Abstract: Systems, methods, and/or techniques (“tools”) are described herein that relate to automated secure pairing for devices, and that relate to parallel downloads of content using devices. The tools for pairing the devices may perform authentication protocols that are based on addresses and on keys. The address-based authentication protocol may operate on address book entries maintained by the devices. The key-based authentication protocol may operate using a key exchange between the devices.

Abstract: An instant messaging translation plug-in interacts with an instant messaging program to intercept incoming messages and forward these messages to a language translation service. The plug-in then displays a translation received from the service along with the original message. This provides translation which can be used by instant messaging users to communicate across language barriers, and without local translation or knowledge of the internal workings of the translation services used. Additionally, the translation plug-in also provides for manual translation of messages, which allows communication with users who use a different language but do not use the translation plug-in. Messages are modified before translation in order to correct spelling, to prevent particular words or phrases from being translated, and to change instant messaging language into standard language form.

Abstract: A system for optimizing the value of communications between communicating parties is provided. The system includes a communication group manager that facilitates specifying policies, preferences and/or automated analysis of ideal communication channels, routing and/or scheduling in terms of communicating party groups that can be pre-populated clusters of communicating parties, assembled based on relationships (e.g., organizational), and/or assembled based on satisfying inclusion criteria (e.g., age, location, competence, communication history, meeting history). The communication group manager maps communicating parties into predefined and/or dynamically created groups that facilitate specifying and/or automatically computing ideal communication actions like selecting a channel, displaying lists of potential channels sorted by communicating party preferences, and (re)scheduling communications to different channels and/or times.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and/or techniques (“tools”) are described herein that relate to automated secure pairing for devices, and that relate to parallel downloads of content using devices. The tools for pairing the devices may perform authentication protocols that are based on addresses and on keys. The address-based authentication protocol may operate on address book entries maintained by the devices. The key-based authentication protocol may operate using a key exchange between the devices.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and/or techniques (“tools”) are described herein that relate to automated secure pairing for devices, and that relate to parallel downloads of content using devices. The tools for pairing the devices may perform authentication protocols that are based on addresses and on keys. The address-based authentication protocol may operate on address book entries maintained by the devices. The key-based authentication protocol may operate using a key exchange between the devices.

Abstract: Users can send short message service (SMS) communication with the purpose of the communication being implied therein. An SMS broker described herein can derive the implied purpose by parsing the communication at least in part according to defined set of rules of syntax and in light of a current context within which the communication was received. In one aspect, the communication is brokered via the SMS broker and it may be intended as a message to be sent to another user identified by a moniker, such as their e-mail alias, which has the advantage of avoiding the need to store phone numbers on memory-constrained devices. In another aspect, the communication is a request for user data of other users also identified in the request by a simple moniker such as their e-mail alias. Additionally, a user can also send a communication intended to update their own user information such as their current location, availability and so on.

Abstract: A system for optimizing the value of communications between communicating parties is provided. The system includes a communication group manager that facilitates specifying policies, preferences and/or automated analysis of ideal communication channels, routing and/or scheduling in terms of communicating party groups that can be pre-populated clusters of communicating parties, assembled based on relationships (e.g., organizational), and/or assembled based on satisfying inclusion criteria (e.g., age, location, competence, communication history, meeting history). The communication group manager maps communicating parties into predefined and/or dynamically created groups that facilitate specifying and/or automatically computing ideal communication actions like selecting a channel, displaying lists of potential channels sorted by communicating party preferences, and (re)scheduling communications to different channels and/or times.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus are provided for viewing and managing collaboration data from within the context of a shared electronic document. A document editing pane is displayed for editing the shared document. In conjunction with the document editing pane, a collaboration pane is displayed for displaying the collaboration data. Through the collaboration pane, collaboration data such as the identities of one or more collaborators, task, documents, links and other information may be displayed. Actions may also be performed with respect to any aspect of the collaboration data through the collaboration pane.

Abstract: A system for optimizing the value of communications between communicating parties is provided. The system includes a communication group manager that facilitates specifying policies, preferences and/or automated analysis of ideal communication channels, routing and/or scheduling in terms of communicating party groups that can be pre-populated clusters of communicating parties, assembled based on relationships (e.g., organizational), and/or assembled based on satisfying inclusion criteria (e.g., age, location, competence, communication history, meeting history). The communication group manager maps communicating parties into predefined and/or dynamically created groups that facilitate specifying and/or automatically computing ideal communication actions like selecting a channel, displaying lists of potential channels sorted by communicating party preferences, and (re)scheduling communications to different channels and/or times.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus are provided for viewing and managing collaboration data from within the context of a shared electronic document. A document editing pane is displayed for editing the shared document. In conjunction with the document editing pane, a collaboration pane is displayed for displaying the collaboration data. Through the collaboration pane, collaboration data such as the identities of one or more collaborators, task, documents, links and other information may be displayed. Actions may also be performed with respect to any aspect of the collaboration data through the collaboration pane.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide for aggregating person-centric data from one or more data sources and for providing the aggregated data to a user via a computer-displayed user interface that is keyed on or otherwise associated with an identified name in electronically presented text or data. A name in the text or data of an electronic document is identified and is associated with a unique identification, such as an electronic mail address. The unique identification is used by a persona menu application to obtain person-centric data from a variety of data sources. Example data sources include electronic mail contact files, electronic mail and calendaring system free/busy status files, directories of person-centric data related to persons associated with a distributed computing network, and instant messaging files. A data structure is populated with the returned data.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and/or techniques (“tools”) are described herein that relate to automated secure pairing for devices, and that relate to parallel downloads of content using devices. The tools for pairing the devices may perform authentication protocols that are based on addresses and on keys. The address-based authentication protocol may operate on address book entries maintained by the devices. The key-based authentication protocol may operate using a key exchange between the devices.

Abstract: A computing system and a user interface display requested data corresponding with a contact at a display device. The requested data includes contact information, communication histories, and files associated with the contact. The requested data is obtained from one or more contact information directories located locally and/or remotely from the computing system. The user interface also displays contact-centric tasks that may be engaged in between the user and the contact based upon the capabilities of the corresponding computing systems or that can be performed on a contact. Some of the contact information can be edited with an edit mode of the user interface. The contact may be a person, group, organization, or household.

Abstract: An instant messaging translation plug-in interacts with an instant messaging program to intercept incoming messages and forward these messages to a language translation service. The plug-in then displays a translation received from the service along with the original message. This provides translation which can be used by instant messaging users to communicate across language barriers, and without local translation or knowledge of the internal workings of the translation services used. Additionally, the translation plug-in also provides for manual translation of messages, which allows communication with users who use a different language but do not use the translation plug-in. Messages are modified before translation in order to correct spelling, to prevent particular words or phrases from being translated, and to change instant messaging language into standard language form.

Abstract: A user interface is configured to identify and display each of the one or more service providers servicing the user's computing system. The interface also identifies the presence information that is being supplied to the service providers by the user's computing system for publication. The presence information that is provided to the service providers can include, but is not limited to, the name, alias, location, and network status of the user. A user can make global or discrete customized changes to the presence information that is provided to each of the service providers through the user interface. Modifications made to the presence information can also be made automatically to reflect a new condition or status in the user's presence on a network that is provided by a service provider.

Abstract: Users can send short message service (SMS) communication with the purpose of the communication being implied therein. An SMS broker described herein can derive the implied purpose by parsing the communication at least in part according to defined set of rules of syntax and in light of a current context within which the communication was received. In one aspect, the communication is brokered via the SMS broker and it may be intended as a message to be sent to another user identified by a moniker, such as their e-mail alias, which has the advantage of avoiding the need to store phone numbers on memory-constrained devices. In another aspect, the communication is a request for user data of other users also identified in the request by a simple moniker such as their e-mail alias. Additionally, a user can also send a communication intended to update their own user information such as their current location, availability and so on.

Abstract: A facility for cross-application encoding of geographical location information is described. In various embodiments, the facility receives a first document containing information relating to a geographical area, displays an image representing the geographical area, receives input from a user identifying at least a geographical location that is located in the geographical area, encodes a portion of the input to create an encoded link to the geographical location, and causes the link to be added to a second document such that when the link is selected, the first application displays the geographical area and identifies the identified geographical location. In various embodiments, the facility includes a correlating server that correlates geographical locations identified in documents of a first document type with documents containing mapping information.

Abstract: A device for connecting a phone to a television so that content available via the phone can be rendered on the television is provided. The phone-to-television device includes a telephone interface for receiving content from and sending commands to the connected phone and includes a television interface for transmitting the received content for rendering on the connected television. The phone-to-television device includes a converter for converting content received from the phone into a television format and includes a transmission component for transmitting the formatted content for display on the television. As the user interacts with the phone, the user can view on the television the content that is provided by the phone.

Abstract: Contacts and associated presence information for contacts of an instant messenger (IM) application are synchronized with a centralized contact store within a file system of a computing device. Contacts are added, deleted, and changed that correspond to the IM application. Furthermore, the presence information of the contacts also change. These changes in both the contacts and the presence information are reflected in corresponding contact entries within the centralized contact store.

Abstract: Automatic selection of an instant messenger (IM) client is made in response to a request to initiate a communication activity with a selected contact, such as an IM chat session. The IM client is selected according to which IM client is providing presence information related to the contact. The IM client is also selected according to which IM client is capable of handling the requested communication activity. An IM client may be selected if it can handle the requested communication activity irrespective of whether the contact is online with the IM client.