Abstract: The present invention provides a portable media player, such as a portable DVD player. The portable media player has a clamshell type design, including a base portion and an openable cover portion. The openable cover portion includes a display screen, such as an LCD display screen. The player may include a single-hinge stand attached to an outer surface of the base portion so that DVDs may be viewed with the player positioned to stand upright or partially upright. The player may alternatively or additionally include an optionally attachable dual hinge stand having a base including a battery.

Abstract: A system and method for increasing the effective bandwidth of a communications network is provided by overlaying a “super” transport and caching structure over the conventional TCP/IP communications network, for example, the Internet, which increases the transfer rate of information in the communications network. The “super” transport and caching structure includes software or hardware or both added to at least two modules separated by a communications link in the communications network. The net result is that the users of the communications network have their time to access and/or retrieve information significantly reduced, and the communications network, particularly a large network, e.g., the Internet, becomes an efficient means of performing commercial transactions by both businesses and individuals.