Abstract: Techniques are described for automated control of portions of a cooking process, such as to control activation and heating for a cooking location having a piece of cooking equipment. Such automated control may include executing an automated control recipe having defined instructions used to automatically control at least some aspects (e.g., surface temperature) of the cooking equipment piece (e.g., a pan on a stove cooking surface) as part of a cooking episode to prepare one or more dishes, and may further include coordinating actions of a human user who is participating in the cooking episode by providing instructions or other information to the user. Related food preparation systems and cookware devices and components are also provided in connection with which the described automated cooking control techniques and methods may be used.

Abstract: Techniques are described for automated control of portions of a cooking process, such as to control activation and heating for a cooking location having a piece of cooking equipment. Such automated control may include executing an automated control recipe having defined instructions used to automatically control at least some aspects (e.g., surface temperature) of the cooking equipment piece (e.g., a pan on a stove cooking surface) as part of a cooking episode to prepare one or more dishes, and may further include coordinating actions of a human user who is participating in the cooking episode by providing instructions or other information to the user. Related food preparation systems and cookware devices and components are also provided in connection with which the described automated cooking control techniques and methods may be used.

Abstract: A user experience for displaying and organizing content available on discs in an external media changer is provided. A media content organizer for identifying discs, retrieving supplemental information, and presenting a display of the discs and disc information is also provided.

Abstract: Application program interfaces for controlling an external media changer from a computer are provided. The application program interfaces allow for loading and identification of discs in a media changer. The application program interfaces can further allow for control of media changer functions such as locking of media changer elements and playback of disc content for discs in the media changer.

Abstract: A user experience for displaying and organizing content available on discs in an external media changer is provided. A media content organizer for identifying discs, retrieving supplemental information, and presenting a display of the discs and disc information is also provided.

Abstract: Application program interfaces for controlling an external media changer from a computer are provided. The application program interfaces allow for loading and identification of discs in a media changer. The application program interfaces can further allow for control of media changer functions such as locking of media changer elements and playback of disc content for discs in the media changer.

Abstract: The invention discloses a system and method for displaying media content in a user interface. The invention can be configured to identify registered media content providers, and can aggregate media content from the media content providers into a single media gallery. The gallery can include a plurality of types of media content, and the media content can come from a plurality of media content provider types.