1. A method for entering alphanumerical characters from a character set into a portable information appliance, said method including the steps of: 1) disposing a touch-sensitive touchpad within the portable information appliance so that it functions as a data entry device therefor; 2) providing a plurality of first regions on a surface of the touch-sensitive touchpad, wherein each of the first regions corresponds to a character group; 3) representing each character group by a head character which is part of the character group; 4) selecting a character group; and 5) selecting a character from within the character group.