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A rotary interface for inputting text and other information that allows the user to quickly select and input large amounts of textual information into very small devices such as cell phones, hand-held or watch-sized PDAs, or other small devices with embedded processors where standard keyboard entry is untenable and where menu-driven selection and handwriting recognition-based character entry are non-optimal. The input interface includes three main components: a rotatable character or icon display in the form of a dial, a ring or appropriate electronic display; a means of unambiguously displaying or designating the currently selected character; and an entry mechanism for inputting the character data into the memory of the electronic device.