The computing power and functionality of mobile computing devices continues to increase rapidly. Various types of mobile computing devices are now commercially available which allow users to affordably and conveniently perform full-fledged computing and data communication activities while they are on the move. Today's mobile computing devices commonly integrate a wide variety of functionality including a plurality of different wireless data communication capabilities, a touch-sensitive display screen, one or more microphones, and one or more video cameras. Smartphones and tablet computers are two popular examples of such mobile computing devices. The number and types of mobile computing applications that are available to mobile computing device users are also continuing to increase rapidly, as is the number of people that regularly use a mobile computing device to perform their online computing and information management tasks. In fact, mobile computing devices have become a principle computing device for many people.
Based on the compact form factor and handheld nature of many of today's mobile computing devices such as smartphones and tablet computers, these devices do not include a full-size physical keyboard or a mouse. As such, today's mobile computing device users regularly interact with their mobile computing device using its touch-sensitive display screen, microphones and video cameras. In other words, mobile computing device users regularly utilize the touch-sensitive display screen, microphones and video cameras of their mobile computing device to enter commands and data into the device.
Additionally, other types of personal computing devices such as laptop and desktop computers commonly include one or more microphones, and may be configured with a touch-sensitive display screen and one or more video cameras. Surface computers (also known as tabletop computers) also include a touch-sensitive display screen and one or more video cameras, and may be configured with one or more microphones. A user of such a personal computing device or surface computer can utilize the touch-sensitive display screen, microphones and video cameras of the device/computer to enter commands and data into the device/computer. In fact, the upcoming generation of computing device operating systems will include enhanced support for such “alternate” types of command and data entry.
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