Abstract: Methods and systems for enabling users to register for notifications pertaining to electronic presentations of interest are described. The inventive methods and systems enable users to monitor many different electronic presentations without physically connecting to them for continuous play. Users can opt to monitor for the occurrence of an electronic presentation itself, or for events that might occur within various electronic presentations. The events can be monitored live through the use of meta information that is generated as the electronic broadcast is about to be, or is being broadcast. The meta information can be generated manually or automatically.

Abstract: Multimedia content is streamed over a network system from a server computer to a client computer. The client allows a user to enter a variable playback speed and varies the speed at which the multimedia content is rendered at the client. Time-scale modification technology is used to maintain the original pitch of any audio content, thereby maintaining its intelligibility.

Abstract: Meta data associated with multiple pieces of content (e.g., songs, movies, other audio/video clips, etc.) stored on multiple pieces of media (e.g., CDs, DVDs, etc.) is maintained in a meta data store. The meta data store also includes meta data associated with other pieces of content stored elsewhere, such as songs stored in files on a local hard drive that have been ripped from a CD or DVD. These other pieces of content are associated with the content on the pieces of media, such as being ripped versions of the same song tracks. This association is maintained in the meta data store, so that whenever a change is made to meta data for one piece of content (e.g., for a track on a CD), then the meta data for the associated piece(s) is also changed (e.g., the ripped version stored in a file on the hard drive).

Abstract: A network client such as a streaming multimedia player is provided with the capability of changing playback speeds of a multimedia data stream. To change the playback speed, the client requests a different media stream. The client then initiates the new media stream at a point that corresponds in content to the point in the original data stream at which the speed change was requested. To determine the appropriate presentation time in the new media stream, the client refers to a first set of mappings, that maps presentation times in the original media stream to time-correlated presentation times in a primary or reference media stream. The client then refers to a second set of mappings, associated with the primary reference stream, to determine a time-correlated presentation time in the new media stream. The client then initiates playback of the new media stream at the determined presentation time.

Abstract: Multimedia content is streamed over a network system from a server computer to a client computer. The client allows a user to enter a variable playback speed and varies the speed at which the multimedia content is rendered at the client. Time-scale modification technology is used to maintain the original pitch of any audio content, thereby maintaining its intelligibility.