Multi-platform application player

A device comprising:

• a display;
• an interface;
• a memory;
• and
• a multi-platform application player comprising:
• a player host having a plurality of installed application players, each of the application players executable to operate as a platform from which applications are executable;
• and
• a processor that:
• receives an indication of a first application to run, wherein the indication is generated based on one or more of:
• a user action based on a list of available applications comprising local stored applications and applications available from a service, a signal from a module from another device, and a-signal generated based on user preferences;
• determines a platform required for the first application to run based on an analysis, executed by the processor, of application information associated with the first application;
• identifies a first application player suitable for running an environment compatible with the determined platform, wherein the first application player is capable of running the first application as well as one or more other applications created for the determined platform, wherein the first application player comprises an independently executable component;
• retrieves the first application player from a player source based on the analysis, wherein the player source comprises a repository including a plurality of players;
• loads the first application player in the multi-platform application player;
• and
• runs the first application in the first application player in the multi-platform application player;
• wherein the processor executes a first process to launch the first application on the device and a second device executes a second process to launch the first application on the second device when the device is in the vicinity of the second device, and
• wherein a particular application player for the first application is identified, downloaded and installed without user intervention, by the first process executed by the device, when the device determines that the device is in the vicinity of the second device.

A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for operating a multi-platform application player on a device comprising:

• receiving an indication of a first application to run on the device, wherein the indication is generated based on one or more of:
• a user action based on a list of available applications comprising local stored applications and applications available from a service, a signal from a module from another device, and a signal generated based on user preferences;
• determining a platform required for the first application to run based on an analysis, performed by the device, of application information associated with the first application;
• identifying, by the device, a first application player suitable for running an environment compatible with the determined platform, wherein the first application player is capable of running the first application as well as one or more other applications created for the determined platform, wherein the first application player contains an independently executable component that comprises an application interpreter that executes independently of any other program;
• retrieving the first application player from a player source based on the analysis,
• wherein the player source comprises a repository including a plurality of players;
• and
• running the first application in the first application player in the multi-platform application player on the device;
• wherein the device executes a first process to launch the first application on the device and a second device executes a second process to launch the first application on the second device when the device is in the vicinity of the second device, and
• wherein a particular application player for the first application is identified, downloaded and installed without user intervention, by the first process executed by the device, when the device determines that the device is in the vicinity of the second device.