Data preparation for media browsing

1. A data formatting system comprising:

a content retriever to retrieve and format data;

a media file playlist generated by the content retriever from the data, the media file playlist including a playlist entry title identifying a title for a media file, a filename identifying the media file, and a metadata tag containing data for performing an action associated with the media file;

a text file playlist generated by the content retriever from the text data, formatted in XML (extensible markup language), and includes:

text-to-speech markup tags identifying the XML-formatted text file as a text-to-speech conversion file;

playlist name markup tags within the text-to-speech markup tags identifying a playlist type and a playlist title;

entry title markup tags within the playlist name markup tags identifying a playlist entry title;

text filename markup tags within the entry title markup tags identifying a text segment and a text filename for the text segment; and

action markup tags within the entry title markup tags identifying data for performing an action associated with the text segment;

a text-to-speech converter configured to generate at least one audio file playlist from the text file playlist; and

a configuration module associated with the content retriever configured to accept user input instructions that identify the data.

2. A data formatting system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the audio file playlist further comprises:

a playlist entry title identifying a title for an audio file;

a filename identifying the audio file; and

a metadata tag containing data for performing an action associated with the audio file.

3. A data formatting system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the media file playlist includes the media file and wherein media files are selected from the group comprising:

audio files;

video files;

audio/video files; and

image files.

4. A data formatting system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a content source, wherein the user input instructions identify the content source.

5. A data formatting system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the content source is selected from the group comprising:

a computer comprising the content retriever, the media file playlist, and the configuration module; and

a network computer coupled to the computer via a network.

6. A data formatting system comprising:

a content retriever to retrieve data and to generate a text file playlist from the data, wherein the text file playlist comprises an XML (extensible markup language)-formatted text file that includes:

text-to-speech markup tags identifying the XML-formatted text file as a text-to-speech conversion file;

playlist name markup tags within the text-to-speech markup tags identifying a playlist type and a playlist title;

entry title markup tags within the playlist name markup tags identifying a playlist entry title;

text filename markup tags within the entry title markup tags identifying a text segment and a text filename for the text segment; and

action markup tags within the entry title markup tags identifying data for performing an action associated with the text segment;

a configuration module associated with the content retriever to accept user input instructions that identify the data; and

a text-to-speech converter to generate one or more audio file playlists from the text file playlist.

7. A data formatting system as recited in claim 6 , wherein each audio file playlist further comprises:

a playlist entry title identifying a title for an audio file;

a filename identifying the audio file; and

a metadata tag containing data for performing an action associated with the audio file.

8. A data formatting system as recited in claim 6 , further comprising a content source, wherein the user input instructions identify the content source.

9. A data formatting system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the content source is selected from the group comprising:

a computer that comprises the data formatting system; and

a network computer coupled to the computer via a network.

10. A data formatting system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the content retriever is a plurality of content retrievers, the configuration module is a plurality of configuration modules, and each configuration module is associated with a particular content retriever.

11. A data formatting system as recited in claim 10 , wherein each content retriever is configured to retrieve and format data from a specific data set.

12. A data formatting system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the specific data set is selected from the group comprising:

calendar data

task data;

contact data;

email data;

stock data;

voice mail data;

navigation data;

news data;

weather data;

sports data;

traffic data;

real time instant message data;

restaurant review data;

movie listings data;

trivia data;

document data; and

user instructional data.

13. A processor-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured for:

retrieving data from a content source;

generating a text file playlist from the data, wherein the text file playlist comprises an XML (extensible markup language)-formatted text file that includes:

text-to-speech markup tags identifying the XML-formatted text file as a text-to-speech conversion file;

playlist name markup tags within the text-to-speech markup tags identifying a playlist type and a playlist title;

entry title markup tags within the playlist name markup tags identifying a playlist entry title;

text filename markup tags within the entry title markup tags identifying a text segment and a text filename for the text segment; and

action markup tags within the entry title markup tags identifying data for performing an action associated with the text segment;

converting text segments from the text file playlist into audio files; and generating an audio file playlist that includes the audio files.

14. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 13 , comprising further processor-executable instructions configured for receiving instructions that identify the data and the content source.

15. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 14 , wherein the receiving further comprises presenting an interactive user interface on a computer screen through which a user can identify the data and the content source.

16. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 13 , wherein the content source is selected from the group comprising:

a computer that comprises the processor-readable medium; and

a network computer coupled to the computer via a network.

17. A processor-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured for:

retrieving data from a content source; and

generating a text file playlist from the data, wherein the text file playlist comprises an XML (extensible markup language)-formatted text file that includes:

text-to-speech markup tags identifying the XML-formatted text file as a text-to-speech conversion file;

playlist name markup tags within the text-to-speech markup tags identifying a playlist type and a playlist title;

entry title markup tags within the playlist name markup tags identifying a playlist entry title;

text filename markup tags within the entry title markup tags identifying a text segment and a text filename for the text segment; and

action markup tags within the entry title markup tags identifying data for performing an action associated with the text segment.

18. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 17 , wherein the media file is an audio file and the generating further comprises:

generating a text file playlist from the data;

converting a text segment from the text file playlist into the audio file; and

generating the media file playlist from the text file playlist and the audio file.

19. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 17 , comprising further processor-executable instructions configured for receiving instructions that identify the data and the content source.

20. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 19 , wherein the receiving further comprises presenting an interactive user interface on a computer screen though which a user can identify the data and the content source.

21. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 17 , wherein the content source is selected from the group comprising:

a computer that comprises the processor-readable medium; and

a network computer coupled to the computer via a network.

22. A method of preparing data comprising:

retrieving data from a content source;

generating a text file playlist from the data, wherein the text file playlist comprises an XML (extensible markup language)-formatted text file that includes:

text-to-speech markup tags identifying the XML-formatted text file as a text-to-speech conversion file;

playlist name markup tags within the text-to-speech markup tags identifying a playlist type and a playlist title;

entry title markup tags within the playlist name markup tags identifying a playlist entry title;

text filename markup tags within the entry title markup tags identifying a text segment and a text filename for the text segment; and

action markup tags within the entry title markup tags identifying data for performing an action associated with the text segment;

converting text segments from the text file playlist into audio files; and

generating an audio file playlist that includes the audio files.

23. A method as recited in claim 22 , further comprising receiving instructions that identify the data and the content source.

24. A method as recited in claim 23 , wherein the receiving further comprises presenting an interactive user interface on a computer screen through which a user can identify the data and the content source.

25. A method of preparing data comprising:

retrieving data from a content source; and

generating a text file playlist from the data, wherein the text file playlist comprises an XML (extensible markup language)-formatted text file that includes:

text-to-speech markup tags identifying the XML-formatted text file as a text-to-speech conversion file;

playlist name markup tags within the text-to-speech markup tags identifying a playlist type and a playlist title;

entry title markup tags within the playlist name markup tags identifying a playlist entry title;

text filename markup tags within the entry title markup tags identifying a text segment and a text filename for the text segment; and

action markup tags within the entry title markup tags identifying data for performing an action associated with the text segment.

26. A method as recited in claim 25 , wherein the media file is an audio file and the generating further comprises:

generating a text file playlist from the data;

converting a text segment from the text file playlist into the audio file; and

generating the media file playlist from the text file playlist and the audio file.