1. An interface device comprising: at least one programmable device; a display portion coupled to said at least one programmable device, said display portion configured to convey a hierarchical relationship of a plurality of screen images that at least partially overlap each other, wherein said hierarchical relationship comprises said plurality of screen images defined in a series of logically related, ordered, and ranked groupings, wherein each of said plurality of screen images comprises at least one soft button; and a plurality of physical alpha-numeric keys coupled to said at least one programmable device; wherein at least one of said plurality of screen images comprises a set of soft buttons arranged in the same layout, and having the same functions at the same time, as said plurality of physical alpha-numeric keys, wherein each soft button is configured to be activated by touching a corresponding location on the screen image.