Method and apparatus for providing contextual services

A computer implemented method to configure a plurality of portable computers at a selected location for a plurality of transient users, the method comprising:

• determining, by a computer system, location-specific information about the selected location, the location specific information including a location of each portable computer of the plurality of portable computers at the selected location;
• assigning, by the computer system, a plurality of configurations to each portable computer of the plurality of portable computers, wherein a first of the plurality of configurations inherits or overrides parameters of a second of the plurality of configurations;
• receiving, by the computer system, an update to a first plurality of configurations assigned to a first of the plurality of portable computers;
• updating, by the computer system, the first plurality of configurations on the first of the plurality of portable computers;
• determining, by the computer system, status information about a first transient user and a second transient user of a second of the plurality of portable computers,
• wherein the first transient user and the second transient user are visitors at the selected location and the status information includes visitor information of the first transient user and the second transient user;
• identifying, by the computer system, a relationship between the first transient user and the second transient user based on the status information;
• and
• displaying, by an interface of the second of the plurality of portable computers, digital content based on a second plurality of configurations assigned to the second of the plurality of portable computers.