METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AND PROVIDING A SHORTCUT

1 . A media player appliance comprising:

a video output configured to connect to a display unit; and

a controller configured to access a selected folder, the controller further configured to:

receive one or more display preference settings for the selected folder;

receive a request to generate a shortcut for the selected folder;

generate the shortcut for the selected folder based on the one or more display preference settings in response to receiving the request to generate the shortcut for the selected folder; and

provide the shortcut on the display unit using the video output.

2 . The media player appliance of claim 1 further comprising memory connected to the controller and configured to store the shortcut.

3 . The media player appliance of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to provide the shortcut on a home screen user interface using the video output.

4 . The media player appliance of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to provide contents of the selected folder using the one or more display preference settings in response to receiving the one or more display preference settings.

5 . The media player appliance of claim 1 wherein the display preference settings further comprise at least one of a sort setting, a filter setting, or a browse setting.

6 . The media player appliance of claim 1 wherein the selected folder comprises at least one of a photo folder, a video folder, or a music folder.

7 . The media player appliance of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a selection of the shortcut; and

provide contents of the selected folder based on the one or more display preference settings in response to receiving the selection of the shortcut.

8 . The media player appliance of claim 7 wherein the contents of the selected folder further comprises metadata and the controller is configured to provide the contents of the selected folder based on the one or more display preference settings using the metadata of the contents of the selected folder.

9 . The media player appliance of claim 1 further comprising a communications interface configured to be connected to a content provider and provide access to the content provider for the controller, wherein the selected folder is located on the content provider.

10 . The media player appliance of claim 9 wherein the communications interface is further configured to be connected to a network, and the content provider is connected to the network.

11 . The media player appliance of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to receive the one or more display preference settings, and receive the request to generate the shortcut for the selected folder from a limited-input control device.

12 . The media player appliance of claim 1 wherein the media player appliance comprises a limited-input control device, and wherein the controller is further configured to receive the one or more display preference settings, and receive the request to generate the shortcut for the selected folder from the limited-input control device.

13 . The media player appliance of claim 1 wherein the display unit comprises a television.

14 . A method for generating and providing a shortcut comprising:

receiving one or more display preference settings for a selected folder at a controller in a media player appliance;

receiving a request to generate a shortcut for the selected folder at the controller;

generating the shortcut for the selected folder based on the one or more display preference settings using the controller in response to receiving the request to generate the shortcut for the selected folder; and

providing the shortcut on a display unit using a video output in the media player appliance, wherein the video output is connected to the display unit.

15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising storing the shortcut at memory connected to the controller.

16 . The method of claim 14 further comprising providing the shortcut on a home screen user interface using the video output.

17 . The method of claim 14 further comprising providing contents of the selected folder using the one or more display preference settings in response to receiving the one or more display preference settings.

18 . The method of claim 14 wherein the display preference settings further comprise at least one of a sort setting, a filter setting, or a browse setting.

19 . The method of claim 14 wherein the selected folder comprises at least one of a photo folder, a video folder, or a music folder.

20 . The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving a selection of the shortcut at the controller; and

providing contents of the selected folder based on the one or more display preference settings in response to receiving the selection of the shortcut.

21 . The method of claim 20 wherein the contents of the selected folder further comprises metadata.

22 . The method of claim 21 further comprising providing the contents of the selected folder based on the one or more display preference settings using the metadata of the contents of the selected folder.

23 . The method of claim 14 further comprising accessing a content provider using a communications interface in the media player appliance, wherein the selected folder is located on the content provider.

24 . The method of claim 23 further comprising connecting to a network using the communications interface, wherein the content provider is connected to the network.

25 . The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving the one or more display preference settings, and receiving the request to generate the shortcut for the selected folder from a limited-input control device.

26 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by a processor cause a media player appliance to generate and provide a shortcut by at least:

receiving one or more display preference settings for a selected folder at a controller in a media player appliance;

receiving a request to generate a shortcut for the selected folder at the controller;

generating the shortcut for the selected folder based on the one or more display preference settings using the controller in response to receiving the request to generate the shortcut for the selected folder; and

providing the shortcut on a display unit using a video output in the media player appliance, wherein the video output is connected to the display unit.

27 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 26 wherein the instructions further cause the media player appliance to generate and provide the shortcut by at least providing contents of the selected folder using the one or more display preference settings in response to receiving the one or more display preference settings.