Patent ID: 8050652

Claim:
An electronic device comprising: a) a network interface enabling the electronic device to receive an Internet radio broadcast and being further adapted to communicatively couple the electronic device to a central system; b) a system enabling playback of audio content from a playlist assigned to the electronic device via the central system; and c) a control system associated with the network interface and the system enabling playback of the audio content indicated by the playlist, and adapted to: i) enable a user of the electronic device to select a desired mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation comprising an Internet radio mode of operation and a playlist mode of operation; ii) receive and play the Internet radio broadcast when the desired mode of operation is the Internet radio mode of operation; and iii) when the desired mode of operation is the playlist mode of operation: receive the playlist assigned to the electronic device from the central system, the playlist identifying a plurality of songs, wherein ones of the plurality of songs are not stored on the electronic device; receive information from the central system enabling the electronic device to obtain the ones of the plurality of songs from at least one remote source; obtain the ones of the plurality of songs from the at least one remote source; and play the audio content indicated by the playlist.