Systems and methods for electronic off-line catalog

1. A method for facilitating electronic transactions via a device capable of communicating with a network, the method comprising:

providing a server having a catalog of assets and a plurality of assets;

providing the catalog of assets from the server to the network;

communicating with the network a first time via the device;

providing the catalog to the device from the network;

discontinuing the first time communication with the network via the device;

when the device is not in communication with the network, selecting at least one desired transaction within the catalog, the at least one desired transaction including selecting an asset from the catalog, which selected asset can be downloaded to the device;

storing the at least one desired transaction on the device;

communicating with the network a second time via the device in response to the selection of the transaction;

completing the at least one desired transaction, the at least one desired transaction comprising:

retrieving the selected asset from the server with the plurality of assets;

providing the selected asset from the server to the network; and

downloading the selected asset to the device from the network;

discontinuing the second time communication with the network via the device;

modifying the selected asset on the device;

storing the modifications of the selected asset to the device;

communicating with the network a third time via the device; and

uploading the stored modifications to the network.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein multiple desired transactions are selected.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the catalog includes multiple sections and a user selects which sections to download.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising updating the catalog when recommunicating with the network.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein assets purchased by a user are removed from the catalog during an update.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein updating the catalog comprises:

requesting an update of the catalog on the device from the network;

identifying changes made since a previous catalog update;

comparing a last update date and time for the catalog on the device to a list of changes made to the catalog on the network to determine items that need to be provided to the device in the update;

downloading from the network to the device only the items; and

updating the catalog on the device with the items.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein the updating occurs automatically.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the updating occurs aperiodically.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the device communicates with the network a second time automatically.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the device communicates with the network a second time automatically.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the device is an electronic book reading device.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the transaction involves the purchase of textual content.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the textual content comprises a book.

14. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein assets that are included within the catalog are determined by predetermined criteria.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein the criteria comprise featured assets, newer assets, limited time assets, most popular assets, and assets not yet purchased by a user.

16. An electronic transactions system comprising:

a server having a catalog of assets and a plurality of assets;

a network in communication with the server;

a device capable of communicating with the network to download the catalog from the server to the device;

wherein a desired transaction is indicated on the catalog when the device is not in communication with the network, the at least one desired transaction is further indicated by selecting an asset from the catalog, which selected asset can be downloaded to the device;

wherein the desired transaction is completed, in response to the selection of the asset, by retrieving the selected asset from the server with the plurality of assets, providing the selected asset from the server to the network, and downloading the selected asset to the device when the device subsequently communicates with the network;

wherein the selected asset is modified on the device;

wherein the modifications of the selected asset are stored to the device; and

wherein the stored modifications are uploaded to the network.

17. An electronic transactions system in accordance with claim 16 wherein the device is an electronic book.

18. An electronic transactions system in accordance with claim 16 wherein the catalog further comprises a plurality of downloadable selections for the electronic book.

19. An electronic transactions system in accordance with claim 16 wherein the catalog includes multiple sections and a user selects which sections to download.

20. An electronic transactions system comprising:

means for providing a server having a centralized catalog of assets and a plurality of assets;

means for providing the centralized catalog of assets and the plurality of assets from the server;

means for reading textual content and being capable of communicating with the means for providing the centralized catalog of assets a first time;

means for downloading a catalog from the means for providing the centralized catalog of assets and the plurality of assets from the server to the means for reading textual content;

means for selecting a desired transaction from the catalog at the means for reading textual content when the means for reading textual content is not communicating with means for providing the centralized catalog and the plurality of assets from the server the first time, the means for selecting a desired transaction including means for selecting an asset from the catalog, which selected asset can be downloaded to the device;

means for completing the desired transaction, in response to the selection of the transaction, by retrieving the selected asset from the server with the plurality of assets, providing the selected asset from the server to the means for providing the plurality of assets, and downloading the selected asset when the means for reading textual content communicates with the means for providing the centralized catalog and the plurality of assets from the server a second time;

means for modifying the selected asset at the means for reading textual content when the means for reading textual content is not communicating with the means for providing a centralized catalog the second time;

means for storing the modifications of the selected asset at the means for reading textual content; and

means for uploading the stored modifications to the means for providing the centralized catalog and the plurality of assets from the server when the means for reading textual content communicates with the means for providing the centralized catalog and the plurality of assets from the server a third time.