Patent ID: 7870321

Claim:
An extended computing unit comprises: a connection module; memory operable to store: one or more computer-level user applications executable by a handheld computing unit or by the handheld computing unit in combination with the extended computing unit; one or more exclusive extended computing unit user applications executable by the extended computing unit apart from the handheld computing unit; an exclusive extended computing unit operating system executable by the extended computing unit apart from the handheld computing unit; and an operating system extension of a computer-level operating system, the operating system extension operable to augment a primary operating system executed by the handheld computing unit when the connection module is coupled to the handheld computing unit; and hardware coupled to the connection module and to the memory, wherein, when the connection module is not coupled to the handheld computing unit, the hardware is operable to: execute the extended computing unit exclusive operating system; detect a request for activation of an extended computing unit exclusive user application of the one or more extended computing unit exclusive user applications; and execute a least a portion of the extended computing unit exclusive user application.