Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described, including a method for use with a first content delivery network (CDN) and a second CDN that are used by a content source. A processor is used to identify that a device is requesting an exchange of content with the content source, identify a property of the requested exchange of content, and based on the property, select one of the first CDN and the second CDN. Subsequently, content is exchanged between the device and the selected CDN. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A method includes, in a processor (44) of a user device (24), preloading one or more user applications (26) in a background mode, in which activities associated with preloaded user applications are hidden from a user of the user device. An activity, which is invoked in the processor and is associated with a given preloaded user application, is detected. An assessment is made by the processor, whether the activity is a preload-initiated activity that is invoked due to preloading of the given user application, or whether the activity is a user-initiated activity that is invoked due to an action by the user. If the activity is assessed to be a preload-initiated activity, the activity is handled using a first handling scheme. If the activity is assessed to be a user-initiated activity, the activity is handled using a second handling scheme, different from the first handling scheme.

Abstract: A method includes caching content items in a cache memory of a communication terminal connected to a communication network. A content item, which is cached in the cache memory, is presented to a user of the communication terminal. An extent of freshness of the cached content item presented to the user is assessed. Presentation of the cached content item is conditionally modified depending on the assessed extent of freshness.

Abstract: A user device (24) includes a display (56), audio circuitry (58) and a processor (44). The processor is configured to run an application that includes visual content and audio content, by: (i) before a user of the user device invokes the application, running the application in a background mode in which the visual content is not visible on the display, and inhibiting the audio content from being played by the audio circuitry, and (ii) after the user invokes the application, switching to run the application in a foreground mode in which the visual content is visible on the display, and permitting the audio content to be played by the audio circuitry.

Abstract: An apparatus for content delivery includes a network interface and one or more processors. The network interface is configured for communicating over a communication network. The processors are configured to identify rendering characteristics of a plurality of content items that are to be displayed together as a User-Interface (UI) unit on a user device, to assign the content items to (i) a first subset including one or more content items that are to be prefetched, and (ii) a second subset including one or more content items that are not to be prefetched, to prefetch the content items of the first subset irrespective of any request from a user of the user device to access the UI unit, to fetch the content items of the second subset in response to a request from the user to access the UI unit, and to present the UI unit.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a network interface (64) for communicating over a communication network (32), and one or more processors (44, 68). In some embodiments, the processors are configured to identify that multiple different video content items, which are available for consumption over the communication network, contain a common interval having the same content, and to prefetch a single instance of the identified common interval to a cache memory (52) of a user device (24), for display with any of the multiple video content items. In other embodiments, the processors are configured to identify that a video content item, which is available for consumption over the communication network, is restricted from prefetching due to Digital Rights Management protection, but that an initial portion of the video content item is not required to be restricted from prefetching, and to prefetch the initial portion to a cache memory of a user device.

Abstract: An apparatus for content delivery (20) includes a network interface (64) and one or more processors (44, 68). The network interface is configured for communicating over a communication network (32). The one or more processors are configured to receive from a user of a user device (24) a request to access a User-Interface (UI) unit that includes one or more content items, to initially display, in response to the request, the UI unit to the user with versions of the content items that are available for immediate display in the user device, regardless of whether the initially displayed versions are up-to-date or not, and, for at least a content item whose initially displayed version is not up-to-date, to obtain an up-to-date version of the content item, and merge the up-to-date version of the content item transparently to the user into the UI unit being displayed, to replace the initially displayed version.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described, including a method for use with a first content delivery network (CDN) and a second CDN that are used by a content source. A processor is used to identify that a device is requesting an exchange of content with the content source, identify a property of the requested exchange of content, and based on the property, select one of the first CDN and the second CDN. Subsequently, content is exchanged between the device and the selected CDN. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described, including a method for use with a first content delivery network (CDN) and a second CDN that are used by a content source. A processor is used to identify that a device is requesting an exchange of content with the content source, identify a property of the requested exchange of content, and based on the property, select one of the first CDN and the second CDN. Subsequently, content is exchanged between the device and the selected CDN. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A method for content delivery includes selecting one or more time intervals. During each time interval among the selected time intervals, given content is prefetched from a content source to a communication terminal using a guaranteed prefetching mode, by continuously tracking the given content on the content source, so as to detect changes to the given content as they occur during the selected time interval, and maintaining the communication terminal continuously synchronized with the content source with respect to the given content, throughout the selected time interval, notwithstanding the changes that occur during the selected time interval, by continuously prefetching at least part of the given content from the content source to the communication terminal. Outside of the one or more selected time intervals, the given content is prefetched using a best-effort prefetching mode, by tracking the given content less frequently than the guaranteed prefetching mode.

Abstract: An apparatus (24, 60) includes a network interface (64) and one or more processors (44, 68). The network interface is configured for communicating over a communication network (32). The one or more processors are configured to prefetch content items over the communication network, from a content source (28) to a cache memory (52) of a user device (24), wherein at least a content item among the content items includes a cache directive specified by the content source, to modify the cache directive specified by the content source, and to serve the content item having the modified cache directive to a user application (36) running in the user device, so as to cause the user application to process the content item responsively to the modified cache directive.

Abstract: A method for content delivery includes selecting one or more time intervals. During each time interval among the selected time intervals, given content is prefetched from a content source to a communication terminal using a guaranteed prefetching mode, by continuously tracking the given content on the content source, so as to detect changes to the given content as they occur during the selected time interval, and maintaining the communication terminal continuously synchronized with the content source with respect to the given content, throughout the selected time interval, notwithstanding the changes that occur during the selected time interval, by continuously prefetching at least part of the given content from the content source to the communication terminal. Outside of the one or more selected time intervals, the given content is prefetched using a best-effort prefetching mode, by tracking the given content less frequently than the guaranteed prefetching mode.

Abstract: A system (20) includes one or more interfaces and multiple processors. The one or more interfaces are configured to communicate over a communication network (40). At least a first processor from among the processors is included in a user device (24) and at least a second processor from among the processors is included in a server (52) external to the user device. The processors are configured to track content items that are provided by one or more content sources (36) and to deliver the content items to one or more applications (32) installed in the user device.

Abstract: A user device (28) includes an interface and a processor (42). The interface is configured for communicating over a communication network (36, 40) with an electronic-commerce (“e-commerce”) server (24). The processor is configured to run within the user device a local instance (44) of the e-commerce server, wherein the local instance (i) stores locally in the user device at least part of data available to the e-commerce server, and (ii) carries out locally in the user device at least part of a business logic of the e-commerce server, to run an e-commerce agent (46), which conducts e-commerce transactions by interacting over the communication network with the e-commerce server, and locally with the local instance of the e-commerce server.

Abstract: A method includes detecting, by a plurality of user devices (28) that access content on one or more content sources (24), content updates that occurred on the content sources, and reporting the content updates to a content-tracking processor (68). The content updates, which are reported by the plurality of user devices, are collected at the content-tracking processor, and at least some of the collected content updates are distributed to at least some of the user devices. The content is accessed by the user devices responsively to the content updates distributed by the content-tracking processor.

Abstract: A method includes determining available prefetch updates for a user device. Prefetch notifications, which notify the user device of the available prefetch updates, are sent to the user device. At least a portion of the prefetch updates is embedded in one or more of the prefetch notifications.

Abstract: A method for content delivery includes selecting one or more time intervals. During each time interval among the selected time intervals, given content is prefetched from a content source to a communication terminal using a guaranteed prefetching mode, by continuously tracking the given content on the content source, so as to detect changes to the given content as they occur during the selected time interval, and maintaining the communication terminal continuously synchronized with the content source with respect to the given content, throughout the selected time interval, notwithstanding the changes that occur during the selected time interval, by continuously prefetching at least part of the given content from the content source to the communication terminal. Outside of the one or more selected time intervals, the given content is prefetched using a best-effort prefetching mode, by tracking the given content less frequently than the guaranteed prefetching mode.

Abstract: A method includes sending to a user device prefetch notifications, which notify the user device of available prefetch updates. Requests are received from the user device for one or more first prefetch updates, selected by the user device in response to the prefetch notifications. Selected prefetch updates are delivered to the user device, including both (i) one or more of the requested first prefetch updates, and (ii) one or more second prefetch updates selected from among the available prefetch updates not in response to any request from the user device.

Abstract: A method for content delivery includes defining a guaranteed prefetching mode, in which content is continuously prefetched from a content source to a communication terminal of a user so as to maintain the communication terminal synchronized with the content source. One or more time-of-day intervals, during which the user is expected to access given content, are identified. During the identified time-of-day intervals, the given content is prefetched from the content source to the communication terminal using the guaranteed prefetching mode.

Abstract: A device includes a receiver, a determiner, and a demodulator. The receiver is configured to receive from a base station a reference signal having a power level such that a sum of the power level and a processing gain of a channel estimator of the device corresponds to a predetermined demodulation penalty for the device. The determiner is configured to determine the power level. The demodulator is configured to demodulate a data signal received from the base station based on the power level and a channel estimate generated based on the reference signal.