Abstract: A mechanism for configuring handheld devices is disclosed. The mechanism includes a website engine, a database, a build-to-order configuration engine, and a loader. Among other things, the built-to-order engine communicates with developers, coordinates software licenses, arranges software downloads and prevents conflicts. The loader provides actual downloads for loading the handheld device based on user input received through the website engine which conveys the user input to the database and built-to-order configuration engines. These software modules can be on the same computer, or can be divided among several computers.