Example techniques may involve a playback device modifying its playback configuration when the playback device is placed onto a device base. In an example implementation, the playback device may receive, via an 802.15-compatible radio of one or more network interfaces, one or more packets comprising data representing an identifier of the first device base. After receipt of the one or more packets, the playback device queries a database for state information corresponding to the identifier of the first device base and modifies a playback configuration of the playback device from a first configuration to a second configuration based on the queried state information corresponding to the identifier of the first device base.

Acoustic waveguides can be used to improve audio performance of playback devices, such as a soundbar. Such a playback device can include an elongated body defining an outer perimeter with a forward surface, an upper surface, and a rounded edge between the forward surface and the upper surface. An up-firing transducer is configured to direct sound along an axis that has a vertical oblique angle with respect to a forward axis. A waveguide in fluid communication with the up-firing transducer includes a sidewall extending circumferentially around the transducer, the sidewall having a first end adjacent the up-firing transducer and a second end adjacent the outer perimeter, such that an opening defined by the sidewall has a larger area at the second end than at the first end. A rear portion of the sidewall is more steeply angled with respect to the axis than a forward portion of the sidewall.

A device for managing sound playback includes one or more processors configured to receive an indication of a user-device interaction between a user and an audio interface device during a sound playback operation of a multi-speaker audio playback system. The one or more processors are also configured to, based on receiving the indication of the user-device interaction, initiate a selective adjustment of the sound playback operation to reduce a playback sound of the multi-speaker audio playback system based on a position of the user.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to playback devices having a non-flat surface and comprising a flexible electronic assembly conforming to that surface. The flexible electronic assembly may include (i) a flexible substrate having a first portion and a second portion, (ii) an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes arranged on the first portion, and (iii) a plurality of conductors that are electrically coupled to the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes and that extend onto the second portion. The first portion may include a plurality of cutouts. Each cutout of a first subset of the plurality of cutouts may be positioned between a respective set of two or more electrodes in the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes. Each cutout of a second subset of the plurality of cutouts may be configured to reduce a wrinkling of the first portion when conforming the first portion to the non-flat surface.

A multi-channel and multi-zone audio environment is provided. Various inventions are disclosed that allow playback devices on one or more networks to provide an effective multi-channel and a multi-zone audio environment using timing information. According to one example, timing information is used to coordinate playback devices connected over a low-latency network to provide audio along with a video display. In another example, timing information is used to coordinate playback devices connected over a mesh network to provide audio in one or more zones or zone groups.

Aspects of a multi-orientation playback device including at least one microphone array are discussed. A method may include determining an orientation of the playback device which includes at least one microphone array and determining at least one microphone training response for the playback device from a plurality of microphone training responses based on the orientation of the playback device. The at least one microphone array can detect a sound input, and the location information of a source of the sound input can be determined based on the at least one microphone training response and the detected sound input. Based on the location information of the source, the directional focus of the at least one microphone array can be adjusted, and the sound input can be captured based on the adjusted directional focus.

A computing device is configured to perform functions comprising: receiving via a network microphone device of a media playback system, a voice command detected by at least one microphone of the network microphone device, wherein the media playback system comprises a plurality of zones, and the network microphone device may be a member of a default playback zone. The computing device may be further configured to perform functions comprising: dynamically selecting an audio response zone from the plurality of zones to play an audio response to the voice input and foregoing selection of the default playback zone. The selected zone may comprise a playback device, and the dynamically selecting may comprise determining that the network microphone device is paired with the playback device. The computing device may cause the playback device of the selected zone to play the audio response.

An example system is configured to cause a first playback device in a first playback zone to operate in a given playback state including play back of media items identified in a playback queue associated with the first playback zone. The system is also configured to, while the first playback device is operating in the given playback state, (i) receive data corresponding to a detected voice input including an indication of (a) a command word and (b) one or more zone variable instances and (ii) determine, based on the command word and the one or more zone variable instances, an intent to transfer the given playback state to a second playback zone. The system is also configured to transfer the given playback state to the second playback zone, thereby causing a second playback device in the second playback zone to play back the media items identified in the playback queue.

The present disclosure generally relates to managing audio messages. In some examples, user interfaces for recording and sending an audio message are described.

Example techniques may involve tuning a music discovery dial. An implementation may include displaying, on the touch-sensitive circular graphical display, a circular graphical user interface including multiple wedge-shaped selectable regions arranged around the circumference of the circular graphical user interface, each wedge-shaped selectable region corresponding to a respective streaming audio channel. The implementation may include detecting a touch input in a circular motion to the touch-sensitive circular graphical display and causing a paired playback device to play back an audio content snippet corresponding to each selectable regions that the touch input enters. The implementation may further include switching the playback device from playing back a given pre-cached audio content snippet to playing back the full audio track from one or more servers of a streaming audio service.