I have previously written about recording two-way conversations in iChat. Here I spew forth my ideas regarding incorporating message recording, another step towards iChat replacing traditional telephony services.
Users should be able to specify the following:
1. Who can leave messages:
No one, buddies only, or anyone. Radio buttons would work for this setting.
2. What type of messages:
Audio or video. Even more granular - buddies can leave audio or video, non-buddies can leave only audio.
3. Maximum length (and consequently size) of messages:
This would also be based on whether or not a given contact was on your buddy list. Per-buddy settings might also be useful, allowing your closest friends to leave lengthy messages while others are required to be brief and to the point. Since most users would not think of a message in terms of file size, length would be a more immediately understandable metric.
4. How long messages are retained:
A setting to automatically delete heard/viewed messages after x number of days. A default of one week?
As far as I know, the back-end facilities for such features are already in place with a combination of existing QuickTime and iSight (and other camera/microphone) capabilities. Interfaces for managing all these things would be the tricky part.
Global defaults could be set in an iChat preference section "Messages," while buddy specific settings would be made in an identically named section in the "Info" window accessible from the "Buddies" menu, command+shift+i, or via the contextual menu in the buddy list itself.
The method of message display is another issue to work out. Should they appear in floating windows as with text messages or should a "Message Center" type window store them all, listing them in rows with sortable column headers (sender, date/time left, type)? Alternately, if only buddies could leave messages, notification of new messages could be attached to the buddy's name in your buddy list.
I intend to send this to Apple, but would first like comments, suggestions, and questions about things that I did not explain clearly.
For other wacky feature and interface ideas, check out my weblog at:
http://206.63.251.134
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