Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computing device including a memory, a display device and a controller. The controller is programmed to provide to a first server a request for User Interface (UI) device configurations, provide to the first server configuration criteria associated with the request, receive configuration data associated with target UI device configurations from the first server, present a Graphical User Interface (GUI) on the display device based on the configuration data where the GUI displays selections for each of the target UI device configurations, provide a selection from among the selections of the target UI device configurations, and receive provisioning information from the first server that allows for implementing the selection of the target UI device configuration. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to collect a plurality of User Interface (UI) device configurations, receive a request from a computing device to download one or more of the plurality of UI device configurations, and transmit to the computing device the one or more UI device configurations requested to configure one or more UI devices of the computing device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, receiving a first stimulus signal from a first gaming accessory device used by a first contestant and a second stimulus signal from a second gaming accessory device used by a second contestant. Measures of the first and second stimulus signals are determined as are first and second performance factors are based upon the first and second measures. The first and second performance factors are compared and a ranking of the first and second contestants is determined based upon the comparison. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus having a controller to record an association of at least one of a plurality of stimulations that can be generated by a gaming accessory with one or more substitute accessory stimulations, establish communications with a computing device communicatively coupled to a gaming software application, establish communications with the gaming accessory, receive from the gaming accessory a stimulation, detect a match between the association and the received stimulation, retrieve the one or more substitute accessory stimulations, and transmit the one or more substitute accessory stimulations to the gaming software application. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system, processor or computer readable device that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, receiving a user attribute of a first user based on a record of stimulation of an electronic gaming accessory of the first user. The record of stimulation is determined responsive to game-related activity in an electronic game application. A first user record is updated responsive to the receiving of the user attribute of the first user, resulting in an updated first user record. The updated first user record is forwarded to a matching service, wherein the matching service matches the first user and a second user based on the updated first user record. Such matching can be used to associate players of electronic games, for example, as members of a team. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving, by a device comprising a processor, a first signal from a motion-sensitive component of the device; receiving, by the device, a second signal from a touch-sensitive interface of the device, detecting, by the device, from a combined signal comprising the first signal and the second signal, a selection of a portion of the device; and causing, by the device, a sensory feedback generator to provide a feedback signal in accordance with the combined signal. The feedback signal may comprise an audible sound, a visual effect, a tactile effect, or any combination thereof. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, a processor coupled to a memory storing instructions and to a near field sensor. Execution of the instructions can cause the processor to perform operations including defining a zone corresponding to a portion of an accessory comprising the sensor, detecting a gesture of an object in the zone by sensing the object with the sensor, determining that the gesture is a new gesture not previously associated with the zone and not previously associated with a gaming action controlling presentations produced by a gaming application, associating the gesture with the zone and with the gaming action, subsequently detecting the gesture in the zone, obtaining the gaming action associated with the gesture, and transmitting the gaming action to the gaming application. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computing device having a controller to obtain a user input that was inputted into a first accessory operably coupled with the computing device where the first accessory provides a user interface for user interaction with a video game, determine a language of an intended recipient of the user input based on an identity of the intended recipient, access a multi-lingual library comprising a plurality of words associated with the video game, match the user input to one or more words of the plurality of words of the multi-lingual library to generate a translated message in the determined language of the intended recipient, and provide the translated message to a second accessory for presentation to the intended recipient in real-time. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for indicating a pre-game environment quality level may include, for example, obtaining a profile associated with a video game, where the profile comprises desirable performance metrics for initiating the video game, performing performance metric measurements in collaboration with a computing device from which the video game is to be played, comparing the performance metric measurements to the desirable performance metrics, determining a discrepancy between the performance metric measurements and the desirable performance metrics, determining a gaming quality level according to the determined discrepancy, and presenting at the computing device a quality indicator based on the determined quality level. The presenting can further include graphically displaying the quality indicator and the discrepancy. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, detecting movement of a cover of the device with respect to a body of the device, and determining, in response to detecting movement of the cover, that the device is ready for use. If the device is ready for use, a signal is transmitted to a computing device, and the computing device is directed to perform an initializing procedure for a gaming engine executing on the computing device. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, a processor to perform operations including detecting biometric data of a first gamer of video games, determining an identity of the first gamer according to the biometric data, determining according to the identity of the first gamer a gaming account of the first gamer, determining from the gaming account a gaming behavior of the first gamer, determining a context for gaming, determining from the context for gaming and the gaming behavior a gaming strategy, and configuring first equipment used by the first gamer according to the gaming strategy. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computing device including a memory, a display device and a controller. The controller is programmed to provide to a first server a request for User Interface (UI) device configurations, provide to the first server configuration criteria associated with the request, receive configuration data associated with target UI device configurations from the first server, present a Graphical User Interface (GUI) on the display device based on the configuration data where the GUI displays selections for each of the target UI device configurations, provide a selection from among the selections of the target UI device configurations, and receive provisioning information from the first server that allows for implementing the selection of the target UI device configuration. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, receiving a first group of gaming results associated with a first gamer, receiving a second group of gaming results associated with a second gamer, presenting renditions of first and second peripherals, where the first peripheral represents a first gaming accessory for use by the first gamer to generate a first group of stimulus signals, and where the second peripheral represents a second gaming accessory for use by the second gamer to generate a second group of stimulus signals, and presenting competitive information of the first and second gamers determined from at least a portion of the first and second group of gaming results, the first and second group of stimulus signals, or combinations thereof. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include receiving, by a system comprising a processor, a request from a mobile communication device to configure a computing environment for executing a software application, identifying a deficiency in an availability of a resource of the computing environment responsive to receiving the request, adjusting an operation of the computing environment to change the availability of the resource responsive to identifying the resource deficiency, and providing an action of a plurality of associable actions to the computer environment for use in the software application, where the action replaces a received stimulation of a user input that is associated with the executing of the software application. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a method for receiving a signal representative of a displacement of at least a portion of a computer mouse from a surface of a mouse pad, and causing a change in a state of a video game presented by a gaming system according to the signal. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system having a processor that performs operations including receiving from an accessory device a control signal for controlling a software application, determining that the control signal corresponds to a first action of a plurality of actions for controlling the software application, monitoring a frequency of usage of the first action, and presenting at the accessory device or a display device coupled to the accessory device a measure of the frequency of usage of the first action. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to collect a plurality of User Interface (UI) device configurations, receive a request from a computing device to download one or more of the plurality of UI device configurations, and transmit to the computing device the one or more UI device configurations requested to configure one or more UI devices of the computing device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: The subject disclosure includes a method for detecting a transferee gaming accessory, presenting a user interface providing a plurality of selectable gaming configurations, detecting a selection of a gaming configuration from the plurality of selectable gaming configurations, accessing the gaming configuration, facilitating a peer-to-peer communication session with the transferee gaming accessory, and transmitting the gaming configuration to the transferee gaming accessory to configure the transferee gaming accessory. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: The subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for determining a current performance of a gamer during a first gaming session of a gaming application, where the performance is determined from a first plurality of stimulus signals generated by a gaming accessory during the first gaming session according to a configuration setting assigned to the gaming accessory, identifying a prior performance of the gamer during a prior gaming session of the gaming application, where the prior performance is determined from a second plurality of stimulus signals generated by the gaming accessory according to the configuration setting, comparing the current performance to the prior performance to determine a change in performance of the gamer, and adjusting the configuration setting assigned to the gaming accessory according to the change in the performance of the gamer. Other embodiments are disclosed.