Remote computer input peripheral

A hand-held remote computer input peripheral for communicating with a host computer, the input peripheral comprising:

• a housing having a top surface, first and second opposed side surfaces, and a rear surface, wherein a human operator holds the housing in space by using a first hand to grip the first side portion;
• a touch pad positioned in the top surface of the housing, wherein the human operator manipulates the touch pad using a second hand;
• a plurality of activation mode buttons positioned in the top surface of the housing, each of the activation mode buttons corresponding to a respective activation mode of the touch pad, wherein the human operator switches between activation modes by pressing the activation mode buttons with the second hand;
• a plurality of function keys positioned in the top surface of the housing, each of the function keys corresponding to a respective user-defined function, wherein the function keys and the touch pad are operably positioned in the top surface of the housing with respect to one another such that the function keys are actuable by the first hand of the human operator while the human operator holds the housing in space with the first hand and manipulates the touch pad with the second hand;
• and
• a click button positioned on the housing to be actuated by the first hand of the human operator, wherein the click button and the touch pad are operably positioned with respect to one another such that the click button is actuable by the first hand of the human operator while the human operator holds the housing in space with the first hand and manipulates the touch pad with the second hand.