Abstract: A method for providing a portion of a media object to a user is provided. The method includes receiving a URI associated with a media object. The URI indicates a portion of the media object. The method further includes determining the portion of the media object indicated by the URI. The method also includes providing the portion of the media object to a user. Furthermore, a system for providing a portion of a media object to a user is provided. The system includes a memory, logic for receiving a URI associated with a media object, and a processor. The processor is for determining the portion of the media object indicated by the URI, and providing the portion of the media object to a user.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for allowing a user to quickly determine parts of a media item in which the user will be interested. In the methods and systems described, a timeline is provided for the media item and semantic icons are used as media landmarks along the timeline. The semantic icons are related to the content or a description of the content at the location in the media item corresponding to the semantic icon's location on the timeline. The semantic icons, in addition to providing some immediate contextual information at a glance, also allow a user access to annotations of the media item. Semantic icons can represent tags, users who have created or modified annotations for the segment of the media item, or other relevant information. The semantic icons may also be used to determine a relative level of interest in different parts of the media item both with respect to the user and with respect to other users.

Abstract: A method for providing a portion of a media object to a user is provided. The method includes receiving a URI associated with a media object. The URI indicates a portion of the media object. The method further includes determining the portion of the media object indicated by the URI. The method also includes providing the portion of the media object to a user. Furthermore, a system for providing a portion of a media object to a user is provided. The system includes a memory, logic for receiving a URI associated with a media object, and a processor. The processor is for determining the portion of the media object indicated by the URI, and providing the portion of the media object to a user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described allowing dynamic selection of media items (e.g., advertisements) for presentation within a media stream based on dynamically-generated information that describes the content of the media stream or the stream's consumer. Systems may include meta data servers and media servers that work together to dynamically select media items and dynamically build a media stream containing the selected media items to the consumer. The media items are selected based on dynamically-generated meta data. Such meta data may be generated by previous consumers of the media stream and provide an accurate and dynamic description of the contents of the media stream. Because the media items are dynamically selected based on dynamically-generated meta data, even though the same media stream may be requested by different media consumers, each media stream is individually generated and may be a unique stream that reflects the impressions of previous consumers of the stream.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods and user interfaces that allow a user to identify, annotate and share a portion of a media item with another user. Through the user interface, the user may render a media item and identify a segment of the media item. Based on the media item, previously defined and shared segments may be suggested to the user allowing the user to quickly select and identify popular segments for sharing. In addition, previously used annotations of previously defined and shared segments may be suggested to the user allowing users to quickly select annotations. The sharing user may then issue a command that causes a link or other means for accessing the segment to be transmitted to a recipient. Accessing this link or other means, causes the segment defined by the sharing user to be rendered on the recipient's device.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for allowing a user to quickly determine parts of a media item in which the user will be interested. In the methods and systems described, a timeline is provided for the media item and semantic icons are used as media landmarks along the timeline. The semantic icons are related to the content or a description of the content at the location in the media item corresponding to the semantic icon's location on the timeline. The semantic icons, in addition to providing some immediate contextual information at a glance, also allow a user access to annotations of the media item. Semantic icons can represent tags, users who have created or modified annotations for the segment of the media item, or other relevant information. The semantic icons may also be used to determine a relative level of interest in different parts of the media item both with respect to the user and with respect to other users.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for facilitating a synchronous display of a time-based media object (e.g., a video or audio file) with a remote device is provided. In one example, the apparatus comprises control logic for controlling the display of a media object in response to a user entered command with a first device, and communication logic for causing communication of the user entered command (e.g., play, pause, skip, etc.) and a metric (e.g., time or frame reference) associated with the media object to a second device for synchronizing the display of the media object with the first and second devices. The first and second devices may communicate via peer-to-peer communications, for example, in a collaborative or social application such as an IM application. Further, the apparatus may include various devices such as a personal computer, mobile phone device and/or mobile personal entertainment device, DVR, or the like.

Abstract: A method and system for facilitating online dating between users including real-time communication and the viewing of synchronized media objects. The method and system provide a framework for the synchronous display of images (e.g., of a photo book), web content, or time-based media objects (e.g., video or audio files) between two remote devices. The method further includes controlling the display of media objects in response to a user entered command with a first device, and causing communication of the user entered command (e.g., play, pause, skip, next, etc.) to a second device for synchronizing the display of the media objects with the first and second devices. The first and second devices may communicate via real-time communication applications, such as an IM or VoIP application, which may be displayed in a common window as the media objects.