Patent ID: 8677418

Claim:
A method of displaying electronic messages at a television, said method comprising: receiving an electronic communication originated by a mobile device at said television from a server, said communication also being sent to a computing device separate from the television, wherein: a communication channel has been established over the internet between said television and said server; and said electronic communication is a text message or an electronic message; using the television to mirror the user-generated communication sent to the computing device separate from the television, whereby a user-generated communication sent from the mobile device is mirrored on the television and on the computing device separate from the television such that the television is copied on user-generated communications sent to/from the computing device and to/from the mobile device; rendering a notification that said television has received said electronic communication; the notification not being the electronic representation but only a representation thereof; responsive to a selection of the notification and not before, displaying said electronic communication on said television, wherein prior to selection of the notification with the notification displayed, no text associated with the message is presented with the notification so as to not obtrude on viewing programming presented on the TV, wherein the mobile device is a stand-alone computing device capable of network access, sending messages, receiving messages, and displaying messages, all independently of a local connection to the television.