Example techniques may involve managing playback of media content by a playback device. In an example implementation, a playback device receives, via the network interface from a control device of the media playback system, an instruction to queue a container of audio tracks into a queue for playback by the playback device, wherein the container of audio tracks and consists of: (a) an album, (b) a playlist, or (c) an internet radio station. While the playback device is playing back the queue and before each audio track of the playlist is played back, the playback device determines whether the respective audio track is associated with a negative preference. If the respective audio track is associated with the negative preference, the playback device advances playback over the respective audio track to the next audio track within the queue.

Example techniques may involve managing playback of media content by a playback device. In an example implementation, a playback device receives, via the network interface from a control device of the media playback system, an instruction to queue a container of audio tracks into a queue for playback by the playback device, wherein the container of audio tracks and consists of: (a) an album, (b) a playlist, or (c) an internet radio station. While the playback device is playing back the queue and before each audio track of the playlist is played back, the playback device determines whether the respective audio track is associated with a negative preference. If the respective audio track is associated with the negative preference, the playback device advances playback over the respective audio track to the next audio track within the queue.

Methods and apparatus to audio watermarking and watermark detection and extracted are described herein. Disclosed example methods to decode a watermark from an audio signal include averaging a second sequence of audio samples stored in a buffer with a first sequence of audio samples stored in the buffer to determine an averaged sequence of audio samples, the second sequence of audio samples being related to the first sequence of audio samples based on a repetition period associated with watermark data of the watermark to be decoded. Disclosed example methods also include determining whether to enable a stacker. Disclosed example methods further include, in response to the stacker being enabled, decoding the watermark from the averaged sequence of audio samples, and in response to the stacker being disabled, decoding the watermark from the first sequence of audio samples.

Methods and apparatus to audio watermarking and watermark detection and extracted are described herein. Disclosed example methods to decode a watermark from an audio signal include averaging a second sequence of audio samples stored in a buffer with a first sequence of audio samples stored in the buffer to determine an averaged sequence of audio samples, the second sequence of audio samples being related to the first sequence of audio samples based on a repetition period associated with watermark data of the watermark to be decoded. Disclosed example methods also include determining whether to enable a stacker. Disclosed example methods further include, in response to the stacker being enabled, decoding the watermark from the averaged sequence of audio samples, and in response to the stacker being disabled, decoding the watermark from the first sequence of audio samples.

A data object has a lock and a condition indicator associated with it. Based at least partly on detecting a first setting of the condition indicator, a reader stores an indication that the reader has obtained read access to the data object in an element of a readers structure and reads the data object without acquiring the lock. A writer detects the first setting and replaces it with a second setting, indicating that the lock is to be acquired by readers before reading the data object. Prior to performing a write on the data object, the writer verifies that one or more elements of the readers structure have been cleared.

Systems and methods are disclosed for phase locking of a clock. In some embodiments, a phase locked clock (PLC) module can phase-lock a write clock to a media written with multiple servo zones of different frequencies. In some implementations, this can be utilized to perform a self-servo write (SSW) of a disc surface within a hard disc drive (HDD). A PLC module can perform a method of writing with a single frequency phase coherently while a read element passes over servo zones with different frequencies. While the PLC module can perform such methods for a SSW process, the methods can also be utilized for other applications that can benefit from writing with a single frequency phase coherently based on servo zones with different frequencies.

Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for managing audio files of a user to reduce latencies in play start times on local devices. The audio files are stored on cloud storage managed by a server. One method includes processing a plurality of audio files associated with a user, where the processing is configured to create audio snippet files from each of the plurality of audio files. The audio snippet files representing a beginning part of each of the plurality of audio files. The method also includes transmitting the audio snippet files to a client device and detecting a request from the client to begin playing a first audio file from the plurality of audio files of the user. The first audio file being stored on the cloud storage managed by the server.

Holographic data storage system and method are disclosed. The holographic data storage system includes an encoder configured to convert input data into a codeword, a storage unit configured to store the converted codeword, and a decoder configured to convert the stored codeword into output data. Here, the encoder converts the input data having 8 bits into the codeword in (5×2) matrix.

A system for optimizing communication between civilians and authorities. The system enables optimal routing of message delivery from civilians to different dispatchers. The system enables adaptive optimization of the delivery of such messages by continuously identifying data collected by an agent installed on a user device. The messages typically comprise one or more portions, such as data, call, multimedia, etc. The system further identifies the communication target to which the message is sent. The system then determines an optimal route for sending each of the portions of the message. According to an embodiment, the determination may further be made based on metadata associated with the location of the user device. Then, each portion of the message is sent to the communication target via the optimal route.

A system for optimizing communication between civilians and authorities. The system enables optimal routing of message delivery from civilians to different dispatchers. The system enables adaptive optimization of the delivery of such messages by continuously identifying data collected by an agent installed on a user device. The messages typically comprise one or more portions, such as data, call, multimedia, etc. The system further identifies the communication target to which the message is sent. The system then determines an optimal route for sending each of the portions of the message. According to an embodiment, the determination may further be made based on metadata associated with the location of the user device. Then, each portion of the message is sent to the communication target via the optimal route.