A communications system consisting of a server system that stores software applications,
a broadcast system that broadcasts the software applications, and a multiplicity
of portable clients that each include a receiver having a tuner that is selectively
tunable to receive a selected one of the software applications broadcasted by the
broadcast system. The portable clients can be any type of portable data communications
device, such as a hand-held, palm-top, or notebook computing device, a PDA, an
intelligent cellular phone, or any other personal multimedia appliance or Network
Computer (NC). The broadcast system can be any suitable satellite or terrestrial
air or cable broadcast system. The software applications can consist of a broad
spectrum of different software applications, such as word processing, video games,
spreadsheets, address books, calendars, and the like. Each of the portable data
communications devices includes a receiver that has a tuner that is selectively
tunable to receive a selected one of a plurality of software applications broadcasted
by a broadcast system, a user-interface that enables a user to select one of the
broadcasted software applications for downloading, a processor for executing the
downloaded software applications, and a modem for establishing a two-way communications
link with a network control system. The two-way communications link includes a
forward channel over which the portable data communication device can transmit
client data to the network control system, and a return channel over which the
network control system can transmit system data to the portable data communication
device. The client data can include requests for unrecoverable software application
data and client software download request data.
