A communications server comprises a data receiver configured to receive status data indicating, for each communication terminal of a set of communication terminals, a current device status of that communication terminal; a terminal manager configured to assign each communication terminal of the set of communication terminals to one or more communication terminal groups in dependence upon the respective status data for that communication terminal; and a communications controller to control the transmission of communications data to each of the set of communication terminals in dependence upon the respective communication terminal group to which that communication terminal is assigned by the terminal manager.

Techniques are disclosed for transmitting an announcement to one or more devices. In one example, a first device receives a first message that includes an announcement, the announcement associated with a voice that spoke the announcement. The first device may determine the announcement from the first message, and then identify one or more devices for receiving the announcement. The one or more devices may have a particular device type of a plurality of different device types comprising at least a mobile device. The first device may determine a network path through which a second message is transmitted based at least in part on the location of a second device. In accordance with a determination that the second device is located within a local area network associated with a home environment, the first device transmits the second message over the local area network. In accordance with a determination that the second device is located away from a local area network associated with a home environment, the first device transmits the second message over the wide area network.

Method and system for group communication across electronic mail users and feature phone users. A method for receiving electronic mails on a feature phone includes receiving a text message on the feature phone in response to a first electronic mail. The method also includes calling a telephonic number embedded in the text message to listen to an audio clip of the first electronic mail and providing a voice input as a response to the first electronic mail. The system includes a feature phone that receives a plurality of electronic mails. The system also includes one or more electronic devices, and a communication interface in electronic communication with the feature phone and the one or more electronic devices. The system further includes a memory that stores instructions, and a processor responsive to the instructions to receive a text message in response to an electronic mail transmitted by an electronic mail user.

A method including determining, according to a received type change instruction with respect to a group, a target group type of the group; selecting, according to a limiting condition imposed on group affiliation information of a group member by the target group type, a group member who does not satisfy the limiting condition; and removing the selected group member from the group.

Techniques are disclosed for transmitting an announcement to one or more devices. In one example, a first device receives a first message that includes an announcement, the announcement associated with a voice that spoke the announcement. The first device may determine the announcement from the first message, and then identify one or more devices for receiving the announcement. The one or more devices may have a particular device type of a plurality of different device types comprising at least a mobile device. The first device may then transmit a second message to the one or more devices for presentation of the announcement by the one or more devices.

A system for exchanging GPS or other position data between wireless devices for purposes of group activities, child location monitoring, work group coordination, dispatching of employees etc. Cell phones and other wireless devices with GPS receivers have loaded therein a Buddy Watch application and a TalkControl application. The Buddy Watch application communicates with the GPS receiver and other wireless devices operated by buddies registered in the users phone as part of buddy groups or individually. GPS position data and historical GPS position data can be exchanged between cell phones of buddies and instant buddies such as tow truck drivers via a buddy watch server. Emergency monitoring services can be set up with notifications to programmable individuals in case an individual does not respond. Positions and tracks can be displayed. TalkControl simplifies and automates the process of joining talk groups for walkie talkie services such as that provided by Nextel.

A method for communicating location information to a device includes receiving, at a computer system that implements a social networking service, location information that represents a geographic location of a device associated with a first user; associating, by the computer system, the received location information with a profile associated with the first user; and sending, from the computer system to a device associated with a second user, a message that is generated based at least in part on the location information.

In various embodiments, a device receives profile data regarding users or devices of an on-premise telephony system. The device identifies, based on the profile data, group features associated with the users or devices of the on-premise telephony system. The device forms a candidate set of users or devices of the on-premise telephony system for migration to a cloud-hosted call agent, based on them sharing at least one of the group features. The device provides data indictive of the candidate set of users or devices to a user interface for display.

A computer implanted method of updating a user joining a group after a user-relevant topic has been discussed, the method includes, with a processor operatively-coupled to a memory: identifying the user joining group after a first topic has been discussed in the current session of the group; and determining interest of the user in the first topic, wherein if the first topic is determined to be of interest to the user, providing an automated summary of the first topic to the user.

A method and system for facilitating collaboration between two groups without impairing or affecting the structure of the two groups is provided.