Mobile communications device

1. A method for identifying an online identifier associated with a mobile counterpart device that is geographically proximate to a mobile communications device associated with a user, the method comprising: detecting, while in a mode disconnected from a computer system associated with the user, a geographic proximity between the mobile communications device and a mobile counterpart device based on an RFD signal received at the mobile communications device from the mobile counterpart device, the RFID signal identifying an online identifier associated with the mobile counterpart device; identifying, based on the RFID signal received at the mobile communications device and from the mobile counterpart device, the online identifier associated with the mobile counterpart device for which geographic proximity is detected; identifying, using a processor, a time associated with the receipt of the RFID signal; storing, in a memory device of the mobile communications device while in the mode disconnected from the computer system, information reflective of the detected geographic proximity, the associated online identifier, and the time associated with the receipt of the RFID signal; making perceivable an indication of the online identifier associated with the mobile counterpart device for which geographic proximity to the mobile communications device was detected; uploading, from the memory device of the mobile communications device to the computer system, while in a mode connected to the computer system, the stored information reflective of the detected geographic proximity, the associated online identifier, and the time associated with the receipt of the RFID signal: accessing, by the computer system, additional information corresponding to the uploaded online identifier, the additional information retrieved from a server configured to manage information corresponding to a plurality of online identifiers; providing the additional information to the user at the computer system; and enabling, by the computer system, the user to add the uploaded online identifier to a list of online identifiers designated by the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein storing includes maintaining a list of online identifiers for which geographic proximity has been detected.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the list corresponds to a buddy list maintained for the user of the mobile communications device.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the list is limited to online identifiers that appear on a buddy list maintained for the user of the mobile communications device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein making the indication perceivable includes making the indication perceivable independently of perception of a buddy list.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein making the indication perceivable independently of perception of a buddy list includes outputting a sound.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein making the indication perceivable includes outputting a beep.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein making the indication perceivable includes distinguishing online identifiers for which detected geographic proximity was detected after a buddy list was last made perceivable to an operator of the mobile communications device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein making the indication perceivable includes displaying the information using an imaging device at the mobile communications device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein displaying includes enabling display of the indication using a monitor.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein displaying includes using a light to display an indication of current geographic proximity by a user-designated online identifier.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the user-designated online identifier is identified through reference to a user-designated buddy list configured for use in an instant messaging communications application, and wherein the user-designated buddy list is stored on the mobile communications device while in a mode connected to the computer system.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication distinguishes the online identifiers associated with at least two mobile counterpart devices for which geographic proximity to the mobile communications device was detected.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication distinguishes the online identifiers associated with at least two mobile counterpart devices for which geographic proximity to the mobile communications device was previously detected but is not detected at the time of making the indicator perceivable.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the detecting, identifying, and storing begin upon logical separation of the mobile communications device from the computer system.

16. A method for alerting a user associated with a mobile communications device of online identifiers associated with a mobile counterpart device in geographic proximity to the user, the method comprising: detecting, using a processor and while in a mode disconnected from a computer system associated with the user, a geographic proximity between the user's mobile communications device and a mobile counterpart device based on an RFID signal received at the user's mobile communications device from the mobile counterpart device, the RFID signal identifying an online identifier associated with the mobile counterpart device; distinguishing the mobile counterpart device, from at least one other device, as being geographically proximate to the user's mobile communications device; determining, based on the RFID signal, the online identifier associated with the mobile counterpart device that is distinguished as being geographically proximate to the user's mobile communications device; identifying, in a memory device of the user's mobile communications device, a list of online identities maintained for the user, the list being stored in the memory device while in a mode connected to the computer system; identifying a time associated with the receipt of the RFID signal; storing, in the memory device of the user's mobile communications device, information reflective of the detected geographic proximity, the associated online identifier, and the time associated with the receipt of the RFID signal; comparing the determined online identifier with the online identifiers included within the list of online identifiers maintained for the user; alerting the user of the mobile communications device of the online identifier associated with the mobile counterpart device that is deemed geographically proximate to the users mobile communication device based on whether the online identifier associated with the mobile counterpart device corresponds to one of the online identifiers included within the list of online identifiers maintained for the user; uploading from the memory device of the mobile communications device to the computer system associated with the user, while in a mode connected to the computer system, the stored information reflective of the detected geographic proximity, the associated online identifier, and the time associated with the receipt of the RFID signal; accessing, by the computer system, additional information for presentation to the user corresponding to the uploaded online identifier, the additional information retrieved from a server configured to manage information corresponding to a plurality of online identifiers; and enabling, by the computer system, the user to add the uploaded online identifier to a list of online identifiers designated by the user.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein identifying the list includes permitting the user to designate a buddy list.

18. A method for identifying an online identifier associated with a mobile counterpart device in geographic proximity to a mobile communications device associated with a user, the method comprising: detecting, using a processor and while in a mode disconnected from a computer system associated with the user, a geographic proximity between the users mobile communications device and a mobile counterpart device based on an RFID signal received at the user's mobile communications device from the mobile counterpart device, the RFID signal identifying an online identifier associated with the mobile counterpart device; distinguishing the mobile counterpart device, from at least one other device, as being geographically proximate to the user's mobile communications device while the user's mobile communications device is in the mode disconnected from the computer system; determining, while in the mode disconnected from the computer system, based on the RFID signal, the online identifier associated with the mobile counterpart device that is distinguished as being geographically proximate to the user's mobile communications device; identifying a time associated with the receipt of the RFID signal; uploading, from a memory device of the mobile communications device to the computer system, while in a mode connected to the computer system, information stored in a memory device of the mobile communications unit relating to the mobile counterpart device that was determined to be geographically proximate to the user's mobile communications device, information relating to the determined online identifier, and information relating to the identified time; accessing, by the computer system, additional information corresponding to the uploaded online identifier, the additional information retrieved from a server configured to manage information corresponding to a plurality of online identifiers; providing the additional information to the user at the computer system; and enabling, by the computer system, the user to add the uploaded online identifier to a list of online identifiers designated by the user.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the retrieved additional information includes another user's name address, interests, or other accessible information provided to the server by the another user of the determined geographically proximate mobile counterpart device.