3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the query index value is compared against numeric index values representing contact names in the dataset.
1. A computer-implemented method for identifying information entered by a user of a handheld electronic device, the method comprising: indexing a dataset by computing a collection of numeric index values for alphanumeric entries in the dataset using a conversion procedure to represent the alphanumeric entries in the dataset with the numeric index values and indexing the alphanumeric entries with the numeric index values; receiving input over a user input device of the handheld electronic device; calculating, by the handheld electronic device, a query index value using the conversion procedure to represent the received input with the query index value; comparing, by the handheld electronic device, the query index value to the numeric index values indexing the dataset and identifying matches therebetween; and displaying, on a display screen of the handheld electronic device, information from the alphanumeric entries in the dataset indexed by an index value matching the query index value representing the received input.