Patent ID: 8542804

Claim:
A messaging method for communicating on a client communication device, the method comprising: simultaneously and progressively storing media of an incoming asynchronous voice message as the media of the incoming message is received at the client communication device of a first party over a network; and providing a rendering option for rendering the media of the incoming asynchronous voice message as the incoming media of the message is received at the client communication device; invoking a catch up to the most recently received media of the incoming asynchronous voice message while continuing progressively storing media of the incoming message as the media of the incoming message is progressively received, the catch up to the most recently received media rendering option causing: (i) rendering on the client communication device in a time-shifted mode the previously received media of the incoming asynchronous voice message out of storage at a rate faster relative to when the media of the incoming message was originally encoded; and (ii) seamlessly transitioning the rendering of the incoming media from the time-shifted mode to a real-time mode when the rendering of the previously received media of the incoming asynchronous voice message out of storage at the faster rate has caught up to and coincides with the media of the incoming message as the media is received over the network, the rendering of the media in the real-time mode occurring progressively as the media of the incoming asynchronous voice message is progressively received; enabling a live conversation, in the real-time mode, between the client communication device and a remote communication device of a second party sending the incoming asynchronous message; in the real-time mode, simultaneously and progressively storing incoming media received at the client communication device from the remote communication device; and in the real time mode, simultaneously and progressively storing outgoing media transmitted from the client communication device to the remote communication device.