Abstract: A portable content-playing device which automatically constructs a virtual channel of content consistent with the tastes of the user of the device, where the content originates from one or more satellites. The portable device contains software for computing similarity values between a local taste profile (representative of the songs tastes of the user of the device) by making use of downloaded pattern-matching technology representing each song, and this information is used in choosing the content of the virtual channel.

Abstract: A portable content-playing device which automatically constructs a virtual channel of content consistent with the tastes of the user of the device, where the content originates from one or more satellites. The portable device contains software for computing similarity values between a local taste profile (representative of the tastes of the user of the device) and taste profiles downloaded from one or more of the satellites, and this information is used in choosing the content of the virtual channel.

Abstract: A system for determining a market value of items includes establishment of a sequence of items to be sold or licensed and a sale of income rights to the sale or licensure. A table of income rights corresponding to the sale to consumers is established, and speculators are able to make determinations of the potential for future sales of the items. After sale or licensure to consumers, the transactions to consumers are considered finalized, and speculators receive income based on the transfer.

Abstract: The centerpiece of this invention is clusters. Clusters include taste signatures, which represent the tastes of a cluster. Users are enabled to find clusters that match their tastes, and artists are enabled to find the clusters where the users are who are likely be interested in their work. Clusters thus serve as hubs of activity for particular tastes; in most embodiments ratings of items of interest to those tastes can be viewed, and various embodiments may include various means for inter-user communication so that communities of people with similar tastes are formed.

Abstract: The computer associated with each of a potentially large number of end users is harnessed to provide a massively-distributed mechanism for finding the nearest neighbors of each user, according to tastes and/or interests. Once these nearest neighbors are determined, there taste or and/or interest profiles are leveraged for highly accurate recommendations, and their online addresses are leveraged for community purposes.