Customizing user interfaces

1. A method comprising:

receiving a user identifier of a user to whom a user interface will be provided, the user interface including a toolbar having a plurality of toolbar controls;

identifying one or more characteristics of the user using the received user identifier, the one or more characteristics comprising one or more of an age, a maturity, a category of interest, or a characteristic determined or inferred based upon one or more actions of the user;

automatically customizing, using at least one processor, the user interface by adding a first toolbar control to the menu toolbar of the user interface as a toolbar button if the one or more characteristics includes a first characteristic, the toolbar button being directly selectable from the toolbar and providing access to a service, an application, a webpage, or content when selected; and

automatically customizing, using the at least one processor, the user interface to include the first toolbar control as a menu choice in a drop-down menu of the user interface if the one or more characteristics includes a second characteristic, the menu choice being selectable upon selection of the drop-down menu.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first and second characteristics are mutually exclusive.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising using the user identifier to access a user profile associated with the user to determine the one or more characteristics of the user.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the one or more actions of the user comprise frequently accessing or requesting content or services.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the user is a category of interest related to the content or the services.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the first toolbar control provides access to content that relates to the category of interest.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising monitoring the one or more actions of the user to detect the one or more characteristics of the user.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the one or more actions comprise opening of an application.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the drop-down menu is visible when the user interface is in a default configuration.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the drop-down menu is hidden when the user interface is in the default configuration.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the drop-down menu is in another drop-down menu.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the toolbar button is visible while the toolbar is being displayed.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the toolbar button comprises one or more links to content.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the one or more links to content provide access to one or more websites.

15. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the toolbar button opens an application when selected.

16. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the toolbar button opens a web browser when selected.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving a user identifier of a user to whom a user interface will be provided, the user interface including a toolbar having a plurality of toolbar controls;

identifying one or more characteristics of the user using the received user identifier, the one or more characteristics comprising one or more of an age, a maturity, a category of interest, or a characteristic determined or inferred based upon one or more actions of the user;

automatically customizing the user interface by adding a first toolbar control to the menu toolbar of the user interface as a toolbar button if the one or more characteristics includes a first characteristic, the toolbar button being directly selectable from the toolbar and providing access to a service, an application, a webpage, or content when selected; and

automatically customizing the user interface to include the first toolbar control as a menu choice in a drop-down menu of the user interface if the one or more characteristics includes a second characteristic, the menu choice being selectable upon selection of the drop-down menu.

18. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 17 , wherein the drop-down menu is visible when the user interface is in a default configuration.

19. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 17 , wherein the drop-down menu is hidden when the user interface is in a default configuration.

20. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18 , wherein the drop-down menu is in a drop down menu.

21. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18 , wherein the toolbar button remains visible while the toolbar is being displayed.

22. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to use the user identifier to access a user profile associated with the user to determine the one or more characteristics of the user.

23. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 22 , wherein the one or more actions of the user comprise frequently accessing or requesting content or services.

24. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 23 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the user is a category of interest related to the content or the services.

25. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 24 , wherein the first toolbar control provides access to content that relates to the category of interest.

26. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 25 , wherein the content comprises one or more links.

27. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 26 , wherein the one or more links provide access to one or more websites.

28. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to monitor the one or more actions of the user to detect the one or more characteristics of the user.

29. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 28 , wherein the one or more actions comprise opening of an application.

30. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18 , wherein the toolbar button opens an application when selected.

31. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18 , wherein the toolbar button opens a web browser when selected.

32. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to:

receive a user identifier of a user to whom a user interface will be provided, the user interface including a toolbar having a plurality of toolbar controls;

identify one or more characteristics of the user using the received user identifier, the one or more characteristics comprising one or more of an age, a maturity, a category of interest, or a characteristic determined or inferred based upon one or more actions of the user;

automatically customize the user interface by adding a first toolbar control to the menu toolbar of the user interface as a toolbar button if the one or more characteristics includes a first characteristic, the toolbar button being directly selectable from the toolbar and providing access to a service, an application, a webpage, or content when selected; and

automatically customize the user interface to include the first toolbar control as a menu choice in a drop-down menu of the user interface if the one or more characteristics includes a second characteristic, the menu choice being selectable upon selection of the drop-down menu.

33. The system as recited in claim 32 , wherein the first and second characteristics are mutually exclusive.

34. The system as recited in claim 32 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to use the user identifier to access a user profile associated with the user to determine the one or more characteristics of the user.

35. The system as recited in claim 34 , wherein the one or more actions of the user comprise frequently accessing or requesting content or services.

36. The system as recited in claim 35 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the user is a category of interest related to the content or the services.

37. The system as recited in claim 36 , wherein the first toolbar control provides access to content that relates to the category of interest.

38. The system as recited in claim 32 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to monitor the one or more actions of the user to detect the one or more characteristics of the user.

39. The system as recited in claim 38 , wherein the one or more actions comprise opening of an application.

40. The system as recited in claim 32 , wherein the drop-down menu is visible when the user interface is in a default configuration.

41. The system as recited in claim 32 , wherein the drop-down menu is hidden when the user interface is in a default configuration.

42. The system as recited in claim 41 , wherein the drop-down menu is a choice in a drop down menu.

43. The system as recited in claim 32 , wherein the toolbar button comprises one or more links to content.

44. The system as recited in claim 43 , wherein the one or more links to content provide access to one or more websites.

45. The system as recited in claim 32 , wherein the toolbar button opens an application when selected.

46. The system as recited in claim 32 , wherein the toolbar button opens a web browser when selected.