System and method for providing interactive services

1. A method of communicating with a plurality of users who are connected to a distributed voice application execution system via a digital data connection, comprising:

facilitating generation of a plurality of voice applications that are designed to be performed on a corresponding plurality of user local devices that are operated by a plurality of users, the voice applications being configured to communicate with those users, wherein each of the voice applications is customized for a particular user in some fashion, and wherein the voice applications are configured to be performed for the users upon an occurrence of a triggering event;

causing the plurality of generated voice applications to be stored, at least in part, on the plurality of respective user local devices so that the voice applications are available for performance on those user local devices upon the occurrence of the triggering event.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the triggering event is the broadcast of an audio or video program, and wherein the plurality of voice applications are configured to be performed for the users when the audio or video program is broadcast.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of voice applications are configured to interact with the plurality of users and to receive information provided by the plurality of users, the method further comprising collecting the information provided by the plurality of users from the plurality of voice applications.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising reporting the information collected from the plurality of users via the plurality of voice applications.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the causing step comprises causing the plurality of voice applications to be stored, at least in part, only on respective user local devices that are operated by users having at least one predetermined characteristic in common.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the facilitating step comprises facilitating the generation of a plurality of voice applications that are customized based on characteristics of the users to which the voice applications are to be performed.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the causing step comprises causing the plurality of voice applications to be stored, at least in part, on the plurality of user local devices such that the voice applications can be performed substantially simultaneously on the plurality of user local devices.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the causing step comprises causing the plurality of voice applications to be stored, at least in part, on the plurality of user local devices such that the plurality of voice applications all can be performed during a predetermined period of time.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the triggering event is the broadcast of an audio or video program, and wherein the facilitating step comprises facilitating the generation of a plurality of voice applications that can only be performed on user local devices while the audio or video program is being broadcast.

10. A method of communicating with a plurality of users who are connected to a distributed voice application execution system via a digital data connection, comprising:

facilitating the generation of a plurality of voice applications designed to be performed on a corresponding plurality of user local devices and which are configured to communicate with the users of those local devices, wherein each of the plurality of voice applications is customized based on at least one characteristic of the user to whom the voice application will be performed, and where each of the plurality of voice applications is configured to communicate the same information to the users or to request that the users provide the same information;

causing the plurality of generated voice applications to be stored, at least in part, on the plurality of user local devices upon an occurrence of a triggering event such that the plurality of voice applications are available for performance to the users of those local devices after the triggering event has occurred.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the facilitating step comprises facilitating the generation of a plurality of voice applications that are each configured to communicate with a user in the language that the user speaks.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the facilitating step comprises facilitating the generation of a plurality of voice applications that are each configured to communicate with a user who is located in a different geographical location.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the facilitating step comprises facilitating the generation a plurality of voice applications that are customized for users having at least one common characteristic.

14. A system for communicating with a plurality of users who are connected to a distributed voice application execution system via a digital data connection, comprising:

means for facilitating generation of a plurality of voice applications that are designed to be performed on a corresponding plurality of user local devices that are operated by a plurality of users, the voice applications being configured to communicate with those users, wherein each of the voice applications are customized for a particular user in some fashion, and wherein the voice applications are configured to be performed for the users upon an occurrence of a triggering event; and

causing the plurality of generated voice applications to be stored, at least in part, no the plurality of respective user local devices so that the voice applications are available for performance on those user local device upon the occurrence of the triggering event.

15. A system for communicating with a plurality of users who are connected to a distributed voice application execution system via a digital data connection, comprising:

a voice application generation unit that facilitates the generation of a plurality of voice applications that are designed to be performed on a corresponding plurality of user local devices that are operated by a plurality of users, the voice applications being configured to communicate with those users, wherein each of the voice applications is customized for a particular user in some fashion, and wherein the voice applications are configured to be performed for the users upon the occurrence of a triggering event; and

a voice application transmission unit that causes the plurality of generated voice applications to be stored, at least in part, on the plurality of respective user local devices so that the voice applications are available for performance on those user local devices upon the occurrence of the triggering event.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the voice application generation unit facilitates the generation of a plurality of voice applications that are configured to interact with the plurality of users and to receive information provided by the plurality of users, and wherein the system further comprises a data collection unit that is configured to collect information provided by the plurality of users from the plurality of voice applications.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a reporting unit that reports the information collected from the plurality of users via the plurality of voice applications by the data collection unit.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the voice application generation unit facilitates the generation of a plurality of voice applications that are each customized based on at least one characteristic of the user to whom the voice application will be performed.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the voice application generation unit facilitates the generation of a plurality of voice applications that are each configured to be performed by a voice applications agent on a user's local device.