Social Messaging User Interface

Abstract

Hubs for social interaction via electronic devices are described. In one aspect, a data processing device includes a display screen displaying a social interaction hub, the social interaction hub including a collection of records. Each record includes a counterparty identifier identifying a counterparty of a past social interaction event, a mode indicium identifying a mode by which the past social interaction event with the counterparty occurred, and a collection of mode indicia each identifying a mode by which a future, outgoing social interaction event with the counterparty can occur. The counterparty identifier, the mode indicium, and the collection of mode indicia are associated with one another in the records of the social interaction hub.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented system, comprising:
 one or more computer processors; and   at least one memory operably coupled to the one or more computer processors and storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, perform operations including:
 determining currently available communication modes via which a first contact among a plurality of contacts is currently available to engage in communication with a first user, wherein determining the currently available communication modes further comprises:
 identifying a first set of communication modes corresponding to the first contact, the first set of communication modes indicating, a set of communication modes by which the first contact can be contacted; 
 receiving data identifying, from among the first set of communication modes, a first subset of communication modes via which the first contact is currently available and a second subset of communication modes via which the first contact is not currently available; 
 
 in response to determining the currently available communication modes, providing, for display on an interface including a social interaction hub, an availability indicator over communication mode indicia corresponding to the currently available communication modes, wherein the availability indicator identifies a communication mode via which the first contact is currently available to engage in communication with the first user and wherein providing the availability indicator for display comprises providing a graphical element that is darkened to indicate that the first contact is currently available to engage in communication with the first user for each of the communication mode indica corresponding to the currently available communication modes; 
 receiving a request to communicate with the first contact, wherein the request includes data representing a selection of a particular communication mode indicia that corresponds to a particular communication mode with the availability indicator; and 
 in response to receiving the request to communicate with the first contact, triggering a communication with the first user using the particular communication mode corresponding to the selected particular communication mode indicia. 
   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 2 , wherein the availability indicator comprises an additional graphical element provided for display, wherein the additional graphical element indicates that the first contact is currently available to communicate with the first user for each of the communication mode indicia corresponding to the currently available communication modes. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 2 , wherein determining the currently available communication modes via which the first contact in the plurality of contacts is currently available to engage in communication with the first user comprises accessing a data store that stores contact information for the plurality of contacts. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 2 , wherein the data representing a selection of a particular communication mode indicia is received as speech input. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 2 , wherein the currently available communication modes comprise communication modes including at least and voice calling. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 2 , wherein triggering the communication with the first user using the communication mode corresponding to the selected particular communication mode indicia, comprises at least one of (i) initiating at least a message or a post, via a social network for sending to the first user, (ii) initiating a social interaction via a photosharing network with the first user, (iii) generating an email message for sending to the first user, or (iv) initiating a voice call with the first user. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computer processors, perform operations further comprising:
 providing, for display on the interface including the social interaction hub, a contact indicia for each of the plurality of contacts, wherein selection of the contact indicia for a particular contact triggers provision of an interface that provides additional information regarding the particular contact.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computer processors, perform operations further comprising:
 determining, based on data available via the one or more of the currently available communication modes corresponding to a particular contact, a current status for the particular contact; and   providing, for display on the interface including the social interaction hub, a status indicia for the particular contact that provides for display the current status for the particular contact.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computer processors, perform operations further comprising:
 providing, for display on a computing device to the first user, the interface including the social interaction hub that provides:
 a plurality of contacts associated with the first user; 
 a plurality of communication mode indicia corresponding to each of the plurality of contacts, each communication mode indicia indicating a communication mode among a plurality of communication modes by which an interaction with a particular contact can occur; and 
 prior communication data providing a portion of the data from a prior communication with one or more contacts in the plurality of contacts. 
   
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 determining currently available communication modes via which a first contact among a plurality of contacts is currently available to engage in communication with a first user, wherein determining the currently available communication modes further comprises:
 identifying a first set of communication modes corresponding to the first contact, the first set of communication modes indicating a set of communication modes by which the first contact can be contacted; 
 receiving data identifying, from among the first set of communication modes, a first subset of communication modes via which the first contact is currently available and a second subset of communication modes via which the first contact is not currently available; 
   in response to determining the currently available communication modes, providing, for display on an interface including a social interaction hub, an availability indicator over communication mode indicia corresponding to the currently available communication modes, wherein the availability indicator identifies a communication mode via which the first contact is currently available to engage in communication with the first user and wherein providing the availability indicator for display comprises providing a graphical element that is darkened to indicate that the first contact is currently available to engage in communication with the first user for each of the communication mode indica corresponding to the currently available communication modes;   receiving a request to communicate with the first contact, wherein the request includes data representing a selection of a particular communication mode indicia that corresponds to a particular communication mode with the availability indicator; and   in response to receiving the request to communicate with the first contact, triggering a communication with the first user using the particular communication mode corresponding to the selected particular communication mode indicia.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the availability indicator comprises an additional graphical element provided for display, wherein the additional graphical element indicates that the first contact is currently available to communicate with the first user for each of the communication mode indicia corresponding to the currently available communication modes. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein determining the currently available communication modes via which the first contact in the plurality of contacts is currently available to engage in communication with the first user comprises accessing a data store that stores contact information for the plurality of contacts. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the data representing a selection of a particular communication mode indicia is received as speech input. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 providing, for display on a computing device to the first user, the interface including the social interaction hub that provides:
 a plurality of contacts associated with the first user; 
 a plurality of communication mode indicia corresponding to each of the plurality of contacts, each communication mode indicia indicating a communication mode among a plurality of communication modes by which an interaction with a particular contact can occur; and 
 prior communication data providing a portion of the data from a prior communication with one or more contacts in the plurality of contacts. 
   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein triggering the communication with the first user using the communication mode corresponding to the selected particular communication mode indicia, comprises at least one of (i) initiating at least a message or a post, via a social network for sending to the first user, (ii) initiating a social interaction via a photosharing network with the first user, (iii) generating an email message for sending to the first user, or (iv) initiating a voice call with the first user. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, perform operations further comprising:
 providing, for display on the interface including the social interaction hub, a contact indicia for each of the plurality of contacts, wherein selection of the contact indicia for a particular contact triggers provision of an interface that provides additional information regarding the particular contact.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, perform operations further comprising:
 determining, based on data available via the one or more of the currently available communication modes corresponding to a particular contact, a current status for the particular contact; and   providing, for display on the interface including the social interaction hub, a status indicia for the particular contact that provides for display the current status for the particular contact.   
     
     
         19 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 determining currently available communication modes via which a first contact among a plurality of contacts is currently available to engage in communication with a first user, wherein determining the currently available communication modes further comprises:
 identifying a first set of communication modes corresponding to the first contact, the first set of communication modes indicating a set of communication modes by which the first contact can be contacted; 
 receiving data identifying, from among, the first set of communication modes, a first subset of communication modes via which the first contact is currently available and a second subset of communication modes via which the first contact is not currently available; 
   in response to determining the currently available communication modes, providing, for display on an interface including a social interaction hub, an availability indicator over communication mode indicia corresponding to the currently available communication modes, wherein the availability indicator identifies a communication mode via which the first contact is currently available to engage in communication with the first user and wherein providing the availability indicator for display comprises providing a graphical element that is darkened to indicate that the first contact is currently available to engage in communication with the first user for each of the communication mode indica corresponding to the currently available communication modes;   receiving a request to communicate with the first contact, wherein the request includes data representing a selection of a particular communication mode indicia that corresponds to a particular communication mode with the availability indicator; and   in response to receiving the request to communicate with the first contact, triggering a communication with the first user using the particular communication mode corresponding to the selected particular communication mode indicia.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein triggering the communication with the first user using the communication mode corresponding to the selected particular communication mode indicia, comprises at least one of (i) initiating at least a message or a post, via a social network for sending to the first user, (ii) initiating a social interaction via a photosharing network with the first user, (iii) generating an email message for sending to the first user, or (iv) initiating a voice call with the first user. 
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein the availability indicator comprises an additional graphical element provided for display, wherein the additional graphical element indicates that the first contact is currently available to communicate with the first user for each of the communication mode indicia corresponding to the currently available communication modes.