System and method for listening to audio content

1. A method comprising:

receiving a selection of a presentation content group of live audio or live video presentation content;

pre-buffering presentation content corresponding to one or more content identifiers in the presentation content group that was selected;

causing display of content identifiers corresponding to the presentation content group, wherein causing the display of content identifiers comprises causing one or more of the content identifiers to be displayed in a manner that varies through an intermediate state based on progress of the pre-buffering and corresponding availability of the presentation content of the respective content identifiers;

receiving a selection of a content identifier; and

causing presentation of a substantially live audio or substantially live video presentation content from a media provider corresponding to the selected content identifier to a user.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

refreshing the pre-buffered presentation content at predetermined time intervals.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content identifiers are presented in a grid pattern, where a size of the grid pattern is variable and depends on available screen space.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the presentation content groups are grouped by one or more of genre, geographical location, and user defined groupings.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media providers include one or more of Internet radio stations, Internet television stations, analog or digital over the air radio stations and analog or digital over the air television stations.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory and a computer program configured to, with the processor cause the apparatus to:

receive a selection of a presentation content group of live audio or live video presentation content;

pre-buffer presentation content corresponding to one or more content identifiers in the presentation content group that was selected;

cause presentation of content identifiers corresponding to the presentation content group on a display by causing one or more of the content identifiers to be presented in a manner that varies through an intermediate state based on progress of the pre-buffering and corresponding availability of the presentation content of the respective content identifiers;

receive a selection of a content identifier;

cause presentation of a substantially live audio or substantially live video presentation content from a media provider corresponding to the selected content identifier to a user.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

refresh the pre-buffered presentation content at predetermined time intervals.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the presentation content groups are grouped by one or more of genre, geographical location, and user defined groupings.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the media providers include one or more of Internet radio stations, Internet television stations, analog or digital over the air radio stations and analog or digital over the air television stations.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile communication device.

11. A computer program product embodied in a memory of a device comprising:

computer readable program code embodied in a computer readable medium for executing the method of claim 1 .

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , further comprising:

computer readable program code for causing a computer to refresh the pre-buffered presentation content at predetermined time intervals.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the presentation content groups are grouped by one or more of genre, geographical location, and user defined groupings.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the media providers include one or more of Internet radio stations, Internet television stations, analog or digital over the air radio stations and analog or digital over the air television stations.

15. A system comprising:

an input configured to cause a selection of a presentation content group of live audio or live video presentation content and a selection of a media provider;

a display configured to display content identifiers corresponding to media providers of the selected presentation content group; and

a processor connected to the input and display, the processor being configured to pre-buffer presentation content corresponding to one or more content identifiers in the presentation content group that was selected, to cause one or more of the content identifiers to be displayed in a manner that varies through an intermediate state based on progress of the pre-buffering and corresponding availability of the presentation content of the respective content identifiers and to cause presentation of a substantially live audio or substantially live video presentation content from the selected media provider to a user upon selection of a corresponding content identifier.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

refresh the pre-buffered presentation content at predetermined time intervals.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the presentation content groups are grouped by one or more of genre, geographical location, and user defined groupings.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the media providers include one or more of Internet radio stations, Internet television stations, analog or digital over the air radio stations and analog or digital over the air television stations.

19. A user interface comprising:

an input device configured to cause a selection of a presentation content group of live audio or live video presentation content and a selection of a media provider;

a display configured to display content identifiers corresponding to media providers of the selected presentation content group; and

a processor connected to the input device and display, the processor being configured to pre-buffer presentation content corresponding to one or more content identifiers in the presentation content group that was selected, to cause one or more of the content identifiers to be displayed in a manner that varies through an intermediate state based on progress of the pre-buffering and corresponding availability of the presentation content of the respective content identifiers and to cause presentation of a substantially live audio or substantially live video presentation content from the selected media provider to a user upon selection of a corresponding content identifier.

20. The user interface of claim 19 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

refresh the pre-buffered presentation content at predetermined time intervals.