A device comprising: a housing; a touch screen configured to output graphical objects and detect a contact; a first actuator coupled to the touch screen and positioned within the housing, the first actuator configured to output a first haptic effect to the touch screen in response to receiving a first actuator signal; a second actuator coupled to the housing, the second actuator configured to output a second haptic effect to the housing in response to receiving a second actuator signal; a processor coupled to the touch screen, the first actuator, and the second actuator; and a memory comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to: determine that a haptic event occurred in a software application; determine whether the haptic event is a foreground event or a background event; determine whether the touch screen is being contacted by a user; and in response to determining that the haptic event is the foreground event and that the touch screen is being contacted by the user, transmit the first actuator signal to the first actuator; in response to determining that the haptic event is the foreground event and that the touch screen is not being contacted by the user, transmit the second actuator signal to the second actuator; in response to determining that the haptic event is the background event, transmit the second actuator signal to the second actuator. a housing; a touch screen configured to output graphical objects and detect a contact; a first actuator coupled to the touch screen and positioned within the housing, the first actuator configured to output a first haptic effect to the touch screen in response to receiving a first actuator signal; a second actuator coupled to the housing, the second actuator configured to output a second haptic effect to the housing in response to receiving a second actuator signal; a processor coupled to the touch screen, the first actuator, and the second actuator; and a memory comprising program code that is executable by the processor to cause the processor to: determine that a haptic event occurred in a software application; determine whether the haptic event is a foreground event or a background event; determine whether the touch screen is being contacted by a user; and in response to determining that the haptic event is the foreground event and that the touch screen is being contacted by the user, transmit the first actuator signal to the first actuator; in response to determining that the haptic event is the foreground event and that the touch screen is not being contacted by the user, transmit the second actuator signal to the second actuator; in response to determining that the haptic event is the background event, transmit the second actuator signal to the second actuator. determine that a haptic event occurred in a software application; determine whether the haptic event is a foreground event or a background event; determine whether the touch screen is being contacted by a user; and in response to determining that the haptic event is the foreground event and that the touch screen is being contacted by the user, transmit the first actuator signal to the first actuator; in response to determining that the haptic event is the foreground event and that the touch screen is not being contacted by the user, transmit the second actuator signal to the second actuator; in response to determining that the haptic event is the background event, transmit the second actuator signal to the second actuator.