Abstract: Techniques for location tracking, location utilization, and dissemination and management of location information are disclosed. As a location monitoring system, one embodiment includes at least a plurality of mobile computing devices supported by a wireless network, and a web server coupled to a wired network (e.g., the Internet) that couples to the wireless network. Each of the mobile computing devices are associated with and proximate to an object whose location is being monitored. The web server stores the locations of each of the mobile computing devices or the objects proximate thereto, and enables only authorized users to obtain access the locations via the wired network.

Abstract: Improved approaches to domain name monitoring are disclosed. The monitoring of domain names, e.g., registrations therefor, is beneficial to holders of similar domain names, trademark owners, and competitors. Such monitoring can be automatically performed.

Abstract: Improved techniques for customizing information provided from a content server through a network to a user of a computer system in accordance with demographic classifications, user interests, or preferences are disclosed. Such customizing can involve banner advertising on the Internet whereby the advertising banners are able to be targeted to the user. The customizing can also involve altering portions of a web page to be displayed to the user so that the web page is more effective, useful or desirable for the user. Besides customization of the information to be displayed to the user, the invention also provides techniques for obtaining demographic information about the user of the computer system, and techniques for transmitting the demographic information over the network so that remote content servers that provide information content to the user can do so with knowledge of the demographic information about the user.