Abstract: This is directed to obfuscating a display to secure the display of information provided to a user. An electronic device can modulate the display of information using different approaches, including for example by adding artifacts or changing the color, frequency or polarity of displayed information, thus obfuscating the display. To view the displayed information, a user can place a filter between the user and the display (e.g., as part of glasses) such that the filter can remove or undo the obfuscation. In some embodiments, the device can display different confidential information for several users simultaneously, where different obfuscation approaches are used for each user. This can allow several users to interact with the device simultaneously while ensuring that each user's information remains confidential.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for defining a route from a starting point to a destination. The route can include several steps, each including an instruction directing a user to move in a particular manner, and a reference around or near which to follow the instruction. To assist the user in following the directions, a step can include one or more points of interest serving as references. In particular, points of interest having high visibility (e.g., relative to street signs) can be selected to serve as references for the directions. The device can select which points of interest to use based on any suitable criteria, including for example based on the distance of a point of interest from a location where a step requires an instruction, as well as based on visibility attributes of the points of interest.

Abstract: This is directed to providing offline purchasing of media items using an electronic device. One or more media items that are not part of a user's media library can be stored on an electronic device. When a user later wishes to play back one of the media items, but the device cannot connect to a communications network to provide payment information for purchasing the media items, the electronic device can use pre-paid credits that were purchased and stored by the device when a communications network was available to complete the purchase. By using pre-paid credits, the media store can be assured that the user has sufficient funds for the media item purchase.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media for sharing awareness information are provided. A non-aware electronic device can require awareness information including, for example, information about its environment or information about its status within its environment, in order to perform a particular device operation. When the non-aware device lacks an awareness component for detecting the required type of awareness information, the non-aware device can establish a communications path with an aware device that includes such an appropriate awareness component. The aware device can share the required type of awareness information as captured by its awareness component with the non-aware device. The distance between the non-aware device and the aware device can be less than a threshold distance to ensure that the shared awareness information is relevant to the non-aware device.

Abstract: An electronic device with RFID circuitry is provided. The electronic device is operative to instruct the RFID circuitry to provide a desired message indicative of an event associated with the electronic device. For example, if the electronic device experienced some type of system failure, the device may instruct the RFID circuitry to provide a message indicative of that failure.

Abstract: This is directed to obfuscating a display to secure the display of information provided to a user. An electronic device can modulate the display of information using different approaches, including for example by adding artifacts or changing the color, frequency or polarity of displayed information, thus obfuscating the display. To view the displayed information, a user can place a filter between the user and the display (e.g., as part of glasses) such that the filter can remove or undo the obfuscation. In some embodiments, the device can display different confidential information for several users simultaneously, where different obfuscation approaches are used for each user. This can allow several users to interact with the device simultaneously while ensuring that each user's information remains confidential.

Abstract: This is directed to providing offline purchasing of media items using an electronic device. One or more media items that are not part of a user's media library can be stored on an electronic device. When a user later wishes to play back one of the media items, but the device cannot connect to a communications network to provide payment information for purchasing the media items, the electronic device can use pre-paid credits that were purchased and stored by the device when a communications network was available to complete the purchase. By using pre-paid credits, the media store can be assured that the user has sufficient funds for the media item purchase.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for defining a route from a starting point to a destination. The route can include several steps, each including an instruction directing a user to move in a particular manner, and a reference around or near which to follow the instruction. To assist the user in following the directions, a step can include one or more points of interest serving as references. In particular, points of interest having high visibility (e.g., relative to street signs) can be selected to serve as references for the directions. The device can select which points of interest to use based on any suitable criteria, including for example based on the distance of a point of interest from a location where a step requires an instruction, as well as based on visibility attributes of the points of interest.