A portable media player communicates with a host computer for enabling a user of the player to manage media distribution using the control software of the host computer. The host computer can send a GUI that is displayed on the otherwise dumb player, and the user can view the GUI and press a single button to command the control software to download a media title to the player. The host computer can periodically poll the player to determine its status.

A portable media player communicates with a host computer for enabling a user of the player to manage media distribution using the control software of the host computer. The host computer can send a GUI that is displayed on the otherwise dumb player, and the user can view the GUI and press a single button to command the control software to download a media title to the player. The host computer can periodically poll the player to determine its status.