Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program and information processing system
An information processing apparatus receives a user selection of content to be reproduced by an external device connected to the information processing apparatus. A request to reproduce the user selected content is sent to the external device. Information indicating whether the external device has started reproducing the selected content is received from the external device. In response to the external device having started reproduction of the selected content, a thumbnail image is reproduced that corresponds to the content being reproduced by the external device.
1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
an input interface configured to receive a user operation;
a communication interface to connect to a network; and
circuitry configured to control:
acquiring content information related to contents managed by a server via the network, wherein the content information includes a thumbnail corresponding to at least one of the contents;
generating a content list of contents viewable at the information processing apparatus based on the content information;
transmitting, to the server, in response to a user selection of the information processing apparatus from a list of candidate reproduction devices including the information processing apparatus and at least one other device capable of reproducing a first content, a request to reproduce the first content based on user selection of the first content received via the input interface;
reproducing the first content in a form of streaming from the server;
displaying, on a screen displaying video of the first content, information of the at least one other device capable of reproducing the first content to switch a reproduction device to the at least one other device while the first content is being reproduced, the information of the at least one other device comprising an icon indicative of the at least one other device;
transmitting, to the server, a request to reproduce the first content at a selected device of the at least one other device based on user selection of the selected device received via the input interface; and
displaying, when the reproduction of the first content by the selected device is started, a thumbnail image corresponding to the first content and metadata corresponding to the first content, the metadata comprising a genre.
2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to control transmitting, to the server, information indicating a reproducing point of the first content to cause the first content to be reproduced at the selected device according to the reproducing point.
3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to control, in response to a user operation carried out while the selected device reproduces the first content, displaying a window identifying the selected device.
4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to control displaying an icon of the selected device, and wherein the icon is displayed in a window.
5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein information about the selected device which reproduces the first content is displayed with the thumbnail image while the selected device reproduces the first content.
6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the content list includes information indicating content category and a plurality of contents, the plurality of contents being arranged based on respective timings at which the plurality of contents were generated, and wherein the contents in the list are scrollable.
7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to control
acquiring the thumbnail image and the metadata corresponding to the first content being reproduced by the selected device, and
reproducing the thumbnail image and the metadata while the selected device reproduces the first content.
8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to control displaying a command window including a command to reproduce the first content by the selected device.
9. An information processing method comprising:
controlling, by a processing device at an apparatus,
acquiring content information related to contents managed by a server via the network, wherein the content information includes a thumbnail corresponding to at least one of the contents;
generating a content list of contents viewable at the apparatus based on the content information;
transmitting, to the server, in response to a user selection of the apparatus from a list of candidate reproduction devices including the apparatus and at least one other device capable of reproducing a first content, a request to reproduce the first content based on user selection of the first content;
reproducing the first content in a form of streaming from the server;
displaying, on a screen displaying video of the first content, information of the at least one other device capable of reproducing the first content to switch a reproduction device to the at least one other device while the first content is being reproduced, the information of the at least one other device comprising an icon indicative of the at least one other device;
transmitting, to the server, a request to reproduce the first content at a selected device of the at least one other device based on user selection of the selected device; and
displaying, when the reproduction of the first content by the selected device is started, a thumbnail image corresponding to the first content and metadata corresponding to the first content, the metadata comprising a genre.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
controlling, by the processing device, transmitting, to the server, information indicating a reproducing point of the first content to cause the first content to be reproduced at the selected device according to the reproducing point.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
controlling, by the processing device, in response to a user operation carried out while the selected device reproduces the first content, displaying a window identifying the selected device.
12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
controlling, by the processing device, displaying an icon of the selected device, wherein the icon is displayed in a window.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein information about the selected device which reproduces the first content is displayed with the thumbnail image while the selected device reproduces the first content.
14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the content list includes information indicating content category and a plurality of contents, the plurality of contents being arranged based on respective timings at which the plurality of contents were generated, and wherein the contents in the list are scrollable.
15. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
controlling, by the processing device,
acquiring the thumbnail image and the metadata corresponding to the first content being reproduced by the selected device, and
reproducing the thumbnail image and the metadata while the selected device reproduces the first content.
16. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
controlling, by the processing device, displaying a command window including a command to reproduce the first content by the selected device.
17. A non-transitory recording medium configured to store a program executable by a computer, the program comprising:
receiving a user operation;
connecting to a network;
acquiring content information related to contents managed by a server via the network, wherein the content information includes a thumbnail corresponding to at least one of the contents;
generating a content list of contents viewable at an information processing apparatus based on the content information;
transmitting, to the server, in response to a user selection of the information processing apparatus from a list of candidate reproduction devices including the information processing apparatus and at least one other device capable of reproducing a first content, a request to reproduce the first content based on user selection of the first content;
reproducing the first content in a form of streaming from the server;
displaying, on a screen displaying the first content, information of the at least one other device capable of reproducing the first content to switch a reproduction device to the at least one other device while the first content is being reproduced, the information of the at least one other device comprising an icon indicative of the at least one other device;
transmitting, to the server, a request to reproduce the first content at a selected device of the at least one other device based on user selection of the selected device; and
displaying, when the reproduction of the first content by the selected device is started, a thumbnail image corresponding to the first content and metadata corresponding to the first content, the metadata comprising a genre.