System and method for using printed documents

A system and method for using specially printed paper and a handheld device to supplement, or replace, large displays and user interfaces commonly required for efficient use of computing devices. The paper is encoded with location information and a message. The message is distributed redundantly across the page, may be arbitrarily large, and may contain security information. In one embodiment, the device uses a single sensor to read the encoded message and location information, and to measure the relative motion of the device. After scanning the specially printed paper, a user may then raise the device, place it on any convenient flat surface, and continue to slide, exploring areas outside of the printed copy.