Method and apparatus for content distribution over a network

Abstract

A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example transmitting, via a connection to a network having an available digital bandwidth, a first pre-fetch media content item of media content items included in the a media recommendation transmitted to a communication device, the first pre-fetch media content item having a first rank. Responsive to a determination of a change in the available digital bandwidth, the transmitting of the first pre-fetch media content item is stopped and a second pre-fetch media content item of media content items included in the media recommendation is transmitted via the connection to the network. The second pre-fetch media content item has a second rank. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 prefetching, via a connection to a network having an available digital bandwidth, a first pre-fetch media content item of media content items included in a media recommendation, wherein the media recommendation is based on social network data associated with a user; and   responsive to a determination of a change in the available digital bandwidth:
 stopping the prefetching of the first pre-fetch media content item; and 
 prefetching, via the connection to the network, a second pre-fetch media content item of the media content items included in the media recommendation. 
   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the media recommendation is based on a media-related activity associated with a mobile communication device. 
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the media-related activity comprises consumption of media content. 
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the media-related activity comprises accessing a source of media content. 
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the media-related activity comprises executing an application that enables access to media content. 
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the media-related activity comprises subscribing to a service that provides access to media content. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the processing system is associated with the user. 
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the media recommendation is based on popularity information associated with available media content items. 
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the first pre-fetch media content item has a first rank, and wherein the second pre-fetch media content item has a second rank different from the first rank. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 prefetching, by a processing system including a processor and via a connection to a network having an available digital bandwidth, a first pre-fetch media content item of media content items included in a media recommendation, wherein the media recommendation is based on a social network post associated with a user; and   responsive to a determination of a change in the available digital bandwidth satisfying a threshold:
 stopping, by the processing system, the prefetching of the first pre-fetch media content item; and 
 prefetching, by the processing system and via the connection to the network, a second pre-fetch media content item of the media content items included in the media recommendation. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the media recommendation is based on information regarding a media-related activity. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the media-related activity comprises consumption of media content. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first pre-fetch media content item has a first rank, and wherein the second pre-fetch media content item has a second rank different from the first rank. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the determination of the change in the available digital bandwidth comprises a determination that the change in the available digital bandwidth exceeds the threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the processing system is included in a mobile communication device. 
     
     
         16 . A device, comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:   prefetching, via a connection to a network having an available bandwidth, a first pre-fetch media content item of media content items included in a media recommendation, wherein the media recommendation is based on references to media content submitted by a user to a social network; and   responsive to a determination of changes in the available bandwidth:
 stopping the prefetching of the first pre-fetch media content item; and 
 prefetching, via the connection to the network, a second pre-fetch media content item of the media content items included in the media recommendation. 
   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the media recommendation is based on information associated with a media-related activity. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the media recommendation is based on information comprising a log of media content captured by a camera associated with the device, a microphone associated with the device, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the first pre-fetch media content item has a first rank, and wherein the second pre-fetch media content item has a second rank different from the first rank. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the user is associated with the device.