Abstract: A computer system has a removable module that contains a processor, other electrical components, and a battery. When the module has been removed from the computer system, the processor runs an application that interacts with the electrical components in the module to provide stand-alone functionality. When the removable module is in the computer system, the module is accessed by the computer system to cause the computer system to perform some of the functionality provided by the module. The functionality provided by the removable module includes receiving emails, displaying an appointment calendar, displaying a contacts listing, providing audio content, providing cellular telephone service, obtaining a video image, providing biometric identification information, sensing position, and displaying a television picture.

Abstract: A processor module is packaged with a display for a portable electronic device. The display is designed to create a space within a display housing to allow a processor module to be included in the display housing. The processor module can be designed to be integral with the display housing. Additionally, the processor module can be designed to be detachable from the display housing to provide a removable processor module. The removable processor module can be replaced with another processor module having different functionality or have stand alone functionality, as well as system functionality when attached to a display lid or a portable electronic device.

Abstract: In the definition of an on-line group-buying sale (122), a price of a featured item may be specified as a fixed amount, such as $25 per month. As indicated at (124), the sale 122 has an increasing incentive as more buyers (104) join the sale. Buyers (104) make offers as indicated at (126). As more buyers (104) make offers below a maximum threshold, the on-line group-buying sale software (120) increases the incentive as indicated at (128). At the conclusion of the sale (122), the on-line group-buying sale software (120) confirms acceptance of all offers specifying an incentive at or below the final, increased incentive in the sale (122), as indicated at (130).

Abstract: A method and system are provided for using a computer to facilitate a sales transaction between a group of buyers and at least one seller. Potential buyers may create a group organized for purchasing a product/service from one or more sellers. The computer system may output the buyers' collective request for the product/service to one or more sellers of the requested item. The sellers may respond by providing a price quotation for the requested item, often on the basis of the number of such items to be purchased by the group. The computer system notifies group members of the submitted seller quotations, in response to which some buyers may commit themselves to purchasing the item at the specified price or otherwise indicating a price at which they would be willing to commit to purchasing the item. Sellers may review the price quotations submitted by other sellers and submit competing price quotations.

Abstract: Collaborative digital media artifact production is disclosed. Included are structured collaborative digital media creation environments intended to enable communities to create full and partial digital media products. Activities such as creating individual identities, browsing identities of other users, creating and viewing digital media artifacts, tracking the development history of a digital media artifact, voting on, rating, and modifying digital media products developed by other users are included. A collaborative digital media creation system is also included for digital media artifact production, including a studio having interfaces for user interaction for community development.

Abstract: A dynamic market equilibrium management system is especially adapted for the sale of goods and services through an online buying group (referred to herein as a “co-op”) formed for the specific purpose of purchasing a particular product at (102) by defining a start time, end time, critical mass, any minimum number of units offered, any maximum number of units offered, starting price and product cost curve. As data is gathered from buyers, by means of their making binding purchase offers, the co-op is modified at (108) using the market equilibrium manager, so as to take into account market forces such as supply and demand for the item to be sold and their interrelationship with the purchase price for such item. When used with the online buying group, the dynamic market equilibrium management system permits dynamic, real time yield management decisions based on true market data.

Abstract: A hand-held portable computer has a mouse button that is surrounded in close proximity by directional buttons. Placing the directional buttons in close proximity around the mouse button makes on-screen navigation easier, since the same single finger need only be moved by a small amount to actuate one or more of these buttons. If the mouse button is actuated, a mouse cursor can be moved about a page displayed on a display screen. If the directional buttons are actuated, the page can be panned around the display screen, while the mouse cursor remains stationary. The portable computer is also provided with a plurality of hot keys, and with buttons that are located off its keyboard, such as at the back of the portable computer.

Abstract: A hand-held portable computer has a mouse button that is surrounded in close proximity by directional buttons. Placing the directional-buttons in close proximity around the mouse button makes on-screen navigation easier, since the same single finger need only be moved by a small amount to actuate one or more of these buttons. If the mouse button is actuated, a mouse cursor can be moved about a page displayed on a display screen. If the directional buttons are actuated, the page can be panned around the display screen, while the mouse cursor remains stationary. The portable computer is also provided with a plurality of hot keys, and with buttons that are located off its keyboard, such as at the back of the portable computer. In other embodiments, a touchpad is provided, along with left and right mouse buttons located adjacent to one or more directional arrow buttons. In another embodiment, the left and right mouse buttons are located on opposing regions of a keyboard.

Abstract: A method and system are provided that enable partner sites to join in the sale of products/services via a PowerBuy business method. A seller registers a list of products/services to be displayed on partner sites. Customers/visitors who access partner sites may link to one or more PowerBuys conducted on an owner's main site. Accordingly, the method and system enable a super demand aggregation for products/services offered for sale by the PowerBuy business method. The invention provides a partner menu tree that allows partners to pre-select products/categories for display to customers linking to the PowerBuy from their partner site. Sellers may provide particular products, services, categories, and abstract terms to help partners select which products/services to display for customers from among all the PowerBuy products/services. The invention has applicability to sales paradigms other than the PowerBuy business method.

Abstract: A method and system for creating an object or character in a drawing window and simultaneously displaying the object or character in animated form wherein the animated form is available for instant playback or feedback to the user is described. A single process is used for creating the object and animating the object. The user is able to draw the object in a drawing window and have the object animated in an animation window as the object is being drawn, thereby allowing the user to immediately see the results of the animation. A single process is used to create the object or character (i.e., the “drawing” stage) and to display the object in animated form. The drawing and animation can be shown side-by-side for the user thereby enabling the user to see the animation of a character that the user had created moments before. The animation can take place in an animation window or be placed in a pre-existing context, such as an ongoing story line or a collaborative community context created by multiple users.

Abstract: An electronic device, such as a hand-held portable computer, is provided with client-side email capability that allows emails to be independently downloaded from a server, regardless of an operating mode of an email application and without using the standard email retrieval mechanism of the email application. The emails are periodically downloaded without attachments in response to a poll of the server and if a sufficient high-speed connection to the server is available, and then the downloaded email is locally stored in a local cache of the portable computer. Attachments associated with downloaded emails stored in the local cache can be selectively downloaded, via a background process, from the server independently of the operating mode of the email application and during any suitable power state of the electronic device.

Abstract: An electronic device, such as a hand-held portable computer, is provided with capability to operate an application during a low power mode. During the low power mode, portions of hardware, software, services, and/or other components of the portable computer that are not necessary to the operation of the application is suspended or otherwise deactivated. As each task is performed by the application, the components that are no longer needed for subsequent tasks to be performed by the application are also deactivated and reactivated as needed. The deactivation can be performed in sequence from the highest-level components to the lowest-level components to ensure that components that are needed by other components are not prematurely deactivated. A specific set of events transitions the portable computer out of the low power mode.

Abstract: An electronic device, such as a hand-held portable computer, is provided with client-side email capability that allows emails to be independently downloaded from a server, regardless of an operating mode of an email application and without using the standard email retrieval mechanism of the email application. The emails are periodically downloaded without attachments in response to a poll of the server and if a sufficient high-speed connection to the server is available, and then the downloaded email is locally stored in a local cache of the portable computer. Attachments associated with downloaded emails stored in the local cache can be selectively downloaded, via a background process, from the server independently of the operating mode of the email application and during any suitable power state of the electronic device.

Abstract: An electronic device, such as a hand-held portable computer is provided with client-side email capability that allows emails to be independently downloaded from a server, regardless of an operating mode of an email application and without using the standard email retrieval mechanism of the email application. The emails are periodically downloaded without attachments in response to a poll of the server and if a sufficient high-speed connection to the server is available, and then the downloaded email is locally stored in a local cache of the portable computer. Attachments associated with downloaded emails stored in the local cache can be selectively downloaded, via a background process, from the server independently of the operating mode of the email application and during any suitable power state of the electronic device.

Abstract: A user interface (UI) for use with a secondary display module of a mobile electronic device. The UI allows the user to access application data without activating the operating system (OS) of the main portion of the mobile electronic device. The UI can allow the user to access application data by activating the OS and an associated low-power application without launching the application. The UI also provides a simple mechanism to disable wireless components of the mobile electronic device while allowing the user to use other non-wireless components. The secondary display module can be detached from a main portion of the mobile electronic device, with the UI being automatically activated. The UI can be automatically activated (or deactivated) in response to deactivation (or activation) of the UI of the main display of the mobile electronic device.

Abstract: Low power email capabilities are provided for an electronic device, such as a hand-held portable computer having capability to operate an application during a low power mode. During the low power mode, portions of hardware, software, services, and/or other components of the portable computer that are not necessary for email-related operations, such as polling a server for new email, are suspended or otherwise deactivated. At least a portion of a new email is stored in a memory of a low power display module (LPDM) of the portable computer. The LPDM is provided with its own low-power processing unit, user interface, and other components to allow access to and manipulation of the stored email while other components of the portable computer remain deactivated.

Abstract: A low power media player is provided for an electronic device, such as a hand-held portable computer having capability to operate an application during a low power mode. During the low power mode, portions of hardware, software, services, and/or other components of the portable computer that are not necessary to the operation of the low power media player are suspended or otherwise deactivated. Rather than repeatedly accessing a hard disk to read media files for playback, the low power media player limits its number of access operations by reading as many media files as possible during each access operation, and then caching the read media files. When playback of the media files is to be performed, the media files are read from the cache, thereby reducing the amount of power consumption attributable to hard disk access operations.

Abstract: Heat is removed from a small hand-held portable computer by dissipating the heat from surfaces that are not typically held by the user during hand-held operation. The heat is dissipated from fins located at a rear underside casing of the portable computer. Heat-generating internal electronic components or their heat sinks are placed in close proximity to the fins. Heat may also be dissipated from the backside of the display screen. The dissipation of the heat allows the portable computer to operate at higher frequencies.

Abstract: Heat is removed from a small hand-held portable computer by dissipating the heat from surfaces that are not typically held by the user during hand-held operation. The heat is dissipated from fins located at a rear underside casing of the portable computer. Heat-generating internal electronic components or their heat sinks are placed in close proximity to the fins. Heat may also be dissipated from the backside of the display screen. The dissipation of the heat allows the portable computer to operate at higher frequencies.

Abstract: Heat is removed from a docked portable computer. Due to the heat removal, the portable computer can operate at full design voltage and frequency while docked, and thereby provide maximum performance, without sacrificing performance in order to generate less heat. A docking station provides a thermal docking connection. The thermal docking connection is implemented using a first set of fins of the portable computer that is mated to a second set of fins in the docking station. The second set of fins in the docking station is then, via use of heat conductive materials, exposed to forced airflow from a fan within the docking station. Other embodiments of heat-removal methods, such as larger surface areas, peltia devices, water cooling, and others, can be used to pull additional heat from the docked portable computer. Thus, the docking station acts as an “air-conditioner” for the portable computer, and allows the portable computer to operate at higher frequencies.