A method and apparatus are disclosed for distributing content items to a handheld device using a personal computer. A user can browse and select content using a personal computer or other computer that may be more readily available or more convenient to use than the handheld device. The personal computer can communicate with a web server which receives the user's request for content to be distributed to the handheld device. The web server can retrieve configuration information pertaining to the handheld device and communicate with a content server to determine whether the user's request for content distribution is valid based on information identifying the handheld device and at least some of the configuration information pertaining to the handheld device. The content server can transmit the requested content item to the handheld device if the user's request is valid and if the handheld device is able to receive the content item.