1. A method of operating a communications device having a display and a trackpad with an outer surface, a light source, and an optical sensor array provided below the outer surface for receiving light emitted from the light source, the optical sensor array including a plurality of sub-sections, the method comprising: transmitting, via a processor, a first signal to cause the light source of the trackpad to emit light, the light source having a different wavelength than a light source of the display; detecting, at the optical sensor array, the emitted light of the trackpad reflected from an object positioned on or above the outer surface of the trackpad; detecting translational movements of the object over selected ones of the plurality of sub-sections during a predetermined time sequence, the detected translational movements indicating a rotational input when the selected ones of the plurality of sub-sections include substantially opposite translational movements; associating, via the processor, the detected translational movements with character strokes stored in a first database; correlating, via the processor, the character strokes to a plurality of characters stored in a second database; determining, via the processor, a selected character from one of the plurality of characters via a selection received from the trackpad; and rendering the selected character on the display.