TRACKBALL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A MOBILE DATA PROCESSING DEVICE

A graphical user interface which employs logical barriers for temporarily preventing cursor movement between graphical elements under certain circumstances. For example, one embodiment of the invention comprises a data processing device having a memory for storing program code and a processor for processing the program code to generate a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising: a first predefined region including of a first plurality of selectable graphical elements; a second predefined region including a second plurality of selectable graphical elements; and a logical barrier between the first predefined region and the second predefined region, the logical barrier configured to temporarily prevent movement from a graphical element in the first predetermined region to a graphical element in the second predetermined region in response to a user input directed towards graphical element in the second predetermined region, the logical barrier temporarily preventing the movement for either a specified period of time and/or a specified amount of movement generated by a user input device.