Patent Publication Number: US-11023120-B1

Title: User interface mechanics

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/770,979, filed Feb. 19, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,405,453, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/756,574, filed Apr. 8, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,448,084, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. Accordingly, this application claims benefit from the &#39;979 and &#39;574 applications under 35 U.S.C. Section 120. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     In recent decades, computing devices have taken on an expanding role in the daily life of many people. For example, many people use desktop and laptop computers at home and at work for a variety of tasks, such as communicating with others, consuming digital content (such as online news, music, and movies), creating digital content, analyzing data, organizing tasks and calendars, and performing a myriad of other functions. In addition, many people use and travel with cellular phones, personal digital assistants, mobile computing devices (such as the iPhone by APPLE), tablet computers, and a variety of other computing devices that also provide similar functionalities. 
     Increasingly, computing devices also include touch-sensitive displays to facilitate receiving user input in a more convenient manner. But whether or not computing devices include touch-sensitive displays, users of computing devices demand greater convenience and ease of use in interacting with such devices. In many instances, such convenience and ease of use may be provided to users by enhancing the user interfaces via which the users interact with computing devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. The summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure. It is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the description below. 
     Aspects of this disclosure relate to user interface mechanics. According to one or more aspects, a content area may be displayed. Input associated with a first command may be received, and the first command may include a request to scroll the content area. Then, based on the first command, a second command may be performed, and the second command may be independent of the first command. In other words, whether the second command is performed may be based on the first command, but the second command itself may be a command that is otherwise unrelated to scrolling the content area. For instance, in at least one arrangement, performing the second command may include refreshing the content area. 
     According to one or more additional aspects, a scrollable list of content items may be displayed. Input associated with a scroll command may be received. Then, based on the scroll command, a scrollable refresh trigger may be displayed. Subsequently, the scrollable list of content items may be refreshed in response to determining, based on the scroll command, that the scrollable refresh trigger has been activated. In at least one arrangement, it may be determined that the scrollable refresh trigger has been activated in response to determining that the scroll command was completed while the scrollable refresh trigger was fully displayed. 
     According to one or more additional aspects, a scrollable list of content items may be displayed, and the scrollable list of content items may include a plurality of discrete content items arranged chronologically. Input associated with a scroll command may be received, and the input may represent touch-based user input. Then, based on the scroll command, a scrollable refresh trigger that is configured to scroll with the scrollable list of content items may be displayed. Subsequently, an instruction associated with activating the scrollable refresh trigger may be provided in response to determining that the scrollable refresh trigger is fully displayed. The scrollable list of content items may be refreshed in response to determining that the scroll command was completed while the scrollable refresh trigger was fully displayed. In addition, the scrollable list of content items may be scrolled automatically, such that the scrollable refresh trigger might no longer be displayed, in response to determining that the scrollable list of content items has been refreshed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example computing device according to one or more aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an example operating environment according to one or more aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an example method by which a command may be performed according to one or more aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates another example method by which a command may be performed according to one or more aspects described herein. 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate an example method by which a scrollable list of content items may be refreshed according to one or more aspects described herein. 
         FIGS. 6-11  illustrate example user interfaces by which a scrollable list of content items may be refreshed according to one or more aspects described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description of various illustrative embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, various embodiments in which aspects of the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural and functional modifications may be made, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example computing device according to one or more aspects described herein. Computing device  100  may include one or more hardware and/or software components, such as processor  102 , memory  104 , input/output interface  106 , touch sensitive display  108 , network interface  110 , wireless interface  112 , keypad interface  114 , and audio interface  116 . By including one or more of these and/or other components, computing device  100  may be used as a desktop computer, laptop computer, server, tablet computer, netbook, cellular phone, mobile computing device, and/or the like. In at least one arrangement, computing device  100  may include a plurality of each of the components described herein. For instance, in at least one arrangement, computing device  100  may include two or more processors. 
     In one or more arrangements, processor  102  may execute computer-executable and/or computer-readable instructions stored in memory  104 . For instance, processor  102  may execute instructions that cause one or more of the methods described herein to be performed by computing device  100 . Additionally or alternatively, processor  102  may execute instructions that cause one or more user interfaces described herein to be displayed on a display included in computing device  100 , such as touch sensitive display  108 . 
     In one or more arrangements, touch sensitive display  108  may comprise an electronic visual display (e.g., a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) screen, a plasma display panel (“PDP”), a cathode ray tube (“CRT”) display, a light emitting diode (“LED”) display, and/or an organic light emitting diode (“OLED”) display). Touch sensitive display  108  may respond to touch-based user input and thus may function as a “touch screen” display. 
     Touch sensitive display  108  may implement one or more touch sensing technologies (e.g., resistive, surface acoustic wave, capacitive, strain gauge, optical imaging, dispersive signal technology, acoustic pulse recognition, coded LCD, etc.). 
     In one or more arrangements, input/output interface  106  may include one or more adapters, connection ports, and other components via which computing device  100  may provide input and output. For instance, input/output interface  106  may include one or more adapters for outputting data to and/or receiving data from a display (e.g., for providing audiovisual, graphical, and/or textual output), keypad, microphone, mouse, optical reader, scanner, speaker (e.g., for providing audio output), stylus, touch screen, and/or other component. Input/output interface  106  further may include a USB port, serial port, parallel port, IEEE 1394/Firewire port, APPLE iPod Dock port, and/or other ports. 
     In one or more arrangements, network interface  110  may establish and/or provide network connectivity to a network (e.g., a local area network, a wide area network, such as the Internet, etc.). Network interface  110  thus may include hardware and/or software components for communicating via Ethernet, TCP/IP, FTP, HTTP, HTTPS, and/or other protocols. Similarly, wireless interface  112  may establish and/or provide network connectivity to a wireless network (e.g., a local area network, a wide area network, such as the Internet, a cellular voice and/or data network, etc.). Wireless interface  112  thus may include hardware and/or software components for communicating via Ethernet, TCP/IP, FTP, HTTP, HTTPS, IEEE 802.11b/g/a/n, Bluetooth, CDMA, TDMA, GSM and/or other protocols. 
     In one or more arrangements, keypad interface  114  may include one or more physical keys, buttons, and/or switches that may be operated to provide input to and/or control various aspects of computing device  100 . Audio interface  116  may include one or more speakers, audio ports (e.g., a headphone jack), microphones, and/or other audio components. Audio interface  116  may allow computing device  100  to provide audio feedback, receive audio input (e.g., sound input, speech commands, etc.), and/or provide telephone functionalities. 
     In at least one arrangement, computing device  100  may comprise a commercially-available, touch-sensitive mobile computing device, such as an APPLE iPhone, an APPLE iPad, a GOOGLE  Nexus  One, a MOTOROLA Droid, a PALM Pre, and/or the like. In at least one additional arrangement, computing device  100  may comprise a commercially-available computing device, such as an APPLE iMac all-in-one computer, an APPLE MacBook laptop, a LENOVO ThinkPad laptop, an ACER Aspire One netbook, a DELL OptiPlex desktop, an HP Pavilion tablet, and/or the like.  1221   FIG. 2  illustrates an example operating environment according to one or more aspects described herein. Operating environment  200  may include a server  202 , a gateway  204 , a public switched telephone network (“PSTN”)  206 , and/or other networks, such as the Internet  208 , a cellular network, a satellite network, and/or the like. Computing device  100  may operate within operating environment  200  using one or more of the hardware and/or software components described above. 
     In one or more arrangements, computing device  100  may communicate with server  202  via a wireless and/or wired network. For instance, server  202  may connect to and/or communicate with computing device  100  via a wireless cellular network. In addition, server  202  may connect computing device  100  to PSTN  206 , and this connection may enable computing device  100  to make and/or receive telephone calls. Server  202  also may connect computing device  100  to gateway  204 , and this connection may enable computing device  100  to access a wide area network, such as the Internet  208 . Accordingly, computing device  100  may include wireless voice and data functionalities, and computing device  100  may provide functionalities similar to and/or be used as a smartphone, tablet, netbook, and/or other mobile computing device. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an example method by which a command may be performed according to one or more aspects described herein. According to one or more aspects, the methods described herein, such as the method illustrated in  FIG. 3 , may be implemented in and/or performed by and/or in conjunction with a computing device, such as computing device  100 . 
     In step  305 , a content area may be displayed. For example, computing device  100  may display a user interface that includes a content area (e.g., user interface  600  of  FIG. 6 , which is further described below). The content area may include any sort of content, such as text, images, audio, video, links, and/or other digital content. In at least one arrangement, the content area may include a list of content items. For instance, the content area may include a chronologically-arranged listing of personal status updates, blog entries, micro-blogging posts (e.g., tweets and/or other status updates associated with TWITTER, status updates associated with GOOGLE BUZZ, status updates associated with FACEBOOK, etc.), news headlines, news articles, text, images, audio, video, links, and/or other content items. 
     In step  310 , input associated with a first command may be received, and the first command may include a request to scroll the content area. For example, after displaying a content area (e.g., in step  305 ), computing device  100  may receive user input associated with a request to scroll the content area. Such user input may be received in connection with a variety of input actions, such as a user interacting with a displayed scroll bar, a user clicking and dragging a content item included in the content area, a user physically manipulating a scroll wheel included in a mouse, and/or a user otherwise interacting with hardware and/or software components of computing device  100 . For example, a user may initiate a scroll command by clicking and dragging a content item and/or a handle included in the content area using a mouse (e.g., by clicking on and/or selecting a content item and then holding down the mouse button while moving the mouse), and a user may complete the scroll command by concluding the dragging (e.g., by releasing the mouse button). 
     In at least one arrangement, the received input may represent touch-based user input. For instance, the received input may be touch-based user input, associated with a scroll command and received by computing device  100  via touch sensitive display  108 , indicating that a user physically contacted a point on display  108  corresponding to the content area, moved the point of contact along the touch screen (e.g., thereby requesting computing device  100  to scroll the content area) while maintaining continuous contact with the screen, and then released contact with the screen (e.g., thereby completing the scroll command). Additionally or alternatively, computing device  100  may receive touch-based user input via a touch-sensitive pad, a touch-sensitive stylus, a touch-sensitive mouse (e.g., a commercially-available APPLE Magic Mouse), and/or any touch-sensitive surface. 
     Further, the manner by which a scroll command is requested and/or completed using any touch-sensitive surface may be similar to the manner described in the example above involving a user&#39;s finger (e.g., the user may engage and drag a content item to initiate a scroll command, and the user may release and/or finish dragging the content item to complete the scroll command). 
     In step  315 , a second command, independent of the first command, may be performed based on the first command. The second command may be considered independent of the first command, for instance, because in a generic computing device, performing the second command might not require performing the first command and/or performing the first command might not require performing the second command. According to one or more aspects of the disclosure, however, while the second command may be independent of the first command, performing the second command may be based on the first command. 
     More particularly, whether the second command is performed may be based on the first command, but the second command itself may be a command that is otherwise unrelated to scrolling the content area. In at least one arrangement, performing the second command may be triggered by a continuation of the user input corresponding to the first command. 
     For example, the first command may include a scroll command that was completed while an indicator and/or action trigger was displayed, and because the indicator and/or action trigger was displayed when the scroll command was completed, a second command, independent of the first command, (e.g., refreshing the content area and/or content items in a listing included in the content area) may be performed. In this example, performing the second command may have been triggered by the continuation of the user input corresponding to the first command, as the user input associated with the scroll command continued and was not completed until after the indicator and/or action trigger was displayed. In another example, which is further described below, the first command may include a first scroll request and a second scroll request, different from the first scroll request, and the second command to be performed may depend on and/or may be based on the first scroll request and the second scroll request (e.g., the combination of the first scroll request and the second scroll request may dictate what action and/or command should be performed as the second command). Similarly, the first command may include any number of scroll commands, and the particular scroll commands included in the first command may dictate what action and/or command should be performed as the second command. 
     While, in the example described above, refreshing the content area is provided as an example of a second command that may be independent of the first command (e.g., the scroll command), the second command may include any sort of command that may be independent of the first command (e.g., the scroll command). For instance, the second command may include saving at least a portion of the contents of the content area, printing at least a portion of the content area, playing at least a portion of the audio and/or visual contents of the content area, invoking a text-to-speech converter to read aloud at least a portion of the contents of the content area, causing a dialog box and/or prompt to be displayed allowing further action to be taken with respect to the contents of the content area, causing a prompt to be displayed via which a user may email at least a portion of the contents of the content area to another person, navigating between pages of content, locking screen orientations (e.g., locking the screen orientation in “landscape” view, such that even if the device physically is rotated to a “portrait” orientation, the screen will continue to display the content area in landscape view), entering into a new mode (e.g., in a word processing application, switching from a text editing mode to a graphics editing mode; in a presentation tool, switching between a slide layout editing mode to a slide animation editing mode; in a content display application, switching a content designation from “read” or “unread” or vice versa; etc.), and/or performing another action. 
     In one or more arrangements, the first command may include a first scroll request and a second scroll request, where the second scroll request may be distinct and/or different from the first scroll request, and the second command may be performed based on the first scroll request and the second scroll request. Additionally or alternatively, the first scroll request and the second scroll request may be continuous. Stated differently, the second scroll request (e.g., scrolling to the right side of the display) may be initiated and completed after the first scroll request (e.g., scrolling to the bottom side of the display) has been initiated, but before the first scroll request has been completed (e.g., before the user has lifted their finger corresponding to the first scroll request from the touch screen). In at least one additional arrangement, the first scroll request and the second scroll request may be associated with touch-based user input corresponding to a first contact point and a second contact point, respectively (e.g., the user may use one finger to initiate and complete the first scroll request and another finger to initiate and complete the second scroll request). 
     For example, scrolling a content area down (e.g., toward the bottom of the display and/or toward the bottom of the content area to reveal and/or cause to be displayed an indicator and/or an action trigger) and then scrolling left may cause a first action to be performed as the second command (e.g., saving at least a portion of the contents of the content area, causing a prompt to be displayed via which a user may email at least a portion of the contents of the content area to another person, etc.). In this example, scrolling the content area down may be considered the first scroll request, and the scrolling left may be considered the second scroll request. In another example, scrolling a content area down (e.g., to reveal and/or cause to be displayed an indicator and/or an action trigger) and then scrolling right may cause a second action to be performed as the second command (e.g., invoking a text-to-speech converter to read aloud at least a portion of the contents of the content area, printing at least a portion of the content area, etc.). In this second example, scrolling the content area down may be considered the first scroll request, and scrolling right may be considered the second scroll request. 
     In at least one additional arrangement, the second command may depend on and/or change based on the amount of time that an indicator, an action trigger, and/or a scrollable refresh trigger is displayed (e.g., before the first command is completed). For example, in one instance, the first command may include a scroll command that is completed less than four seconds after an action trigger is displayed. In this instance, when the first command is completed, a second command may be performed, and the second command may include refreshing the content area. In another instance, however, the first command may include a scroll command that is completed four or more seconds after an action trigger is displayed. 
     In this instance, when the first command is completed, a different second command may be performed, and this different second command may include locking the screen orientation. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates another example method by which a command may be performed according to one or more aspects described herein. According to one or more aspects, the methods described herein, such as the method illustrated in  FIG. 4 , may be implemented in and/or performed by and/or in conjunction with a computing device, such as computing device  100 . 
     In step  405 , a content area may be displayed. For example, as in step  305  (which was described above with respect to  FIG. 3 ), computing device  100  may display a user interface that includes a content area (e.g., user interface  600  of  FIG. 6 , which is further described below). The content area may include any sort of content, such as text, images, audio, video, links, and/or other digital content. In at least one arrangement, the content area may include a list of content items. For instance, the content area may include a chronologically-arranged listing of personal status updates, blog entries, micro-blogging posts (e.g., tweets and/or other status updates associated with TWITTER, status updates associated with GOOGLE BUZZ, status updates associated with FACEBOOK, etc.), news headlines, news articles, text, images, audio, video, links, and/or other content items. 
     In step  410 , input associated with a first command may be received, and the first command may include a request to scroll the content area. For example, as in step  310  (which was described above with respect to  FIG. 3 ), after displaying a content area (e.g., in step  405 ), computing device  100  may receive user input associated with a request to scroll the content area. As also described above, the user input associated with a request to scroll the content area may be received in connection with a variety of input actions, such as a user interacting with a displayed scroll bar, a user clicking and dragging a content item included in the content area, a user physically manipulating a scroll wheel included in a mouse, and/or a user otherwise interacting with hardware and/or software components of computing device  100 . For example, a user may initiate a scroll command by clicking and dragging (e.g., by clicking on and/or selecting a content item and then holding down the mouse button while moving the mouse) a content item included in the content area using a mouse, and a user may complete the scroll command by concluding the dragging (e.g., by releasing the mouse button). 
     In at least one arrangement, the received input may represent touch-based user input. For instance, the received input may be touch-based user input, associated with a scroll command and received by computing device  100  via touch sensitive display  108 , indicating that a user put a finger down on a point within the content area, slid the finger along the touch screen (e.g., thereby requesting computing device  100  to scroll the content area), and then released the finger (e.g., thereby completing the scroll command). 
     Additionally or alternatively, computing device  100  may receive touch-based user input via a touch-sensitive pad, a touch-sensitive stylus, a touch-sensitive mouse (e.g., a commercially-available APPLE Magic Mouse), and/or any touch-sensitive surface. 
     Further, the manner by which a scroll command is requested and/or completed using any touch-sensitive surface may be similar to the manner described in the example above involving a user&#39;s finger (e.g., the user may engage and drag a content item to initiate a scroll command, and the user may release and/or finish dragging the content item to complete the scroll command). 
     In step  415 , an indicator corresponding to a second command may be displayed based on the first command, and the second command may be independent of the first command. 
     For example, the first command may include a scroll command that causes the content area to be scrolled, and as the content area is scrolled, an indicator may be displayed and/or revealed. The indicator may be scrollable (e.g., the indicator may scroll with one or more content items included in the content area), and the indicator may be adjacent to a displayed or undisplayed content item. 
     In at least one arrangement, the indicator may be adjacent to a content item that is the most recent content item included in the content area. In at least one additional arrangement, the indicator may be adjacent to a content item that is the most relevant content item included in the content area, where relevance may be determined based on a search operation (e.g., a keyword search requested by a user with respect to the one or more content items included in the content area). 
     In one or more arrangements, the indicator may include additional components. For instance, the indicator may include an animated graphic (e.g., an arrow rotating, a spring decompressing, a lock unlocking, etc.), one or more instructions (e.g., an instruction associated with displaying the indicator, an instruction associated with causing the second command to be performed, etc.), one or more status descriptions (e.g., a status description indicating the freshness of the content, a status description indicating when the content area and/or the content items included in the content area were last refreshed, a status description indicating that the content area is being refreshed, a status description indicating that one or more content items are being loaded, a status description indicating when one or more content items were previously loaded, a status description indicating the text and/or keywords that were used in a search operation, a status description indicating when a search operation was performed, etc.), one or more previews and/or thumbnails (e.g., when navigating through multiple pages of content, the indicator may include thumbnail images of the previous and/or next pages). 
     In addition, the second command may be independent of the first command. For example, whereas the first command may include a scroll command, the second command may include any other command that is independent of a scroll command. Thus, the second command may include, for instance, refreshing the content area, refreshing content items and/or a listing (e.g., a listing of content items) included in the content area, saving at least a portion of the contents of the content area, printing at least a portion of the content area, playing at least a portion of the audio and/or visual contents of the content area, invoking a text-to-speech converter to read aloud at least a portion of the contents of the content area, causing a dialog box and/or prompt to be displayed allowing further action to be taken with respect to the contents of the content area, causing a prompt to be displayed via which a user may email at least a portion of the contents of the content area to another person, and/or performing another action. 
     In step  420 , it may be determined whether the first command was completed while the indicator was displayed. For example, the first command may include a scroll command associated with a request to scroll the content area, and computing device  100  may determine whether the scroll command was completed while the indicator was displayed. 
     Where, for instance, a user initiates a scroll command by clicking and dragging a content item and/or a handle included in the content area using a mouse (e.g., by clicking on and/or selecting a content item and then holding down the mouse button while moving the mouse), it may be determined that the scroll command is completed when the user concludes the dragging (e.g., by releasing the mouse button). In this example, if and when the user concludes the dragging (e.g., by releasing the mouse button), computing device  100  then may determine whether the indicator was displayed (e.g., on touch sensitive display  108 ) when the user concluded the dragging. 
     In another example, where a user initiates a scroll command by putting one or more fingers down on the displayed content area and/or on the one or more content items included therein (e.g., as displayed on touch sensitive display  108 ) and scrolls by sliding the one or more fingers along the displayed content area (e.g., along touch sensitive display  108 ), it may be determined that the scroll command is completed when the user concludes the sliding, releases the displayed content area and/or the one or more content items, and/or lifts up the one or more fingers. Of course, instead of one or more fingers, a stylus or other object also could be used in a similar manner to accomplish the same purpose. 
     In step  425 , the second command may be performed if the first command was completed while the indicator was displayed. For example, if it is determined in step  420  that the first command was completed while the indicator was displayed, the second command may be performed. On the other hand, if it is determined in step  420  that the first command was completed while the indicator was not displayed, the second command might not be performed. In at least one arrangement, the first command may be considered to be completed when the user input associated with the first command has concluded. For example, where the first command includes a scroll request associated with touch-based user input, the first command may be considered to be completed when the user lifts up their finger from a touch screen. 
     In one or more arrangements, the first command may include a first scroll request and a second scroll request, where the second scroll request may be distinct and/or different from the first scroll request, and the second command may be performed based on the first scroll request and the second scroll request. Additionally or alternatively, the first scroll request and the second scroll request may be continuous. Stated differently, the second scroll request (e.g., scrolling to the right side of the display) may be initiated and completed after the first scroll request (e.g., scrolling to the bottom side of the display) has been initiated, but before the first scroll request has been completed (e.g., before the user has lifted their finger corresponding to the first scroll request from the touch screen). In at least one additional arrangement, the first scroll request and the second scroll request may be associated with touch-based user input corresponding to a first contact point and a second contact point, respectively (e.g., the user may use one finger to initiate and complete the first scroll request and another finger to initiate and complete the second scroll request). 
     For example, scrolling a content area down (e.g., to reveal and/or cause to be displayed an indicator and/or an action trigger) and then scrolling left may cause a first action to be performed as the second command (e.g., saving at least a portion of the contents of the content area, causing a prompt to be displayed via which a user may email at least a portion of the contents of the content area to another person, etc.). In this example, scrolling the content area down may be considered the first scroll request, and the scrolling left may be considered the second scroll request. In another example, scrolling a content area down (e.g., to reveal and/or cause to be displayed an indicator and/or an action trigger) and then scrolling right may cause a second action to be performed as the second command (e.g., invoking a text-to-speech converter to read aloud at least a portion of the contents of the content area, printing at least a portion of the content area, etc.). In this second example, scrolling the content area down may be considered the first scroll request, and scrolling right may be considered the second scroll request. 
     In one or more additional arrangements, the second command may be performed only if the indicator was fully displayed when the first command was completed. By performing the second command only if the indicator was fully displayed when the first command was completed, the indicator may be used as a trigger that may cause the second command to be performed only when the trigger is engaged (e.g., when the indicator is fully displayed). 
     For example, computing device  100  may determine whether the indicator was fully displayed on touch sensitive display  108  when the first command was completed. If it is determined that the indicator was fully displayed when the first command was completed, then the second command may be performed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the indicator was not fully displayed when the first command was completed (e.g., if the indicator was only partially displayed or not displayed at all), then the second command might not be performed. 
     In step  430 , the indicator may be removed in response to determining that the second command has been performed. For instance, computing device  100  may determine that the second command has been performed and subsequently may remove the indicator from the display (e.g., by scrolling the content area displayed on touch sensitive display  108  such that the indicator, which may be adjacent to a content item included in the content area, is no longer displayed). In one example, where the second command includes refreshing the content area and/or refreshing content items and/or a listing included in the content area, computing device  100  may wait until the refresh operation has completed before removing the indicator from the display. In this example, computing device  100  thus may wait until new content items (e.g., new email messages, new TWITTER tweets, new FACEBOOK status updates, new GOOGLE BUZZ status updates, etc.) have been downloaded from a server and displayed in the content area before removing the indicator from the display.  1491   FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate an example method by which a scrollable list of content items may be refreshed according to one or more aspects described herein. According to one or more aspects, the methods described herein, such as the method illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , may be implemented and/or performed by and/or in conjunction with a computing device, such as computing device  100 . 
     In step  505 , a scrollable list of content items may be displayed. For example, computing device  100  may display a user interface (e.g., user interface  600  of  FIG. 6 , which is further described below) that includes a list of content items that may be scrolled (e.g., automatically by computing device  100  upon determining that new content items are available and/or have been added to the list, manually upon a user request to scroll the list of content items, etc.). The one or more content items included in the scrollable list may include any sort of content, such as text, images, audio, video, links, and/or other digital content. In at least one arrangement, the scrollable list may include a chronologically-arranged listing of personal status updates, blog entries, micro-blogging posts (e.g., tweets and/or other status updates associated with TWITTER, status updates associated with GOOGLE BUZZ, status updates associated with FACEBOOK, etc.), news headlines, news articles, text, images, audio, video, links, and/or other content items. 
     In step  510 , input associated with a scroll command may be received. For example, after displaying a scrollable list of content items (e.g., in step  505 ), computing device  100  may receive user input associated with a scroll command (e.g., a request from a user to scroll the scrollable list of content items, a request from a user to scroll one or more aspects of the user interface more generally, etc.). As with the user input described above with respect to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the input associated with the scroll command may be received in connection with a variety of input actions, such as a user interacting with a displayed scroll bar, a user clicking and dragging a content item included in the scrollable list of content items, a user physically manipulating a scroll wheel included in a mouse, and/or a user otherwise interacting with hardware and/or software components of computing device  100 . For example, a user may initiate a scroll command by clicking and dragging (e.g., by clicking on and/or selecting a content item and then holding down the mouse button while moving the mouse) a content item included in the scrollable list using a mouse, and a user may complete the scroll command by concluding the dragging (e.g., by releasing the mouse button). 
     In at least one arrangement, the received input may represent touch-based user input. For instance, the received input may be touch-based user input, associated with a scroll command and received by computing device  100  via touch sensitive display  108 , indicating that a user put a finger down on a point on the touch screen corresponding to the scrollable list of content items, slid the finger along the touch screen (e.g., thereby requesting computing device  100  to scroll the scrollable list of content items), and then released the finger (e.g., thereby completing the scroll command). Additionally or alternatively, computing device  100  may receive touch-based user input via a touch-sensitive pad, a touch-sensitive stylus, a touch-sensitive mouse (e.g., a commercially-available APPLE Magic Mouse), and/or any touch-sensitive surface. Further, the manner by which a scroll command is requested and/or completed using any touch-sensitive surface may be similar to the manner described in the example above involving a user&#39;s finger (e.g., the user may engage and drag a content item included in the scrollable list of content items to initiate a scroll command, and the user may release and/or finish dragging the content item to complete the scroll command). 
     In step  515 , a scrollable refresh trigger may be displayed based on the scroll command. For example, the scroll command may cause the scrollable list of content items to be scrolled, and as the scrollable list of content items is scrolled, a scrollable refresh trigger may be displayed and/or revealed. The refresh trigger may be scrollable because the refresh trigger may scroll with one or more content items included in the scrollable list of content items. 
     In addition, the scrollable refresh trigger may be adjacent to a displayed or undisplayed content item included in the scrollable list of content items. 
     In at least one arrangement, the scrollable refresh trigger may be adjacent to a content item that is the most recent content item included in the scrollable list of content items. In at least one additional arrangement, the scrollable refresh trigger may be adjacent to a content item that is the most relevant content item included in the scrollable list of content items, where relevance may be determined based on a search operation (e.g., a keyword search requested by a user with respect to the one or more content items included in the scrollable list of content items). 
     In one or more arrangements, the scrollable refresh trigger may include additional components. For instance, the scrollable refresh trigger may include an animated graphic (e.g., an arrow rotating, a spring decompressing, a lock unlocking, etc.), one or more instructions (e.g., an instruction associated with displaying the scrollable refresh trigger, an instruction associated with activating the scrollable refresh trigger, an instruction associated with causing a refresh operation to be performed, etc.), one or more status descriptions (e.g., a status description indicating the freshness of the content included in the scrollable list of content items, a status description indicating when the scrollable list and/or the content items included in the scrollable list were last refreshed, a status description indicating that the scrollable list and/or the content items included in the scrollable list are being refreshed, a status description indicating that one or more content items are being loaded, a status description indicating when one or more content items were previously loaded, a status description indicating the text and/or keywords that were used in a search operation, a status description indicating when a search operation was performed, etc.), one or more previews and/or thumbnails (e.g., when navigating through multiple pages of content, the indicator may include thumbnail images of the previous and/or next pages). 
     In optional step  520 , a first instruction associated with displaying the scrollable refresh trigger may be provided based on the scroll command. For example, computing device  100  may display on touch sensitive display  108  a first instruction, and the first instruction may describe how the scrollable refresh trigger is displayed and/or how the scrollable list of content items may be refreshed. For instance, the first instruction may state: “Pull down to refresh.” In at least one arrangement, the first instruction may be included in the scrollable refresh trigger. An example of a first instruction included in a scrollable refresh trigger is further described below with respect to  FIG. 8 . 
     In optional step  525 , a second instruction associated with activating the scrollable refresh trigger may be provided in response to determining that the scrollable refresh trigger is fully displayed. For example, computing device  100  may display on touch sensitive display  108  a second instruction, and the second instruction may describe how the scrollable refresh trigger may be activated and/or how the scrollable list of content items may be refreshed. For instance, the second instruction may state: “Release to refresh.” In at least one arrangement, the second instruction may be included in the scrollable refresh trigger. An example of a second instruction included in a scrollable refresh trigger is further described below with respect to  FIG. 9 . 
     In optional step  530 , first audio feedback may be provided in response to displaying the scrollable refresh trigger. For example, computing device  100  may provide first audio feedback after displaying the scrollable refresh trigger to alert the user of the scrollable refresh trigger being displayed. Such first audio feedback may include a sliding or shifting sound to coincide with the scrolling of the scrollable refresh trigger and/or the scrollable list of content items. 
     In optional step  535 , it may be determined that the scrollable refresh trigger has been activated in response to determining that the scroll command was completed while the scrollable refresh trigger was fully displayed. For example, if computing device  100  determines that the scroll command was completed (e.g., based on mouse input, touch input, and/or other input, as further described herein) while the scrollable refresh trigger was fully displayed, then computing device  100  may determine that the scrollable refresh trigger has been activated, which further may result in the scrollable list of content items being refreshed, as further described below. On the other hand, if computing device  100  determines that the scroll command was completed while the scrollable refresh trigger was not fully displayed, then computing device  100  may determine that the scrollable refresh trigger has not been activated. 
     In step  540 , the scrollable list of content items may be refreshed in response to determining, based on the scroll command, that the scrollable refresh trigger has been activated. For example, if optional step  545  is performed and it is determined that the scrollable refresh trigger has been activated, the scrollable list of content items may be refreshed. In at least one arrangement, refreshing the scrollable list of content items may include connecting to a server (e.g., a web server), downloading new content items (e.g., new email messages, new TWITTER tweets, new FACEBOOK status updates, new GOOGLE BUZZ status updates, etc.), and displaying the new content items in the scrollable list of content items. 
     Additionally or alternatively, in an example where optional step  545  is not performed, the scrollable list of content items may be refreshed if it is determined, based on the scroll command, that the scrollable refresh trigger has been activated (e.g., based on whether the scroll command was completed while the scrollable refresh trigger was at least partially displayed). Where, for instance, a user initiates a scroll command by clicking and dragging a content item and/or a handle included in the scrollable list of content items using a mouse (e.g., by clicking on and/or selecting a content item and then holding down the mouse button while moving the mouse), it may be determined that the scroll command is completed when the user concludes the dragging (e.g., by releasing the mouse button). In this example, if and when the user concludes the dragging (e.g., by releasing the mouse button), computing device  100  then may determine whether the scrollable refresh trigger was displayed (e.g., on touch sensitive display  108 ) when the user concluded the dragging. 
     If the scrollable refresh trigger was displayed when the user concluded the dragging, computing device  100  may refresh the scrollable list of content items accordingly. On the other hand, if the scrollable refresh trigger was not displayed when the user concluded the dragging, computing device  100  might not refresh the scrollable list of content items. 
     In another instance in which a user initiates a scroll command by putting one or more fingers down on the displayed scrollable list of content items and/or on the one or more content items included therein (e.g., as displayed on touch sensitive display  108 ) and scrolls by sliding the one or more fingers along the displayed scrollable list of content items (e.g., along touch sensitive display  108 ), it may be determined that the scroll command is completed when the user concludes the sliding, releases the displayed scrollable list of content items and/or the one or more content items, and/or lifts up the one or more fingers. 
     Of course, instead of one or more fingers, a stylus or other object also could be used in a similar manner to accomplish the same purpose. 
     In optional step  545 , second audio feedback may be provided in response to determining that the refresh trigger has been activated. For example, computing device  100  may provide second audio feedback after determining that the refresh trigger has been activated to alert the user that the scrollable list of content items is about to be refreshed. Such second audio feedback may include a sliding or shifting sound to coincide with the scrolling of the scrollable refresh trigger and/or the scrollable list of content items. 
     Additionally or alternatively, such second audio feedback may include a popping sound to coincide with the activation of the refresh trigger and/or the refreshing of the scrollable list of content items. 
     In optional step  550 , the scrollable list of content items may be scrolled automatically, such that the scrollable refresh trigger is not displayed, in response to determining that a refresh operation has completed. For example, computing device  100  may determine that the refreshing of the scrollable list of content items has been completed and may automatically scroll the scrollable list of content items such that the scrollable refresh trigger is no longer displayed. It may be desirable to provide such automatic scrolling of the scrollable refresh trigger upon completion of the refreshing, as such automatic scrolling may maximize the space available (e.g., on touch sensitive display  108 ) for displaying the content items included in the scrollable list of content items.  1651   FIGS. 6-11  illustrate sample user interfaces by which a scrollable list of content items may be refreshed according to one or more aspects described herein. According to one or more aspects, the user interfaces described herein, such as the user interfaces illustrated in  FIGS. 6-11 , may be implemented in, displayed by, and/or used in conjunction with a computing device, such as computing device  100 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a computing device, such as computing device  100 , may display user interface  600 . User interface  600  may include a header bar  605 , a search bar  610 , a menu bar  615 , and a scrollable list of content items  620 . The scrollable list of content items  620  may include one or more content items, such as content items  620   a  and  620   b.    
     According to one or more aspects, header bar  605  may include one or buttons that allow a user to select and/or log into and/or out of an account associated with a content provider, such as a social media service (e.g., TWITTER, FACEBOOK, GOOGLE BUZZ, etc.), and/or allow a user to create a new content item associated with such a content provider. Search bar  610  may allow a user to search the scrollable list of content items  620  (e.g., for content items that include particular keywords). Menu bar  615  may include one or more buttons that provide various functionalities. 
     For example, menu bar  615  may include a tweets button  615   a , which may allow a user to view a scrollable list of content items that includes content items from sources to which the user may be subscribed (e.g., status updates and/or other posts from users that the user may follow). Menu bar  615  further may include a replies button  615   b , which may allow a user to view a scrollable list of content items that include content items that identify the user (e.g., content items that include the user&#39;s username). Menu bar  615  further may include a directs button  615   c , which may allow a user to view a scrollable list of content items that include content items that are directed to the user (e.g., content items that include a direct message between the user and another user). Menu bar  615  further may include a search button  615   d , which may allow a user to search a network and/or a database (e.g., a database of content items) for additional content items, geographically nearby users, other users, saved keywords, and/or trending topics. Menu bar  615  further may include a more button  615   e , which may allow a user to edit his or her profile (e.g., the user&#39;s profile associated with the particular content provider, such as their TWITTER profile or FACEBOOK profile); view his or her favorite content items; view and/or edit drafts of content items that the user has created; and/or view, create, and/or edit lists of users (e.g., lists of users that the user may subscribe to and/or follow). 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , a computing device, such as computing device  100 , may display user interface  700 , and further may receive touch-based user input, as represented by touch point  705 . Touch point  705  may represent a point on a touch screen included in computing device  100  (e.g., touch sensitive display  108 ) where a user has put a finger down on the touch screen. Stated differently, touch point  705  may represent a place on the touch screen where the user is touching and/or otherwise in contact with the touch screen (e.g., with a stylus, etc.). 
     In  FIG. 7 , for example, the user has put a finger down on touch point  705 , which, in this example, is a point corresponding to the scrollable list of content items  620 . By subsequently sliding his or her finger along the touch screen (e.g., by sliding the touch point  705  downward), the user may initiate a scroll command, which may result in the scrollable list of content items  620  being scrolled, as reflected by the downward shift in the scrollable list of content items  620  (between  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 ). In addition, as the scrollable list of content items  620  is scrolled, a scrollable refresh trigger  710  may be revealed and/or displayed. The scrollable refresh trigger  710  may scroll with the one or more content items included in the scrollable list of content items  620 , and the scrollable refresh trigger  710  may be adjacent to a displayed or undisplayed content item included in the scrollable list of content items  620 . Thus, as the scrollable list of content items  620  is scrolled in accordance with the scroll command, the scrollable refresh trigger  710  also may be scrolled. 
     As a user continues to scroll the scrollable list of content items  620  (e.g., by continuing to slide the touch point  705  downward along the touch screen), computing device  100  may display user interface  800 , which is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . 
     As may be seen in  FIG. 8 , the continued scrolling of the scrollable list of content items  620  may result in the continued scrolling of the scrollable refresh trigger  710 , which also may result in a greater portion of the scrollable refresh trigger  710  being displayed by the computing device  100 . 
     In one or more arrangements, the scrollable refresh trigger  710  may include an instruction and/or a status description, such as instruction  805  and status description  810 , respectively. 
     Instruction  805  may describe how the scrollable refresh trigger  710  is displayed and/or how the scrollable list of content items  620  may be refreshed. For instance, instruction  805  may state: “Pull down to refresh.” Status description  810  may include one or more status descriptions, which are further described above. For instance, status description  810  may state: “Last Updated: 10.09.09 2:08 PM,” which may indicate when the scrollable list of content items  620  was last refreshed. 
     As a user continues to scroll the scrollable list of content items  620  (e.g., by continuing to slide the touch point  705  downward along the touch screen), computing device  100  may display user interface  900 , which is illustrated in  FIG. 9 . 
     As may be seen in  FIG. 9 , the continued scrolling of the scrollable list of content items  620  may result in the continued scrolling of the scrollable refresh trigger  710 , which also ultimately may result in the scrollable refresh trigger  710  being fully displayed by the computing device  100 . The dotted line in  FIG. 9  above the scrollable refresh trigger  710  may represent a top edge of the scrollable refresh trigger  710 . 
     In one or more arrangements, when the scrollable refresh trigger  710  is fully displayed, an instruction, such as instruction  905 , may be displayed. Instruction  905  may describe how the scrollable refresh trigger  710  may be activated and/or how the scrollable list of content items  620  may be refreshed. For instance, instruction  905  may state: “Release to refresh.” 
     As described above, completing a scroll command while the scrollable refresh trigger  710  is displayed (and/or fully displayed in at least one arrangement) may result in the refreshing of the scrollable list of content items. Additionally or alternatively, and also as described above, completing a first command while an indicator is displayed may result in the performing of a second command, the second command being independent of the first command. Thus, if the user lifts up his or her finger from touch point  705  on the touch screen or otherwise completes the scroll command (e.g., by concluding a drag operation, by releasing a mouse button, etc.) while the scrollable refresh trigger  710  is displayed, computing device  100  may begin refreshing the scrollable list of content items  620  and further may display user interface  1000 , which is illustrated in  FIG. 10 . 
     As may be seen in  FIG. 10 , after the user lifts up his or her finger from touch point  705  on the touch screen or otherwise completes the scroll command, a status description  1005  may be displayed. Status description  1005  may state, for instance, “Loading” to inform the user that computing device  100  is refreshing the scrollable list of content items  620  and/or loading new data (e.g., downloading recent and/or unread content items from a remote server, such as a TWITTER or FACEBOOK server). 
     Once computing device  100  has loaded new data, computing device  100  may display user interface  1100 , which is illustrated in  FIG. 11 . As may be seen in  FIG. 11 , user interface  1100  may include a refreshed scrollable list of content items  1105 , which may include one or more new and/or updated content items, such as content items  1105   a ,  1105   b ,  1105   c ,  1105   d , and  1105   e . In addition, and as further described above, once the refreshing is complete, the refreshed scrollable list of content items  1105  may be scrolled automatically and/or displayed such that the scrollable refresh trigger is no longer displayed. As in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , however, a user may reveal the scrollable refresh trigger by scrolling the refreshed scrollable list of content items  1105 . 
     Various aspects described herein may be embodied as a method, an apparatus, or as one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions. Accordingly, those aspects may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. In addition, various signals representing data or events as described herein may be transferred between a source and a destination in the form of light and/or electromagnetic waves traveling through signal-conducting media such as metal wires, optical fibers, and/or wireless transmission media (e.g., air and/or space). 
     Aspects of the disclosure have been described in terms of illustrative embodiments thereof. 
     Numerous other embodiments, modifications, and variations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims will occur to persons of ordinary skill in the art from a review of this disclosure. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the steps illustrated in the illustrative figures may be performed in other than the recited order, and that one or more steps illustrated may be optional in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.