System and method for providing update information

摘要

A system and a method for providing update information. The system includes a client computer which is operably connected to a program information server. The program information server maintains one or more program information items. The system also includes a program selection server which allows the user to select which of the program information items are to be viewed by the user. Based upon a dynamically adjustable polling period, the client computer requests the program information server to provide the client computer new program information items. The program information items include one or more media items that may be selected for viewing by a user positioned at the client computer. The client computer provides a newness indicator to the user, the newness indicator indicating to the user when one or more items of the media content is new and has not been previously viewed by the user.

主权项

1. At least one handheld computer capable of communicating with at least one remote server via an Internet network, the at least one handheld computer comprising:
a display; the at least one handheld computer capable of storing program instructions that when executed by the at least one handheld computer, result in the at least one handheld computer being capable of performing operations comprising:
displaying, by the display, at least one user selectable graphical element associated with at least one content item that is capable of being transmitted via the Internet network for delivery to the at least one handheld computer using the at least one remote server based upon at least one request, user selection of the at least one user selectable graphical element to result, at least in part, in accessing of the at least one content item via the Internet network, the at least one graphical element to identify at least one provider of the at least one content item;displaying, by the display, if the at least one content item has not yet been accessed at the at least one handheld computer, at least one indicator associated with the at least one graphical element, availability of content items for network transmission via the Internet network to the at least one handheld computer being capable of being determined at periodic polling time intervals having a frequency that is programmable and adjustable, the at least one content item having an associated changeable expiration time; anddisplaying, by the display, data in a presentation area, the data being related to the at least one content item; the at least one handheld computer being associated with a Unix operating system.