A method of providing a ubiquitous navigation and program guide user interface that is common across a heterogeneous multitude of digital media devices. A navbar user interface persistently displays across a topmost portion of a display for each of the heterogeneous multitude of digital media devices when the digital media device is operating in a mode other than a full screen display of digital media content. The navbar user interface presents a limited set of icons associated with a navigation and media guide user interface for different kinds of digital media content and device operations that are common across the heterogeneous multitude of digital media devices. The navbar user interface is operated in a scrolling manner to display and select a navigation and media guide interface for a desired one of the different kinds of digital media content and device operations by selecting an associated one of the limited set of icons. Upon selection of the desired kind of digital media content, the navigation and media guide interface for the desired one of the different kinds of digital media content is displayed in a grid format that is consistent across the heterogeneous multitude of digital media devices.