Systems, computing devices, and methods for facilitating communication to multiple contacts via multiple, different communication modalities

Abstract

Systems, computing devices, and methods for communicating to multiple contacts via multiple, different communication modalities are disclosed herein. According to an aspect, a computing device includes a user interface configured to present a plurality of contacts for communication via multiple, different communication modalities. The user interface can also receive user selection of two or more of the contacts for communication. The computing device can also include a communications manager configured to initiate communication with the two or more of the contacts via two of the modalities in response to receipt of the user selection of the contacts.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A computing device comprising:
 a user interface configured to:
 present a plurality of contacts for communication via a plurality of different communication modalities; and 
 receive user selection of at least two of the contacts for communication; and 
   a communications manager configured to initiate communication with the at least two of the contacts via at least two of the modalities in response to receipt of the user selection of the at least two of the contacts.   
     
     
         2 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to present the different modalities for selection as a preferred modality for communicating with the contact, and
 wherein the communications manager is configured to initiate communication with each of the at least two of the contacts via the preferred communication modality for the contact in response to receipt of the user selection of the at least two of the contacts.   
     
     
         3 . The computing device of  claim 2 , wherein the user interface is configured to display a single displayed component for interaction for selection of the at least two of the contacts for communication, and
 wherein the communications manager is configured to initiate communication with the at least two of the contacts via the preferred modality of each of the at least two of the contacts in response to interaction with the single displayed component.   
     
     
         4 . The computing device of  claim 3 , wherein the single displayed component is a displayed button. 
     
     
         5 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein a communication modality comprises one of email, text messaging, and social network communication. 
     
     
         6 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface and the communications manager are configured to:
 present a web based interface for presentation of the contacts for communication via the different communication modalities; and   receive user selection of the at least two of the contacts for communication.   
     
     
         7 . The computing device of  claim 6 , wherein the web based interface is a dashboard. 
     
     
         8 . The computing device of  claim 6 , wherein the user interface is configured to receive user selection of one of a template and content for communication via each communication modality. 
     
     
         9 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to receive content for communication to each contact, and
 wherein the communications manager is configured to communicate the content to the at least two of the contacts via the at least two of the modalities in response to receipt of the user selection of the at least two of the contacts.   
     
     
         10 . The computing device of  claim 1 , further comprising a communications manager configured to communicate an instruction to another computing to communicate content to the at least two of the contacts via the at least two of the modalities. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 at a computing device comprising a user interface:
 using the user interface to present a plurality of contacts for communication via a plurality of different communication modalities; 
 receiving user selection of at least two of the contacts for communication; and 
 in response to receipt of the user selection of the at least two of the contacts, initiating communication with the at least two of the contacts via at least two of the modalities. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 using the user interface to present the different modalities for selection as a preferred modality for communicating with the contact; and   in response to receipt of the user selection of the at least two of the contacts, initiate communication with each of the at least two of the contacts via the preferred communication modality for the contact.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 displaying, via the user interface, a single displayed component for interaction for selection of the at least two of the contacts for communication; and   in response to interaction with the single displayed component, initiating communication with the at least two of the contacts via the preferred modality of each of the at least two of the contacts.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the single displayed component is a displayed button. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a communication modality comprises one of email, text messaging, and social network communication. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 presenting a web based interface for presentation of the contacts for communication via the different communication modalities; and   receiving user selection of the at least two of the contacts for communication.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the web based interface is a dashboard. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising receiving user selection of one of a template and content for communication via each communication modality. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving content for communication to each contact; and   in response to receipt of the user selection of the at least two of the contacts, communicating the content to the at least two of the contacts via the at least two of the modalities.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising communicating an instruction to another computing to communicate content to the at least two of the contacts via the at least two of the modalities.