Interactive toy providing dynamic, navigable media content

Abstract

A media player device having at least one input device configured to receive input from a user and to generate a signal indicative of the input, a communication interface configured to connect the device to a second device, and a processor in communication with the at least one input device and the communication interface. The processor may establish a communication channel, between the media player device and the second device, to receive at least one selected media content item from the second device, to present an announcement describing content of the at least one selected media content item, and to prompt a user to select whether to execute the item. The processor may be further configured to receive input indicating whether to execute the at least one selected media content item when the input indicates that the at least one media content item is to be played.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computing system, comprising:
 a) at least one input device;   b) a processor in communication with said at least one input device,   wherein said processor configured to receive, via said at least one input device, a selection of at least one media content item; identify at least one supplemental media content item associated with said selected at least one media content item, said supplemental media content item including an announcement describing content of said at least one media content item; and create a playlist containing said selected at least one media content item and said identified at least one supplemental media content item.   
     
     
         2 . A computing system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said identified at least one supplemental media content item is identified based on metadata describing the content of said selected at least one media content item. 
     
     
         3 . A computing system in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein said computing system is in communication with a server via a network, and said processor further receives said selected at least one media content item and said identified at least one supplemental media content item from said server. 
     
     
         4 . A computing system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a peripheral interface device to communicatively connect a media player device to said computing system via a data link, wherein said processor is configured to transfer said playlist to said media player device via said data link. 
     
     
         5 . A computing system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said identified at least one supplemental media content item and said selected at least one media content item include at least one of an audio file, a video file, an audio-video file, and an application. 
     
     
         6 . A computer-implemented method of managing media content, comprising the steps of:
 a) receiving a selection of at least one media content item;   b) identifying at least one supplemental media content item associated with said selected at least one media content item, said supplemental media content item including an announcement describing content of said selected at least one media content item; and   c) creating a playlist containing said selected at least one media content item and said identified at least one supplemental media content item.   
     
     
         7 . A method in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein said identified at least one supplemental media content item is identified based on metadata describing content of said selected at least one media content item. 
     
     
         8 . A method in accordance with  claim 6 , further comprising the step of transferring said playlist to a media player device. 
     
     
         9 . A method in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein said identified at least one supplemental media content item includes an audio file, and wherein said selected at least one media content item includes at least one of an audio file, a video file, an audio-video file, and an application. 
     
     
         10 . A method in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein said selected at least one media content item and said identified at least one supplemental media content are received from a server via a network.