A telephone enabling a user to search a telephone directory using a simple
and trouble-free operation.The telephone has a storage unit for storing
names to be called and corresponding telephone numbers, and an operating
unit including a plurality of numeric keys that are each assigned
different characters. The telephone also includes a control unit. When a
key press of at least the predetermined time is received by the operating
unit, the control unit searches the storage unit for names that include a
character assigned to the pressed numeric key, and displays the found
names on a display unit. The user can switch the telephone to telephone
directory mode and perform a keyword search simply by pressing a numeric
key for at least the predetermined time.