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Apparatus useful for obtaining and displaying information. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a network interface, display device, and speech recognition apparatus configured to receive user speech input and enable performance of various tasks via a remote entity, such as download of digital

Apparatus useful for obtaining and displaying information. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a network interface, display device, and speech recognition apparatus configured to receive user speech input and enable performance of various tasks via a remote entity, such as download of digital music such as MP3s. The downloaded may also, in one variant, be transmitted to a personal user device, such as via a wireless interface.

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1. A computerized information and display apparatus, comprising: a network interface;a processing apparatus in data communication with the network interface;a display device;a short-range wireless interface in data communication with the processing apparatus and configured to receive inputs from a w

1. A computerized information and display apparatus, comprising: a network interface;a processing apparatus in data communication with the network interface;a display device;a short-range wireless interface in data communication with the processing apparatus and configured to receive inputs from a wireless-enabled portable device; anda storage apparatus comprising at least one computer program, said at least one program being configured to, when executed: obtain digitized speech signals generated based on speech received from the user, the speech relating to a desired purchase transaction which the user wishes to perform; andcause, based at least in part on the digitized speech, access of a remote network entity to cause performance of the desired purchase transaction. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computerized information apparatus is further configured to receive at least a portion of information obtained via the access of the remote network entity via the network interface for display on the display device. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the desired purchase transaction comprises purchasing information or services on-demand in exchange for consideration. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the desired transaction comprises purchase of MP3 or music downloads. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the purchase of MP3 or music downloads is performed using payment account information stored on a networked database accessible to the remote network entity. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the purchase of MP3 or music downloads is performed at least in part using pre-established account information. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable device comprises a touch-screen display and input device having a plurality of soft function keys rendered thereon, the soft function keys being configured to generate the inputs. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network interface comprises a wireless interface compliant with an IEEE 802.11 WLAN standard, and the short-range wireless interface comprises a Bluetooth wireless interface. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network interface comprises a wireless interface compliant with an IEEE 802.11 WLAN standard, and the short-range wireless interface comprises a radio-frequency identification based interface. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising audio-visual data apparatus in data communication with the processing apparatus and configured to enable audio and visual data exchange between a user of the computerized information and display apparatus and a remote entity using at least the display device and the network interface. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the audio-visual data apparatus comprises a software suite configured to packetize said audio and visual data. 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the audio-visual data apparatus comprises software configured for peer-to-peer exchange of the audio and visual data with another apparatus via a network. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises software configured for peer-to-peer exchange of audio and visual data with another apparatus of another user via the network interface. 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a touch-screen display and input device having a plurality of soft function keys rendered thereon, the soft function keys being configured to generate one or more inputs. 15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises one of an LED-based display device or a thin-film transistor (TFT)-based display device. 16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digitized speech comprises a term relating to a particular website or universal resource locator (URL), and the computerized information and display apparatus is further configured to cause an applet or browser mechanism to be instantiated on the display device as part of the desired transaction. 17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises one of a plurality of similar apparatus each disposed in a different location yet substantially within a common premises, yet in data communication with one another. 18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises voice-over-IP (VoIP) software configured for exchange of audio data with another apparatus of another user via the network interface and an internetwork in communication therewith. 19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises software configured for conversion of digital data to audible speech signals. 20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises a cellular wireless interface for communication with a cellular network. 21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises software configured for establishment of a session with a remote apparatus according to the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). 22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the short-range wireless interface comprises an infrared data interface. 23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer program comprises a client portion of a client-server distributed application. 24. A computerized information and display apparatus, comprising: a wireless network interface compliant with an IEEE 802.11 standard and configured to interface with a wireless LAN (WLAN);a processing apparatus in data communication with the wireless network interface;a display device;a short-range wireless interface in data communication with the processing apparatus and configured to receive inputs from a wireless-enabled portable device;an audio-visual data apparatus in data communication with the processing apparatus and configured to enable audio and visual data exchange between a user of the computerized information and display apparatus and a remote entity using at least the display device and the wireless network interface; anda storage apparatus comprising at least one computer program, said at least one program being configured to, when executed: obtain digitized speech generated based on speech received from the user, the digitized speech relating to a desired action which the user wishes to perforin; andcause, based at least in part on the digitized speech, access of a remote network entity to cause performance of the desired action. 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the computerized information apparatus is further configured to receive at least a portion of information obtained via the access of the remote network entity via the wireless network interface for display on the display device. 26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the desired action comprises obtaining information or services on-demand. 27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the desired action comprises purchase of MP3 or music downloads. 28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the purchase of MP3 or music downloads is performed using payment account information stored on a networked database accessible to the remote network entity. 29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the purchase of MP3 or music downloads is performed at least in part using pre-established account information. 30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the portable device comprises a touch-screen display and input device having a plurality of soft function keys rendered thereon, the soft function keys being configured to generate the inputs. 31. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the short-range wireless interface comprises a Bluetooth wireless interface. 32. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the short-range wireless interface comprises a radio-frequency identification based interface. 33. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the audio-visual data apparatus comprises a software suite configured to packetize said audio and visual data. 34. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the audio-visual data apparatus comprises software configured for peer-to-peer exchange of the audio and visual data with another apparatus via a network. 35. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises software configured for peer-to-peer exchange of audio and visual data with another apparatus of another user via the wireless network interface. 36. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the display device comprises a touch-screen display and input device having a plurality of soft function keys rendered thereon, the soft function keys being configured to generate one or more inputs. 37. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the display device comprises an LED-based display device. 38. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the digitized speech comprises a term relating to a particular website or universal resource locator (URL), and the computerized information and display apparatus is further configured to cause an applet or browser mechanism to be instantiated on the display device as part of the desired action. 39. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the apparatus comprises one of a plurality of similar apparatus each disposed in a different location yet substantially within a common premises, yet in data communication with one another. 40. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises voice-over-IP (VoIP) software configured for exchange of audio data with another apparatus of another user via the network interface and an internetwork in communication therewith. 41. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises software configured for conversion of digital data to audible speech signals. 42. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises a cellular wireless interface for communication with a cellular network. 43. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises software configured for establishment of a session with a remote apparatus according to the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). 44. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the short-range wireless interface comprises an infrared data interface. 45. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the at least one computer program comprises a client portion of a client-server distributed application. 46. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the computerized information and display apparatus comprises a substantially stand-alone mobile device. 47. A computerized information and display apparatus, comprising: a network interface;a processing apparatus in data communication with the network interface;a display device;a wireless interface in data communication with the processing apparatus and configured to communicate data with a wireless-enabled portable user device; anda storage apparatus comprising at least one computer program, said at least one program being configured to, when executed: generate digitized speech based on speech received from the user, the digitized speech relating to a desired transaction which the user wishes to perform; andcause, based at least in part on the digitized speech, access of a remote entity via the network interface and an internet to cause performance of the desired transaction;wherein the computerized information apparatus is further configured to receive at least a portion of information obtained via the access of the remote network entity via the network interface for provision to the wireless-enabled portable user device via the wireless interface. 48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the desired transaction comprises obtaining the information on-demand. 49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the desired transaction comprises purchase of MP3 or music downloads. 50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the purchase of MP3 or music downloads is performed using payment account information stored on a networked database accessible to the remote network entity. 51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the purchase of MP3 or music downloads is performed at least in part using pre-established account information. 52. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the computerized information and display apparatus comprises a mobile device having a substantially stand-alone form factor. 53. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the portable device comprises a touch-screen display and input device having a plurality of soft function keys rendered thereon, the soft function keys being configured to cause the provision of the information to the portable device. 54. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the network interface comprises an interface compliant with an IEEE 802.11 WLAN standard, and the wireless interface comprises a Bluetooth wireless interface. 55. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the network interface comprises an interface compliant with an IEEE 802.11 WLAN standard, and the wireless interface comprises a radio-frequency identification based interface. 56. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising audio-visual data apparatus in data communication with the processing apparatus and configured to enable audio and visual data exchange between a user of the computerized information and display apparatus and a remote entity using at least the display device and the network interface. 57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the audio-visual data apparatus comprises a software suite configured to packetize said audio and visual data. 58. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the audio-visual data apparatus comprises software configured for peer-to-peer exchange of the audio and visual data with another apparatus via the network interface. 59. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises software configured for peer-to-peer exchange of audio and visual data with another apparatus of another user via the network interface. 60. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the display device comprises a touch-screen display and input device having a plurality of soft function keys rendered thereon, the soft function keys being configured to generate one or more inputs. 61. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the display device comprises one of an LED-based display device or a thin-film transistor (TFT)-based display device. 62. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the digitized speech comprises a term relating to a particular website or universal resource locator (URL), and the computerized information and display apparatus is further configured to cause an applet or browser mechanism to be instantiated on the display device as part of the desired transaction. 63. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the digitized speech comprises a term relating to a particular website or universal resource locator (URL), and the computerized information and display apparatus is further configured to cause an applet or browser mechanism to be instantiated on a display device of the portable user device via at least the wireless interface as part of the desired transaction. 64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the apparatus comprises one of a plurality of similar apparatus each disposed in a different location yet substantially within a common premises, yet in data communication with one another. 65. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises voice-over-IP (VoIP) software configured for exchange of audio data with another apparatus of another user via the network interface and a TCP/IP enabled internetwork in communication therewith. 66. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises software configured for conversion of digital data to audible speech signals audible by a user thereof. 67. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises a cellular wireless interface for communication with a cellular network. 68. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the information and display apparatus further comprises software configured for establishment of a session with a remote apparatus according to the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). 69. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the short-range wireless interface comprises an infrared data interface. 70. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the at least one computer program comprises a client portion of a client-server distributed application.