Simple low-cost orientation sensor for control of handheld device

A handheld electronic device (100; 200) has a user-interface (102), a sensor (104) for sensing an orientation of the device with respect to gravity, and electronic circuitry (108) for controlling operation of the device in dependence on the orientation sensed. The sensor has a contact object (300) that assumes, under control of gravity, different positions with respect to a housing of the device in different orientations of the device. The sensor has a substrate (702) mounted stationary with regard to the device. The substrate has a first pair of electrical contacts (704) connected to the electronic circuitry and a second pair of contacts (706) connected to the electronic circuitry. The contact object has a surface (402) that faces the substrate. The surface electrically interconnects the first pair of contacts if the contact object assumes the first position and electrically interconnects the second pair of contacts if the contact object assumes the second position.