Remote content updates for portable media devices

A method for updating content on a portable media device received from a media host device, said method comprising:

• receiving at the portable media device a wireless update policy for each of one or more different content types, wherein the one or more different content types includes at least a music type, a playlist type, and a video type, and wherein the wireless update policy defines at least a condition for allowing a wireless transfer to occur between the portable media device and the media host device;
• determining a data transfer characteristic of a wireless connection when the portable media device is in communication with the media host device via the wireless connection;
• determining whether the content resident on the portable media device is to be updated from content available on the media host device based on the received wireless update policy for each of the one more different content types;
• sending a content update request to the media host device including selections of one or more specific content types to be updated;
• receiving only the content types having a corresponding wireless update policy in accordance with the determined data transfer characteristic and
• storing the content received from the media host device onto the portable media device.

A computer readable storage medium including computer program code for updating content on a portable device received from a host device, said computer readable storage medium comprising:

• computer program code for receiving at the portable media device a wireless update policy for each of one or more different content types, wherein the one or more different content types includes at least a music type, a playlist type, and a video type, and wherein the wireless update policy defines at least a condition for allowing a wireless transfer to occur between the portable media device and the media host device;
• computer program code for determining a data transfer characteristic of a wireless connection when the portable media device is in communication with the media host device via the wireless connection;
• computer program code for sending a content update request to the host device including selections of one or more specific content types to be updated;
• computer program code for receiving only the content types having a corresponding wireless update policy in accordance with the determined data transfer characteristic and
• computer program code for storing the content received from the host device onto the portable device.

A portable media device capable of updating its content via communications with a media host device over a network, said portable media device comprising:

• a data storage device that stores the content;
• and
• a processor for storing, accessing and presenting the stored content from said data storage device, said processor being configured to:
• (i) receive at the portable media device a wireless update policy for each of one or more different content types, wherein the one or more different content types includes at least a music type, a playlist type, and a video type, and wherein the wireless update policy defines at least a condition for allowing a wireless transfer to occur between the portable media device and the media host device;
• (ii) receive a user request to update at least some of the content resident on the portable media device from content available on the media host device;
• (iii) determine a data transfer characteristic of a wireless connection when the portable media device is in communication with the media host device via the wireless connection;
• iv) send a content update request to the media host device (v) receive only the content types having a corresponding wireless update policy in accordance with the determined data transfer characteristic and (vi) store the content received from the media host device into said data storage device.