN", and "M". 16. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the four rows and five columns form a grid of keys, and at least one of the columns and the rows are straight. 17. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the rows and the columns are non-linear. 18. The physical keyboard as recited in claims 1, wherein the plurality of keys is arranged symmetrically around a center line. 19. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the indicia comprises alphabetic indicia and numeric indicia, with the alphabetic indicia having a first color and the numeric indicia having a second color. 20. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the indicia comprises alphabetic indicia and numeric indicia, and at least one of the alphabetic indicia or numeric indicia is positioned on the plurality of keys. 21. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the indicia comprises alphabetic indicia and numeric indicia, with the alphabetic indicia having a font and the numeric indicia having a font, and the font of the alphabetic indicia is different from the font of the numeric indicia. 22. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, further comprising a "*" associated with one of the plurality of keys and a "#" associated with another of the plurality of keys, wherein the "*" key is positioned directly adjacent one side of the "0" key and the "#" key is positioned directly adjacent the other side of the "0" key. 23. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the numeric phone key array further comprises symbols. 24. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the numeric phone key arrangement is centered over the columns. 25. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the keys associated with the numeric phone key arrangement includes an identifying portion in the form of one of a raised bump or a recessed dimple. 26. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the overlaid numeric phone key arrangement comprises greater than 10 keys, such that at least one of the numbers is associated with two or more keys. 27. A handheld mobile station comprising a housing, a display, and a physical keyboard comprising a first user interface having a set of keys associated therewith, and a second user interface having a set of keys associated therewith, wherein a subset of the set of keys for the second user interface is a subset of the set of keys for the first user interface, the handheld mobile station is characterized by: the first user interface being selected from a key arrangement group consisting of: QWERTY, QWERTZ, AZERTY, or DVORAK; the second user interface being a numeric phone key arrangement; and the set of keys for the first user interface comprising less than 26 keys, wherein the set of keys associated with the first user interface comprises four rows and five columns of keys, with the four rows comprising in order a first, second, third and fourth row, and the five columns comprising in order a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth column, further characterized by a "0" indicia for the second user interface presented on a key representing a space bar associated with the first user interface. 28. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the first user interface is associated with three of the four rows and the second user interface is associated with each of the four rows. 29. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the first user interface is associated with three of the four rows. 30. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the second user interface is associated with three of the five columns. 31. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the second user interface is associated with the second, third and fourth columns. 32. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the fourth row of keys includes an "alt" function in the first column, a "next" function in the second column, a "space" function in the third column, a "shift" function in the fourth column, and a "return/enter" function in the fifth column. 33. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the first row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "QW", "ER", "TY", "UI", and "OP", the second row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "AS", "DF", "GH", "JK", and "L", and the third row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "ZX", "CV", "BN", and "M". 34. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the first row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "QW", "ER", "TY", "UI", and "OP", the second row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "AS", "DF", "GH", and "JKL", and the third row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "ZXC", "VB" and "NM". 35. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the first row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "QW", "ER", "TY", "UI", and "OP", the second row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "AS", "DF", "GH", "JK", and "L", and the third row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "Z", "XC", "VB", and "NM". 36. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein one of the keys in the first user interface is a "return/enter" key associated with a return/enter function. 37. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein one of the keys in the first user interface is a "return/enter" key associated with a return/enter function, and the "return/enter" key is positioned in the fifth column. 38. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein one of the keys in the first user interface is a "return/enter" key associated with a return/enter function, and the "return/enter" key is positioned in the fourth row. 39. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the first row of five keys comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "QW", "ER", "TY", "UI", and "OP", the second row of five keys comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "AS", "DF", "GH", "JK", and "L", and the third row of five keys comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "ZX", "CV", "BN", and "M". 40. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the four rows and five columns form a grid of keys, and at least one of the columns and the rows are straight. 41. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein at least one of the rows and the columns are non-linear. 42. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the sets of keys are arranged symmetrically around a center line. 43. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, further comprising a "*" associated with one of the keys of the second user interface and a "#" associated with one of the keys of the second user interface, wherein the "*" key is positioned directly adjacent one side of the "0" key and the "#" key is positioned directly adjacent the other side of the "0" key. 44. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the numeric phone key arrangement further comprises symbols. 45. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the numeric phone key arrangement is centered over the columns. 46. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the first user interface utilizes keys in three of the four rows and the numeric phone key arrangement utilizes keys in each of the four rows. 47. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the second user interface is centered on a face of the handheld mobile station. 48. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the second user interface is positioned substantially on the left side of a face of the handheld mobile station. 49. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the second user interface is positioned substantially on the right side of a face of the handheld mobile station. 50. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein indicia associated with the first user interface being presented on the set of keys for the first user interface and indicia associated with the second user interface being presented on the housing. 51. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein indicia associated with the first user interface being presented on the set of keys for the first user interface and indicia associated with the second user interface being presented on the set of keys for the second user interface. 52. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein a first area of a front surface of the housing has a first color in and around an area near the set of keys for the second user interface, the first color being different from a second color in a second area of the front surface contiguous to at least a portion of the first area. 53. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, further comprising a first and a second color on the set of keys for the first user interface, wherein the first color dominates a top portion of the set of keys and the second color dominates a bottom portion of the set of keys and the second color is associated with the set of keys for the first user interface. 54. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the subset of keys for the second user interface further includes the symbols "*" and "#". 55. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein at least one of the keys associated with the numeric phone key arrangement includes an identifying portion in the form of one of a raised bump or a recessed dimple. 56. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, further comprising an auxiliary I/O device. 57. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, further comprising an auxiliary I/O device in addition to said physical keyboard, said auxiliary I/O device being one of a touchpad, a rocker switch, and a thumb-wheel. 58. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein the numeric phone key arrangement comprises greater than 10 keys, such that at least one of the numbers is associated with two or more keys. 59. The handheld mobile station as recited in claim 27, wherein said handheld mobile communication device has a telephony mode and a text-entry mode. 60. A physical keyboard comprising: a plurality of keys and corresponding indicia including keys associated with alphabetic characters corresponding to a QWERTY array of letters A-Z and an overlaid numeric phone key arrangement, said plurality of keys associated with alphabetic characters numbering fewer than 26, wherein the plurality of keys comprise four rows and five columns of keys, with the four rows comprising in order a first, second, third and fourth row, and the five columns comprising in order a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth column, wherein the QWERTY array of letters is associated with three of the four rows and the numeric phone key arrangement is associated with each of the four rows. 61. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 60, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device. 62. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 60, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device having a telephony mode and a text-entry mode. 63. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 60, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device that includes an auxiliary I/O device in addition to said physical keyboard. 64. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 60, wherein said physical keyboard is incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device that includes an auxiliary I/O device in addition to said physical keyboard, said auxiliary I/O device being one of a touchpad, a rocker switch, and a thumb-wheel. 65. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 60, wherein the first row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "QW", "ER", "TY", "UI", and "OP", the second row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "AS", "DF", "GH", "JK", and "L", and the third row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "ZX", "CV", "BN", and "M". 66. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 60, wherein one of the plurality of keys is a "return/enter" key associated with a return/enter function. 67. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 60, wherein the numeric phone key array further comprises symbols. 68. A physical keyboard comprising: a plurality of keys and corresponding indicia including keys associated with alphabetic characters corresponding to a QWERTY array of letters A-Z and an overlaid numeric phone key arrangement, said plurality of keys associated with alphabetic characters numbering fewer than 26, wherein the plurality of keys comprise four rows and five columns of keys, with the four rows comprising in order a first, second, third and fourth row, and the five columns comprising in order a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth column, wherein the first row of keys includes a first number of keys, the second row of keys includes the first number minus one number of keys, the third row of keys includes the first number minus two number of keys, and the fourth row of keys includes the first number minus three number of keys. 69. A physical keyboard comprising: a plurality of keys and corresponding indicia including keys associated with alphabetic characters corresponding to a QWERTY array of letters A-Z and an overlaid numeric phone key arrangement, said plurality of keys associated with alphabetic characters numbering fewer than 26, wherein the plurality of keys comprise four rows and five columns of keys, with the four rows comprising in order a first, second, third and fourth row, and the five columns comprising in order a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth column, wherein the first row of keys includes a first number of keys, the second row of keys includes fewer keys than the first row, the third row of keys includes fewer keys than the second row, and the fourth row of keys includes fewer keys than the third row. 70. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 69, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device. 71. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 69, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device having a telephony mode and a text-entry mode. 72. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 69, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device that includes an auxiliary I/O device in addition to said physical keyboard. 73. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 69, wherein said physical keyboard is incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device that includes an auxiliary I/O device in addition to said physical keyboard, said auxiliary I/O device being one of a touchpad, a rocker switch, and a thumb-wheel. 74. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 69, wherein the first row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "QW", "ER", "TY", "UI", and "OP", the second row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "AS", "DF", "GH", "JK", and "L", and the third row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "ZX", "CV", "BN", and "M". 75. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 69, wherein one of the plurality of keys is a "return/enter" key associated with a return/enter function. 76. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 69, wherein the numeric phone key array further comprises symbols. 77. A physical keyboard comprising: a plurality of multi-functional keys and corresponding indicia including keys associated with alphabetic characters corresponding to a QWERTY array of letters A-Z, said plurality of keys overlaid with a numeric phone key arrangement, with the numeric phone key arrangement being associated with a subset of the plurality of keys, and the subset of keys is arranged symmetrically about a center line, wherein the plurality of multi-functional keys comprise four rows and five columns of keys, with the four rows comprising in order a first, second, third and fourth row, and the five columns comprising in order a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth column, wherein the "1", "2", and "3" of the numeric phone key arrangement are associated with keys in the first row, the "4", "5", and "6" of the numeric phone key arrangement are associated with keys in the second row, the "7", "8", and "9" of the numeric phone key arrangement are associated with keys in the third row, and the "0" of the numeric phone key arrangement is associated with a key in the fourth row, said "0" key being centered beneath the remainder of the numeric phone key arrangement. 78. A physical keyboard comprising: a plurality of multi-functional keys and corresponding indicia including keys associated with alphabetic characters corresponding to a QWERTY array of letters A-Z, an overlaid numeric key array of numbers 0-9, and a "space" function, with the number "0" and the "space" function being associated with the same key, wherein the plurality of multi-functional keys comprise four rows and five columns of keys, with the four rows comprising in order a first, second, third and fourth row, and the five columns comprising in order a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth column. 79. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 78, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device. 80. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 78, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device having a telephony mode and a text-entry mode. 81. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 78, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device that includes an auxiliary I/O device in addition to said physical keyboard. 82. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 78, wherein said physical keyboard is incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device that includes an auxiliary I/O device in addition to said physical keyboard, said auxiliary I/O device being one of a touchpad, a rocker switch, and a thumb-wheel. 83. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 78, wherein the first row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "QW", "ER", "TY", "UI", and "OP", the second row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "AS", "DF", "GH", "JK", and "L", and the third row comprises keys corresponding in order to letters "ZX", "CV", "BN", and "M". 84. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 78, wherein one of the plurality of keys is a "return/enter" key associated with a return/enter function. 85. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 78, wherein the numeric phone key array further comprises symbols. 86. A physical keyboard comprising: a plurality of multi-functional keys and corresponding indicia including keys associated with alphabetic characters corresponding to a QWERTY array of letters A-Z and a subset of the plurality of multi-functional keys corresponding to a numeric array of numbers 0-9, "*", and "#", with a key associated with "0" being positioned between a key associated with "*" and a key associated with "#", wherein the plurality of multi-functional keys comprise four rows and five columns of keys, with the four rows comprising in order a first, second, third and fourth row, and the five columns comprising in order a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth column, wherein the keys associated with "*", "0", and "#" are all positioned in the same row and a space key is centered at a bottom of the plurality of keys. 87. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, further comprising a function associated with at least one of the plurality of multi-functional keys. 88. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein at least one of the plurality of multi-functional keys is a "return/enter" key associated with a return/enter function. 89. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein the plurality of multi-functional keys are of uniform shape. 90. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein the plurality of multi-functional keys are of non-uniform shape. 91. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein each of the plurality of multi-functional keys is essentially rectangular. 92. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein each of the plurality of multi-functional keys is oval. 93. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein the plurality of multi-functional keys are arranged symmetrically around a center line. 94. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein the numeric array of numbers 0-9, "*", and "#" is arranged symmetrically around a center line. 95. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein at least one of the plurality of multi-functional keys includes an identifying portion in the form of one of a raised bump and a recessed dimple. 96. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein the key associated with "*" is positioned to the left of and adjacent the key associated with "0" and the key associated with "#" is positioned to the right of and adjacent the key associated with "0". 97. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a mobile communication device. 98. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device. 99. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein said physical keyboard is configured to be incorporated into a mobile communication device having a telephony mode and a text-entry mode. 100. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein said physical keyboard is incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device that includes an auxiliary I/O device in addition to said physical keyboard. 101. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein said physical keyboard is incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device that includes an auxiliary I/O device in addition to said physical keyboard, said auxiliary I/O device being one of a touchpad, a rocker switch, and a thumb-wheel. 102. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein the QWERTY array of letters is associated with at least three rows of the plurality of multi-functional keys. 103. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein the numeric array of numbers 0-9, "*", and "#" is associated with at least four rows of the plurality of multi-functional keys. 104. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein at least one of the rows and the columns is non-linear. 105. The physical keyboard as recited in claim 86, wherein the four rows and five columns form a grid of keys, and at least one of the columns and the rows is straight. 106. A physical keyboard comprising: a plurality of multi-functional keys and corresponding indicia including keys associated with alphabetic characters corresponding to a reduced QWERTY array of letters A-Z and a subset of the plurality of keys corresponding to a numeric phone key arrangement, the plurality of multi-functional keys comprising four rows and five columns of keys, with the four rows comprising in order a first, second, third and fourth row, wherein the subset of keys comprises a "1", "2", "3" associated with keys in the first row, a "4", "5", and "6" associated with keys in the second row, a "7", "8", and "9" associated with keys in the third row, and a "0" associated with a key in the fourth row, wherein the "1", "4", and "7" are aligned in a first column, the "2", "5", "8", and "0" are aligned in a second column, and the "3", "6", and "9" are aligned in a third column, and the key associated with "0" is centered beneath the 1-9 keys of the numeric phone key arrangement.