Abstract: Differences between editions of items, such as books, can be determined and information about those difference provided for display to a user. The information can include a difference score, for example, that indicates an overall level of difference between the editions. This can include a percentage difference in some embodiments, considering the overall differences or differences for portions considered to be significant. In other embodiments contextual information, weightings, and other factors can be used to attempt to generate a similarity (or difference) score that will be of more use to a potential consumer, where the consumer can determine the substantive differences between the versions and determine whether the difference in price justifies the extent of the differences. The consumer in some embodiments can also view the differences, or at least a subset or information about the differences.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for associating and synchronizing extrinsic data with video content at particular points of time in the video content. In one embodiment, an application identifies a video content feature currently being presented via a display device. A current time in the video content feature are determined. Performers potentially depicted in the video content feature at the current time are determined. The application then generates a user interface configured to receive a user selection of a particular performer from the performers, where the user selection indicates that the particular performer is depicted in the video content feature at the current time.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for dynamically determining media consumption of a user. A user may perform at least one of a plurality of consumption indication events for a media item. The consumption indication events may include submitting a rating of the media item, submitting a review of the media item, indicating a present consumption of the media item, indicating a past consumption of the media item, etc. It may be determined that the user has consumed the media item in response to determining that the user has performed at least one of the consumption indication events for the media item.

Abstract: Techniques for selectively associating frames with content entities and using such associations to dynamically generate web content related to the content entities. One embodiment performs a facial recognition analysis on frames of one or more instances of video content to identify a plurality of frames that each depict a first content entity. A measure of quality and a measure of confidence that the frame contains the depiction of the first content entity are determined for each of the identified plurality of frames. Embodiments select one or more frames from the identified plurality of frames, based on the measures of quality and the measures of confidence. The selected one or more frames are associated with the first content entity and web content associated with the first content entity is generated that includes a depiction of the selected one or more frames in association with an instance of video content.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for creating and providing narratives associated with a type of subject entity (e.g., person, movie, place, etc.). A narrative for the subject entity can be generated according to a narrative template. The narrative template can be selected based on a variety of factors. Following the selection of a narrative template, fields in the selected template are filled with stored data associated with the subject entity. The new or updated narrative may be stored in a memory. In response to a request for information related to the subject entity, the narrative can be transmitted to a client device.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments relating to the identification of events that occur within a media item. In one embodiment, among others, a media item is rendered for display on client devices. A plurality of messages are received from client devices, wherein each of the messages comprises a timestamp indicating a time relative to a media item. The existence of an event in the media item is determined based at least in part on a clustering of at least a subset of the messages received.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for identifying and classifying audience reactions during a playback of a media item. In one embodiment, among others, a computing device is used to identify a reaction event from sensor data of a participant consuming a playback of a media item. The reaction event is correlated with a point in time of the media item. A reaction classification for the reaction event is determined based on the sensor data, and the reaction classification is associated with the point in time of the media item.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for providing search results that are generated by considering search terms that are typically ignored. A search query can be received from a client device. A search result is generated according to the search query and a weight assigned to a search term in the search query. The weight decreases as the quantity of search terms in the search query increase.

Abstract: Differences between editions of items, such as books, can be determined and information about those difference provided for display to a user. The information can include a difference score, for example, that indicates an overall level of difference between the editions. This can include a percentage difference in some embodiments, considering the overall differences or differences for portions considered to be significant. In other embodiments contextual information, weightings, and other factors can be used to attempt to generate a similarity (or difference) score that will be of more use to a potential consumer, where the consumer can determine the substantive differences between the versions and determine whether the difference in price justifies the extent of the differences. The consumer in some embodiments can also view the differences, or at least a subset or information about the differences.

Abstract: Techniques for selectively associating frames with content entities and using such associations to dynamically generate web content related to the content entities. One embodiment performs a facial recognition analysis on frames of one or more instances of video content to identify a plurality of frames that each depict a first content entity. A measure of quality and a measure of confidence that the frame contains the depiction of the first content entity are determined for each of the identified plurality of frames. Embodiments select one or more frames from the identified plurality of frames, based on the measures of quality and the measures of confidence. The selected one or more frames are associated with the first content entity and web content associated with the first content entity is generated that includes a depiction of the selected one or more frames in association with an instance of video content.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing functionality to allow a viewer of a television show to watch a “previously on” segment of an episode of the television show and be able to watch the scenes from prior episodes referenced in the “previously on” segment.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for registration of destination identifiers to be used in lieu of geographic addresses. In one embodiment, a user specification of a destination identifier is received. It is determined that the destination identifier is available for registration. A user request is received to register the destination identifier as associated with a geographic address. The destination identifier is registered in response to the user request by creating a stored mapping between the destination identifier and the geographic address.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing third party content are described. In one embodiment, the method includes storing information for a plurality of third party content elements that were selected by a user for display with a page of content, in response to a user request corresponding to a page associated with one of the plurality of third party content elements specified by the stored information, rendering for display on the page a third party content module associated with the third party content element, and, in response to a user modification of the third party content module, storing information corresponding to the user modification. The modified content module is rendered for display on a page of content according to the stored information. The user has the ability to customize and control the parameters of content modules selected by the user to be rendered on the accessed page.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for presenting collections of items related to subjects in a performance to viewers. The collections are assumed to be identified prior to the performance by individuals with knowledge of subjects expected to appear in the performance. The subject's appearance may be detected based on a user input indicating the appearance or by a subject recognition algorithm. The collections may be presented to a customer in a display also rendering the performance or in a separate display. The customer may select the collections and/or items therein for performing an action with the item, such as, for example purchasing the item.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for providing search results that are generated by considering search terms that are typically ignored. A user may enter a search query containing search terms that may be specific to a particular search domain. Common words within the search query that are typically ignored in standard searches may be assigned a consideration weight based on a set of rules associated with the search domain. Based on the consideration weight, those words may be considered when generating search results. The consideration weight may decrease as the number of search terms in the search query increases.

Abstract: An electronic device can utilize image information to determine a proper orientation with which to render content. In some embodiments, a camera of a computing device can capture one or more images to attempt to determine a relative location (or direction) of a user by identifying a feature of a user or by using objects in the image to determine a likely direction of a user. Based at least in part on this information, as well as information from position and motion sensors of the device in some embodiments, a device can determine a relative position of a user, and can cause content to be rendered by the device with an orientation that is appropriate for that position, where the orientation can also depend upon the type of content or other such factors. Such an approach can determine proper orientations in situations where conventional sensor-based approaches are not sufficient.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for creating and providing narratives associated with a type of subject (e.g., person, movie, place, etc.). Following a detected change in the system, a narrative template is selected based on a variety of factors. The template may provide variations of sentences based on the amount of data provided. Following the selection of the optimal narrative, fields in the selected template are filled with stored data associated with the subject. Some of the stored data may need to be translated prior to adding to the template depending on whether the selected narrative template is in a different language. The new or updated narrative may be stored in a memory. The system may encode a network page with the narrative and send the encoded network page to a client device.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for generating a content item metric or a performer metric. The metric can assess a lasting value of a content item or performer by identifying a distribution of a population of users expressing an interest in the content item or performer according to a demographic attribute, such as age.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for relating items to objects detected in media. An item recognition application obtains media information associated with a broadcast being consumed form the client device. The item recognition application identifies objects in the media based on user input of the location of the object on the client device display and/or heuristic detection of the object. The user may indicate the object's location through an input device. The object may be heuristically detected based on an algorithm that differentiates the object from the background. The item recognition application identifies items related to the object. The item recognition application then performs an action with the item.

Abstract: Various embodiments enable finding collaborations in a network. One embodiment obtains collaboration data for a plurality of nodes, receives a request to locate at least one collaboration for a user, generates a search tree starting by determining a source node of the collaboration data, the search tree including at least two levels, and expanding the search tree until at least one target node is located that corresponds to a solution for the request, optimizes the search tree to attempt to reduce the number of solutions, generates an adjacency list of adjacent nodes in the optimized search tree, searches the adjacency list to locate at least one shortest path to the target node, and generates a list of collaboration data that is associated with the at least one shortest path from the source node to the target node.