A system for varying the playback speed of synchronized content comprising: a data store that stores content synchronization information including data related to a synchronous presentation of a visual content and a sequential content, wherein the sequential content includes content that can be output in a sequential manner; and a processor in communication with the data store, the processor operative to: maintain, based at least in part on the synchronization information, synchronization of a position within the visual content being output with an associated position of the sequential content being output, wherein the associated position of the sequential content advances during output of the sequential content; obtain, from an input device, a location of a pointer to the visual content being output; obtain an advancing position in the visual content corresponding to an advancing position in the sequential content during output; determine a distance between the location of the pointer to the visual content and the advancing position in the visual content; and increase or decrease a speed at which the sequential content is output based at least in part on the distance between the location of the pointer to the visual content and the advancing position in the visual content. a data store that stores content synchronization information including data related to a synchronous presentation of a visual content and a sequential content, wherein the sequential content includes content that can be output in a sequential manner; and a processor in communication with the data store, the processor operative to: maintain, based at least in part on the synchronization information, synchronization of a position within the visual content being output with an associated position of the sequential content being output, wherein the associated position of the sequential content advances during output of the sequential content; obtain, from an input device, a location of a pointer to the visual content being output; obtain an advancing position in the visual content corresponding to an advancing position in the sequential content during output; determine a distance between the location of the pointer to the visual content and the advancing position in the visual content; and increase or decrease a speed at which the sequential content is output based at least in part on the distance between the location of the pointer to the visual content and the advancing position in the visual content. maintain, based at least in part on the synchronization information, synchronization of a position within the visual content being output with an associated position of the sequential content being output, wherein the associated position of the sequential content advances during output of the sequential content; obtain, from an input device, a location of a pointer to the visual content being output; obtain an advancing position in the visual content corresponding to an advancing position in the sequential content during output; determine a distance between the location of the pointer to the visual content and the advancing position in the visual content; and increase or decrease a speed at which the sequential content is output based at least in part on the distance between the location of the pointer to the visual content and the advancing position in the visual content.