Patent ID: 8271003

Claim:
A server-implemented method for delivering messages comprising: removing a portion of a voice message to create a truncated version of the voice message; sending to a mobile telephone the truncated version of the voice message and a reference pointing to the complete voice message stored on a message server, wherein the mobile telephone is configured to locally store the truncated version of the voice message and the reference to the complete voice message stored on the message server such that a user of the mobile telephone may select the voice message for playback in any order without regard to the order in which the truncated version of the voice message or other messages may have been received; receiving, from the mobile telephone, a request for at least the portion of the voice message, the request including the reference to the complete voice message; wherein the mobile telephone, in response to receiving user input indicating that the voice message should be played: commences playing the locally stored truncated version of the voice message; during playback of the locally stored truncated version of the voice message, establishes a connection with the message server; and during the playing of the locally stored truncated version of the voice message, sends the request for at least the end portion of the voice message; and in response to receiving the request from the mobile telephone, sending at least the portion of the voice message to the recipient device, wherein the mobile telephone is further configured to continue to play without interruption the portion of the voice message after playing the stored truncated version of the voice message such that the entire voice message is played without interruption.