1. A method of operating a handheld electronic device, the method comprising: placing the handheld electronic device in a first mode of operation responsive to a user selection of the first mode of operation after operation in a second mode of operation in which a first animation is applied to a graphical user interface (GUI) element on a display of the electronic device; generating a dynamic recording including transition information relating to a series of physical inputs to the handheld electronic device responsive to a sensor of the handheld electronic device while in the first mode of operation; placing the handheld electronic device in the second mode of operation after terminating generation of the dynamic recording; and generating and applying a new second animation that reflects the transition information included in the dynamic recording to the GUI element on the display of the electronic device in the second mode of operation of the handheld electronic device based on the dynamic recording generated while the handheld electronic device was in the first mode of operation, wherein generating and applying a new second animation comprises defining a window transition behavior, a menu transition behavior and/or a dialog transition behavior.