Abstract: A user device for interfacing predetermined external services provided by third party service providers to a user at a fixed location includes a processing platform running an operating system, a plurality of physical system resources associated with the remotely configurable user device, physical system resource interfaces for interfacing the operating system with the available physical system resources, a data store for storing ones of multiple configuration information associated with and identifying the external services that are available to a user with the user device and one or more of the available physical system resources required for ones of the external services and a communication resource for interfacing with the operating system to allow communication of the operating system with a central office for downloading of configuration information to remotely enable a selected one or ones of the predetermined external services provided by third party service providers.

Abstract: A system for providing access to a plurality of services from third party service providers to users at remote locations includes a plurality of resource managers having associated physical system resources for enabling a user to access a user selected service each resource manager including a processing platform with an operating system running thereon, a data store, including configuration information for each of the services available to a user through the resource manager, wherein there are multiple configurations associated with different ones of the predetermined services and one or more of the available physical system resources, and central processing center that communicates with each of the plurality of resource managers to enable or disable selected ones of the services on given ones of the resource managers based upon predetermined criteria and operates in conjunction with the resource managers to execute predetermined sequences of actions for accessing user selected ones of the services from the

Abstract: A system for interfacing predetermined external services provided by service providers to a user at a fixed location includes a processing platform running an operating system and a plurality of physical system resource interfaces for interfacing with available physical system resources allowing a user to gain access to the predetermined external services, a data store associated with the processing platform stores configuration information defining ones of a plurality of external services, a communication interface enables the operating system to communicate with a central office to download of configuration information for one or more of the external services and to facilitate access to a selected one of the external services.

Abstract: A system for enabling employees to utilize accrued and unpaid earnings to obtain externally provided goods and services includes at least one employee access node located in an employer facility and having physical resources for interfacing with subscribing employees to transfer value on the behalf thereof, a transaction processor for facilitating transfer of value on behalf of the subscribing employees; and physical resource interfaces associated with the physical resources to enable subscribing employees to input identification information, a data store a data store for storing configurations associated with providers and/or goods and services, a local server for communicating with the at least one employee access node to operate in conjunction therewith to facilitate the transfer of value on behalf of the given subscribing employee and a central processing center including one or more provider communications interfaces enabling the central processing center to communicate with a third party provider of goo

Abstract: A system for interfacing predetermined services to a user at a fixed location includes a processing platform running an operating system. Also included are a plurality of physical system resource interfaces for interfacing with available physical system resources. The physical system resources allow a user to gain access to the predetermined desired services. The system further includes a data store for storing configuration information for enabling the operating system to interface with the available physical system resources through the physical system resource interface associated therewith.