Contact selector that facilitates granular sharing of contact data

Abstract

Described herein are technologies pertaining to transmitting electronic contact data from a first application to a second application by way of an operating system without generating a centralized contact store or providing the second application with programmatic access to all electronic contact data retained by first application.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computing system comprising:
 a processor; and   memory that comprises a plurality of components that are executed by the processor, the plurality of components comprising:
 a selection receiver component that is configured to receive a selection of a subset of contacts in a contact list maintained by a first application, the subset of contacts fails to include at least one contact in the contact list; and 
 a transmitter component that, responsive to the selection receiver component receiving the selection of the subset of contacts, is configured to provide electronic contact data for the subset of contacts to a second application while refraining from providing the second application with electronic contact data for the at least one contact not included in the subset of contacts. 
   
     
     
         22 . The computing system of  claim 21 , wherein an operating system that is executed on the computing system comprises the selection receiver component and the transmitter component. 
     
     
         23 . The computing system of  claim 21 , at least one of the first application or the second application being an email application. 
     
     
         24 . The computing system of  claim 21 , further comprising a request receiver component that is configured to receive a request, the request identifying the first application, the selection receiver component configured to receive the selection of the subset of contacts subsequent to the request receiver component receiving the request. 
     
     
         25 . The computing system of  claim 21 , wherein the selection receiver component is configured to receive the selection of the subset of contacts by way of a voice command. 
     
     
         26 . The computing system of  claim 21 , at least one of the first application or the second application being a social networking application. 
     
     
         27 . The computing system of  claim 21 , the electronic contact data for the subset of contacts comprises, for at least one contact in the subset of contacts, a telephone number, an email alias, an instant messaging alias, a broadcasting application handle, or a social networking alias. 
     
     
         28 . The computing system of  claim 21  being a telephone, the selection receiver component configured to receive the selection by way of a voice command. 
     
     
         29 . The computing system of  claim 21 , further comprising a request receiver component that is configured to receive a request from the second application for electronic contact information, wherein the request receiver component is further configured to identify the first application as being an application that maintains contact information responsive to receiving the request from the second application. 
     
     
         30 . The computing system of  claim 29 , further comprising a renderer component that is configured to render a graphical icon that is representative of the first application responsive to the request receiver component identifying the first application as being an application that maintains contact information, the selection component configured to receive a selection of the first application prior to receiving the selection of the subset of contacts. 
     
     
         31 . A method executed by computing device, the method comprising:
 receiving a selection of a subset of contacts in a contact list maintained by a first application with which a user has an account, the first application further maintaining respective contact information about contacts in the contact list, the subset of contacts being less than all contacts in the contact list; and   responsive to receiving the selection of the subset of contacts, providing contact information about only the subset of contacts in the contact list to a second application with which the user has an account while refraining from providing contact information about contacts in the contact list that are not included in the subset of contacts.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein receiving the selection of the subset of contacts comprises receiving a voice command that identifies at least one contact in the subset of contacts. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein an operating system of the computing device is configured to perform the receiving of the selection of the subset of contacts and the providing of the contact information. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 receiving a request from the second application, the request indicating that contact information about contacts of the user is to be imported into the second application;   responsive to receiving the request, outputting an indication that the first application maintains contact information;   responsive to outputting the indication, receiving a selection of the first application; and   receiving the selection of the subset of contacts responsive to receiving the selection of the first application.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 responsive to receiving the selection of the first application, causing the contact list to be rendered on a display; and   responsive to causing the contact list to be rendered on the display, receiving the selection of the subset of contacts.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , the contact information including, for at least one contact in the subset of contacts, at least one of a telephone number, an email alias, an instant messaging alias, a social networking alias, or a message broadcasting application handle. 
     
     
         37 . A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:
 receiving an indication that contact information about contacts of user is to be imported into a first application with which the user has an account;   receiving a selection of a second application with which the user has an account, the second application maintains a list of contacts of the user, the second application further maintains contact information about contacts in the list of contacts;   receiving a selection of a subset of contacts from the list of contacts, the subset of contacts fails to include at least one contact in the list of contacts;   responsive to receipt of the selection of the subset of contacts, providing contact information about contacts in the subset of contacts to the first application while refraining from providing the first application with contact information about the at least one contact not included in the subset of contacts.   
     
     
         38 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein receiving the selection of the subset of contacts from the list of contacts comprises receiving a voice command that identifies the subset of contacts. 
     
     
         39 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , the first application being an email application. 
     
     
         40 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein providing the contact information about the contacts in the subset of contacts to the first application comprises failing to provide the first application with access to the contact list maintained by the second application.