1. A method of event notification comprising: receiving an indication of an occurrence of an event at a handheld communications device, the handheld communications device comprising a display device, the event having a notification definition associated therewith for providing a visual notification of the occurrence of the event, the notification definition comprising a content parameter specifying a scope of content of the visual notification, and an action parameter specifying action to be taken on the communications device after the visual notification is initiated; and providing the visual notification of the occurrence on the display device in accordance with the associated notification definition, the visual notification providing particulars of the event.