Methods and apparatus to provide a handheld pointer-based user interface are described herein. An example apparatus includes a wireless pointer component and one or more base components. The wireless pointer component is configured to transmit one or more human-computer interaction (HCI) signals associated with an HCI event via a first communication link. One or more base components are operatively coupled to a screen of a display to receive the one or more HCI signals from the wireless pointer component via the first communication link. Further, the one or more base components are configured to generate at least one of operating information and position information of the wireless pointer component based on the one or more HCI signals, and to transmit the at least one of operating information and position information to a processor configured to generate screen information on the screen of the display via a second communication link.