Portable handheld terminal

A portable handheld terminal, comprising:

• (a) a housing;
• (b) programmable touch sensitive display means disposed on the housing for display of information and for entry of information whereby the response of the display means to the touch can be varied;
• (c) optical sensing means disposed in the housing for sensing optically transmitted information and including bar code reader means for reading bar code indicia on an object;
• (d) electromagnetic transceiver means disposed within the housing for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals;
• (e) detachable keyboard means detachably mounted on the housing for entry of information, the detachable keyboard means including a display for display of information, the detachable keyboard being mounted over touch sensitive the display means, the keyboard means including optical transmitter means for optically transmitting user entered information to the optical sensing means of the portable handheld terminal;
• (f) microcomputer control means including microprocessor and associated memory contained in the housing and operatively interconnected to the detachable keyboard means;
• display means, optical sensor means, and electromagnetic transceiver means for controlling operation of the portable handheld terminal;
• and
• (g) power supply means for powering the portable handheld terminal.