System and method for selecting messaging settings on a messaging client

1. A method of selecting messaging settings on a messaging client, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a message composition interface for composing an outgoing message, wherein the interface comprises a message portion and a messaging settings portion; and

(b) receiving from the messaging settings portions a messaging setting associated with the outgoing message being composed in the provided message composition interface;

wherein more than one type of encryption scheme is available and displayed within the messaging settings portion;

wherein the received messaging setting comprises a message security characteristic;

wherein the received messaging setting comprises an indication for encryption;

wherein the indication for encryption includes an indication of which of the more than one type of encryption scheme has been selected:

wherein the indication for encryption also includes an identification of a messaging account or service with which the messaging client is configured to operate.

2. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising the step of (c) transmitting the outgoing message based at least in part upon the received messaging setting.

3. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising the step of (c) displaying the received messaging setting in the messaging settings portion of the provided interface.

4. The method of claim 3 , and further comprising the step of (d) transmitting the outgoing message based at least in part upon the received messaging setting.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the messaging account or service identifies a home messaging service or a desktop messaging service; said method further comprising the step of (c) repeating step (b) for a plurality of messaging settings.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of messaging settings is a message format characteristic or a message security characteristic.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the messaging settings portion for the outgoing message includes a field that is modified by a user to indicate a change in message setting for a first message, wherein the modified field for the outgoing message does not modify message settings of a subsequently composed outgoing message.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message composition interface includes a message header portion, wherein the message header portion includes a TO field and a SUBJECT field, wherein the message header portion includes the messaging settings portion.

9. The method of claim 8 , and further comprising the step of (c) displaying the received messaging setting in the messaging settings portion of the provided interface.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message portion includes a text field for allowing a user to enter a message.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the messaging client executes on a desktop computer, a notebook computer, or a mobile computing device.

12. One or more computer readable media storing instructions that upon execution by a computer cause the computer to allow selection of messaging settings within a messaging client by performing the steps of claim 1 .

13. A system for selecting messaging settings on a messaging client, the system comprising:

(a) a user output device adapted to display data communicated by a system processor in a manner perceivable by an end user;

(b) a user input device adapted to receive data from an end user and communicate the entered data to the system processor;

(c) the system processor, wherein the system processor comprises one or more processing elements, wherein the system processor is in communication with the user input and output devices and wherein the one or more processing elements are programmed or adapted at least to:

(i) cause the user output device to display a message composition interface, wherein the interface comprises a message portion and a messaging settings portion;

wherein more than one type of encryption scheme is available and displayed within the messaging settings portion;

(ii) receive a messaging setting via the user input device; and

(iii) cause the user output device to display the received messaging setting in the messaging settings portion of the message composition interface;

wherein the received messaging setting comprises a message security characteristic;

wherein the received messaging setting comprises an indication for encryption;

wherein the indication for encryption includes an indication of which of the more than one type of encryption scheme has been selected;

wherein the indication for encryption also includes an identification of a messaging account or service with which the messaging client is configured to operate.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the user output device and the user input device are an integrated unit.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the integrated unit is a touch sensitive screen.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the user output device is a visual display, a speaker, a tactile display or combinations thereof.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the user output device comprises a liquid crystal display.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the user input device is a tactile entry device, an auditory entry device, or combinations thereof.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the user input device is a touch sensitive pad, a touch sensitive screen, a keyboard, a mouse or combinations thereof.

20. The system of claim 13 , and further comprising (d) a wireless transceiver in communication with the system processor and wherein the one or more processing elements of the system processor are further programmed or adapted at least to transmit an outgoing massaged via the wireless transceiver based at least in part upon the received messaging setting.

21. The system of claim 13 , and further comprising (d) a data store in communication with the system processor and wherein the one or more processing of the system processor are further programmed or adapted at least to store the received message setting in the data store.

22. A system for selecting messaging settings on a messaging client, the system comprising:

(a) storing means for storing one or more messaging settings;

(b) input means for receive data from an end user;

(c) output means for rendering data in a manner perceivable by an end user;

(d) processing means for:

(i) displaying a message composition interface via the output means, wherein the interface comprises a message portion and a messaging settings portion;

wherein more than one type of encryption scheme is available and displayed within the messaging settings portion;

(ii) receiving a messaging setting via the user input device; and

(iii) displaying the received messaging setting via the output means in the messaging settings portion of the displayed interface;

wherein the received messaging setting comprises a message security characteristic;

wherein the received messaging setting comprises an indication for encryption;

wherein the indication for encryption includes an indication of which of the more than one type of encryption scheme has been selected;

wherein the indication for encryption also includes an identification of a messaging account or service with which the messaging client is configured to operate.