Abstract: Provided is, among other things, a system of musically interacting devices. A first device has a first identification code, a first wireless communication interface and a first audio player, and a second device has a second identification code, a second wireless communication interface and a second audio player. The first device and the second device are configured to participate in an interaction sequence in which: the first device wirelessly communicates using the first wireless communication interface, the second device wirelessly communicates using the second wireless communication interface, a musical composition is selected based on both the first identification code and the second identification code, and the first device and the second device cooperatively play the musical composition, with each of the first device and the second device playing a different part of the musical composition.

Abstract: Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for conducting a contest. One embodiment provides a contest that is played by multiple players across a communications network, in which the players compete to earn points awarded by a central contest administrator and the individual players are ranked based on their total number of points. In addition, individual ones of the players are allowed to select a sponsor from a set of previously identified sponsors, and the players also can earn points, which contribute to their totals for ranking purposes, from the sponsors they have selected. For this purpose, individual ones of the sponsors in the set are allocated points and have flexibility regarding how to award their allocated points to the players that have selected them.

Abstract: Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for avatars to musically interact with each other. In one representative embodiment, a server is configured to host a virtual environment and various client devices communicate with the server over an electronic network, with each such client device configured to interact within the virtual environment through a corresponding avatar. A first client device accepts commands from a first user and, in response, communicates corresponding information to the server causing a modification of any of a first set of user-customizable visual characteristics of a first avatar that represents the first user. Similarly, a second client device accepts commands from a second user and, in response, communicates corresponding information to the server causing a modification of any of a second set of user-customizable visual characteristics of a second avatar that represents the second user.

Abstract: Provided, inter alia, is a type of contest in which, at various intervals, geographically dispersed players attempt to answer the identical problem at substantially the same time. In representative embodiments, problems (typically, questions) are made available at seemingly random times throughout the day (or throughout some specified time interval), and players have the opportunity either to respond to the problem or (e.g., in the event that a given player is occupied when a particular problem arises) to pass on the current problem and wait for another one. In such embodiments, more questions are made available than the players are permitted to answer in accordance with the rules of the game, so that players have flexibility as to when they participate.

Abstract: Provided, inter alia, is a system for generating substantially simultaneous alerts, in which a plurality of user devices is accessible via at least one publicly available network. Each such user device has installed on it an alert-based client. A server is configured to download identical alert information, including a message that has been encrypted, to the plurality of user devices. The alert-based clients are configured to receive the alert information and, in response: (i) to store the message in encrypted form until just prior to a specified delivery time; and (ii) to decrypt and deliver the message substantially at the specified delivery time. By virtue of the foregoing arrangement, substantially simultaneous delivery of the message to the user devices is achieved.