User interface for palm-sized computing devices and method and apparatus for displaying the same

A computer readable medium for a stylus-based hand-held computing device having a display screen and a stylus for providing user input through the screen, the hand-held computing device adapted to run a shell program and at least one application program, the computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

• displaying information for an active application program in a middle portion of the screen;
• and
• displaying a shell program controlled navigation bar at a top portion of the screen, wherein displaying the shell program controlled navigation bar includes displaying a navigation icon which when tapped by the stylus aids the user in navigating to other application programs, and wherein displaying the shell program controlled navigation bar further includes displaying on the navigation bar a title for the active program.

A method of generating a user interface for a stylus-based hand-held computing device having a display screen and a stylus for providing user input through the screen, the hand-held device running a shell program and at least one application program, the method comprising:

• displaying information for an active application program in a middle portion of the screen;
• and
• displaying an application menu bar for the active application program at a bottom portion of the screen such that the user can manipulate information for the active application program displayed in the middle portion of the screen by tapping with the stylus on the application menu bar without blocking the user's view of the middle portion of the screen, wherein displaying the application menu bar for the active application program further comprises displaying a soft input panel icon on the application menu bar, wherein a tap on the soft input panel icon with the stylus controls display of a shell program soft input panel.