Abstract: Systems and methods for determining status of a user in a brokered chat service are disclosed. In one example, the method comprises acts of receiving, via the brokered chat service, a check-in message from the user, establishing the status of the user as available in the brokered chat service, transmitting at least one message to the user via the brokered chat service in response to establishing the status of the user as available, and updating the status of the user in the brokered chat service in response to communication from the user.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for posting content, the method including posting, when a predetermined hash tag is detected from first type content for which a posting request is sent, second type content generated based on text information acquired from the first type content and image information acquired from a database, and posting the first type content when the hash tag is not detected.

Abstract: A virtual shop application operating on a user device presents a virtual shop of a social networking system. The virtual shop displays a set of virtual goods/items available for purchase by users. Sensor information is captured by one or more sensors based on movement of the user device. Based on the sensor information, the displayed virtual goods are each oriented with respect to a stationary point.

Abstract: A social networking system receives information regarding an activity performed by a user of the social networking system. A determination is made as to whether an activity trigger is satisfied based on the received information. Responsive to a determination that the trigger is satisfied, additional content regarding the activity is requested from the user.

Abstract: When the user requests a contact interface, the messaging module displays a contact interface that includes multiple rows. Each row includes a contact interface element that is associated with a contact with which the user has or is exchanging messages. From the contact interface the user can request to transmit a shortcut message to a contact from a set of predefined shortcut messages. Each shortcut message is predefined in that the content to be included in the message is already set. The user indicates the shortcut message to transmit to a contact by shifting the content interface element associated with the contact in a horizontal direction. When the user ends the shifting of the contact interface element, the messaging module automatically transmits a shortcut message to the contact based on the magnitude of the shift performed by the user.

Abstract: A user's user device includes a messaging module that allows the user to communicate with its contacts through a messaging system. The messaging module also allows the user to access a status interface that includes a feed with multiple status items. Each status item indicates current information associated with a contact of the user. The status items are received by the messaging module from the messaging system. The messaging system creates the status items based on device information automatically provided to the system by user devices. One or more of the status items received by the messaging module are customized by the module after they are received from the messaging system and before they are presented to the user in the status interface. The status items are customized based information associated with the user.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for posting content, the method including posting, when a predetermined hash tag is detected from first type content for which a posting request is sent, second type content generated based on text information acquired from the first type content and image information acquired from a database, and posting the first type content when the hash tag is not detected.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for displaying menu options. A menu icon is displayed on a touch-sensitive screen. In some embodiments, the menu icon is displayed with a feed from a social networking system. In response to detecting a contact with the menu icon, an animation of a plurality of sub-menu icons emanating from the menu icon is displayed. The sub-menu icons move along different predefined paths to different predefined positions. Each sub-menu icon is associated with an interface to post content to a social networking system. In response to detecting a contact with a sub-menu icon, the interface associated with the sub-menu icon is displayed.

Abstract: While a newsfeed is scrolled, an icon is displayed that includes the post time of a news story. The icon moves in a vertical direction as the newsfeed is scrolled and displays a post time of a news story when at least a predefined amount of the icon is displayed over the news story. Depending on when a news story was posted, the time icon may include the date the news story was posted. The icon may show a time and/or may include a clock showing time in analog or digital format. The newsfeed may be scrolled in response to a gesture by a user with a touch-sensitive display and the time icon may cease to be displayed once the user breaks contact with the touch-sensitive display.

Abstract: One or more interactions between a first user and a second user of a social networking system are identified. Each respective interaction of the one or more interactions is scored based on a group score and a time penalty. The group score is based on the number of users in the respective interaction and the time penalty is based on a time between a current time and a time of a last interaction between the first user and the second user. A relationship ranking that measures the first user's affinity towards the second user is determined, where the relationship ranking comprises one or more interaction scores. An indicator representing the relationship ranking is sent to a client for display.