1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to handheld electronic devices and, more particularly, to a handheld electronic device including an e-mail function. The invention also relates to a method or a system of remotely controlling e-mail settings from such a handheld electronic device.
2. Background Information
Numerous types of handheld electronic devices are known. Examples of such handheld electronic devices include, for instance, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, two-way pagers, cellular telephones, and the like. Many handheld electronic devices also feature wireless communication capability, although many such handheld electronic devices are stand-alone devices that are functional without communication with other devices.
Electronic mail (email or e-mail) is used to send messages over networks and over the Internet. Electronic messaging has become a ubiquitous means of communication for both business and personal use. Devices that process electronic messages typically maintain a message list identifying electronic messages received for reading and processing by the recipient. Such processing can include, for example, replying to, forwarding to others, deleting and filing the messages.
It is known to configure e-mail settings for wireless handheld electronic devices from a software utility at a desktop personal computer that interfaces with a wireless enterprise server over, for example, the Internet. Such e-mail settings may include, for example, e-mail filter settings, e-mail redirection settings, save copy of e-mail in a sent folder settings, e-mail auto-signature settings, and out-of-office reply e-mail settings. For example, an e-mail filter setting is a setting that blocks certain e-mail messages based upon user-selected criteria. An e-mail redirection setting enables and disables the redirection of e-mail messages from a user's normal e-mail system to the user's wireless handheld electronic device. Such settings may also redirect e-mail messages from selected folders (e.g., Inbox; Spam) in the user's normal e-mail system. An e-mail auto-signature setting enables and disables appending predefined text to an e-mail message that is sent from a wireless handheld electronic device. An out-of-office reply e-mail setting enables or disables sending a predefined reply e-mail message from a wireless handheld electronic device in response to an e-mail message that is received by such device. For example, the out-of-office reply e-mail setting is configurable via a program, such as, for example, Microsoft® Outlook® or Lotus Notes® on a personal computer. The other e-mail settings (e.g., auto-signature; redirected folders; e-mail redirection) are controlled via desktop software on a personal computer.
There exists the need for users of wireless handheld electronic devices to remotely control their e-mail settings from such devices without having to use a software utility at, for example, a desktop personal computer. Accordingly, there is room for improvement in wireless handheld electronic devices and related systems and methods.