11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises receiving a user interaction with the contextual interface, automatically generating an input for the active application, and communicating the input to the active application.
8. A method for providing a contextual service in association with an input mechanism, the method comprising: receiving a user input at an input mechanism (“IME”) program running on a computing device, the IME program enabling an associated input mechanism; communicating the user input from the IME program to an active application running on the computing device; communicating the user input from the IME program to a remote contextual-service provider; communicating from the IME program information that describes a characteristic of the active application to the remote contextual-service provider; receiving at the IME program a contextual-service instruction from the remote contextual-service provider, the contextual-service instruction comprising information needed to provide one or more contextual services; and outputting for display, a contextual interface that presents a contextual service.