1. One or more tangible machine-readable mediums storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed, cause: a BIOS, executing on a machine, providing a pre-boot operating environment that displays one or more advertisements while the BIOS loads an operating system on the machine; the BIOS, during the loading of the operating system, receiving input from a user that indicates interest in an item in the one or more advertisements; the BIOS storing bookmark data to evidence that the user sent the input for the item; after loading the operating system, consulting the bookmark data and providing an interface to allow the user to purchase or license the item; the BIOS communicating with an external server over a wireless network to determine if an update to the one or more advertisements is available; and upon the BIOS determining that the update to the one or more advertisements is available, the BIOS receiving, over the wireless network, the update to the one or more advertisements.