A system and method are described for storing program code and data within an application hosting center. For example, one embodiment of a computer-implemented method comprises: subdividing program code and/or data used to execute an online application into a first type and a second type; storing program code and data of the first type in a first type of memory, the first type of memory providing relatively low latency memory access; storing program code and data of the second type in a second type of memory, the second type of memory providing relatively higher latency memory access compared to the first type of memory; retrieving program code and data from the first memory and the second memory in response to a client request to execute an online application; and transmitting a streaming interactive video stream representing images generated by the application to the client.

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a device that can receive a parental control signal that designates undesired content, determine when a restricted user is interacting with a gaming software application, and modify a presentation of the gaming software application to remove the undesired content when the restricted user is interacting with the gaming software application. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

A method of processing a user input by an electronic device is provided. The method includes receiving a signal from an auxiliary electronic device, providing application information related to the auxiliary electronic device based on the signal, and identifying a program configured to receive a control signal transmitted from the auxiliary electronic device based on the application information.

Provided are an apparatus capable of dynamically controlling an image signal and an audio signal of content in units of content and an operating method of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a processor configured to detect characteristic information of an image signal of content based on analyzing the image signal in units of the content, detect characteristic information of an audio signal of the content based on analyzing the audio signal in the units of the content, and control the image signal in the units of the content based on the characteristic information of the image signal and the characteristic information of the audio signal to output the image signal, and control the audio signal in the units of the content based on the characteristic information of the image signal and the characteristic information of the audio signal to output the audio signal.

A method includes receiving, at a media device, a video game from a server via a network. The method includes installing, via the media device, the video game to a storage device associated with the media device. The method includes receiving, at the media device, a request to play the video game. The method includes sending an authorization request to the server from the media device via the network in response to the request. The method includes receiving authorization to execute the video game at the media device. The authorization is based on an identifier of the media device included in the authorization request being associated with rights allowing execution of the video game. The method also includes executing the video game via the media device in response to receiving the authorization.

Systems and methods for generating a dynamic note and associating the dynamic note to a game object are disclosed. The game object is selected in a digital environment. The dynamic note is associated to the game object. Data is added to the dynamic note. The added data can include data describing a state of the environment and a state of the game object and include a link to the game object. Data associated with the dynamic note is sent over a network to a data storage device on a server. An aspect of the dynamic note is displayed within the digital environment.

Systems and methods for updating content of a mobile video game allow for mobile communication devices to receive updated content for video games that operate on the devices. The updates may be promotional in nature, and may be pre-selected based on the device type, service, or service provider. The game may contain instructions that cause the mobile communication device to contact an interface and/or server to receive updated content. After the updated content is received by the mobile communication device, the content may be displayed in-game. The user of the mobile communication device may be provided with one or more options that affect the frequency or ability to receive or display updated content. In addition, the server may track what content has already been received by the mobile communication device.

Systems and methods are described for recommending a proposed hardware configuration to a first user in response to determining that a performance aspect of the first user having a first hardware configuration playing a multiplayer game is worse than a performance aspect of a second user having a second hardware configuration jointly playing the multiplayer game. The proposed hardware configuration is generated based on the first hardware configuration and the second hardware configuration and caused to be displayed on a device of the first user.

There is provision of an information processing apparatus configured to cause a user having a user account to use functions on the user account. The information processing apparatus is configured to receive an instruction from the user to restrict use of the functions on the user account, to restrict the use of the functions on the user account in response to the receiving of the instruction, and to perform information processing for granting benefit to the user in accordance with a period of time when the use of the functions is restricted.

Provided is a server device, etc., capable of enhancing flexibility of a reward winning game and maintaining a user's interest in the game. The server device manages rewards to be given to a user, and includes a storage unit for storing a package as a set of data concerning rewards to be given to the user and a modified package as a set of data concerning rewards used to update the package, a communication unit for communicating with a user device of the user, and a package updating unit for updating the package by modifying the data concerning the rewards included in the package by using the data concerning the rewards included in the modified package when a package update request is received from the user device.