In one aspect of the invention, the user can rapidly enter and search for text through a combination of entering one or more characters (a partial text entry) on a digitally displayed keyboard with a pointing device and using a search list to display a list of selectable completion candidates based on the partial text entry. The user can select one of the completion candidates in the search list to replace the partial text entry which the user is currently entering. Alternatively, the user can select a completion candidate to be the basis of a search for a refined list of completion candidates. The user can also deactivate the interactive search list, and immediately continue adding to or modifying the current partial text entry, and may re-invoke the search list to further search for completion candidates based on the modified partial text entry.