Playlist structure for large playlists

1. A computerized method for enabling efficient navigation of a playlist of media files stored on a computer-readable medium, said computerized method comprising:

identifying one or more media files associated with a playlist;

defining media file references for the identified media files;

retrieving metadata corresponding to each of the identified media files; and

storing the defined media file references and the retrieved metadata in a plurality of playlist units representative of the playlist to aid user selection of the media files prior to rendering the media files, wherein storing the media file references and the retrieved metadata comprises storing the media file references and the retrieved metadata on a computer-readable medium in the plurality of playlist units, each of said playlist units having a size derived from a sector size associated with the computer-readable medium, wherein at least two of the plurality of playlist units include media file references, and wherein all of the retrieved metadata corresponding to each of the identified media files is stored in the same playlist unit as the defined media file reference for the identified media file.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein each of the playlist units has a size limit associated therewith, and wherein storing the media file references and the retrieved metadata comprises:

determining a quantity of playlist units to store the media file references and the retrieved metadata as a function of the size limit; and

storing the media file references and the retrieved metadata in the determined quantity of playlist units.

3. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein each playlist unit has a size limit associated therewith, and wherein storing the media file references and the retrieved metadata comprises:

successively storing at least a portion of the media file references and the retrieved metadata corresponding thereto in a first playlist unit until the size limit has been reached;

closing the first playlist unit;

opening a second playlist unit; and

successively storing at least a remaining portion of the media file references and the retrieved metadata corresponding thereto in the opened, second playlist unit.

4. The computerized method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving one of the playlist units; and

displaying a portion of the metadata stored within the received playlist unit to a user to enable user selection of a media file associated therewith.

5. The computerized method of claim 4 , further comprising:

receiving a media file selection from the user; and

rendering the media file associated with the received media file selection via the media file reference associated with the media file selection.

6. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein retrieving the metadata comprises retrieving the metadata from the media files via the media file references.

7. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein defining the media file references for the identified media files comprises defining a pointer to each of the identified media files.

8. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein all of the playlist units have an equal size.

9. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein each of the playlist units occupies 2048 bytes of memory.

10. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein one or more computer-readable storage media have computer-executable instructions configured to perform the computerized method of claim 1 .

11. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable components for navigating a playlist having a plurality of media files associated therewith, said components comprising:

a playlist component means for retrieving one of a plurality of playlist units stored in a memory area, the playlist units collectively representing a playlist, wherein each of the playlist units has a size derived from a sector size associated with the memory area, and wherein at least two of the plurality of playlist units include metadata describing at least one of the plurality of media files associated with the playlist;

a parser component means for obtaining metadata stored within the playlist unit retrieved by the playlist component, said metadata describing a media file associated with the playlist, wherein all of the metadata describing the media file is stored in the playlist unit and wherein all of the metadata for any of the plurality of media files is stored in a single playlist unit;

a user interface component means for displaying, to a user, the metadata obtained by the parser component and receiving a media file selection from the user; and

a playback component means for rendering the selected media file to the user.

12. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11 , wherein all of the playlist units have equal sizes.

13. A computerized system for enabling efficient navigation of a playlist of media files stored on a computer-readable medium, said computerized system comprising:

a memory area storing a data structure representing a playlist, said data structure comprising a plurality of playlist units, wherein each of the playlist units has a size derived from a sector size associated with the memory area, each of said playlist units comprising:

a content entry field for each of the media files associated with the playlist unit, said content entry field storing a media file reference identifying a location of the media file; and

a metadata field for each content entry field, said metadata field storing metadata associated with the media file associated with the content entry field, wherein all of the metadata associated with the media file is stored in said metadata field of said playlist unit; and

a processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions that:

identify one or more media files associated with a playlist;

define media file references for the identified media files;

retrieve metadata corresponding to each of the identified media files; and

populate the data structure stored in the memory area with the defined media file references and the retrieved metadata to aid user selection of the media files prior to rendering the media files.

14. The computerized system of claim 13 , wherein each of the playlist units further comprises a directory field for storing one or more directory paths associated with the media files in the playlist unit.

15. The computerized system of claim 13 , wherein each of the playlist units further comprises a header field for storing an offset to another playlist unit.

16. The computerized system of claim 13 , further comprising means for creating the playlist unit.

17. The computerized system of claim 13 , further comprising means for populating the data structure.

18. The computerized system of claim 13 , farther comprising a rendering device for:

receiving one of the playlist units;

retrieving metadata from the received playlist unit, said metadata corresponding to a media file in the playlist;

displaying the retrieved metadata to a user;

receiving a media file selection from the user; and

rendering the selected media file to the user.