In yet another instance, the playback device may record audio content rendering patterns of the playback device and retrieve audio content according to the recorded patterns. For example, if the user regularly uses the playback device to enjoy classical music accessed through a particular classical music radio stream on Sunday evenings, then on Sunday evenings, the playback device may establish access to the particular classical music radio stream in response to the detected approach of the user. Other implementations of varying complexities and sophistication may also be possible for determining audio content to be retrieved.

In another case, the current playback mode of the playback device may be a rendering of a song in a playlist or a queue. In this case, if the playback device has a control panel similar to the control panel 956 of the playback device 952 shown in FIG. 9B, potential inputs from the user may include inputs to pause or stop the rendering of the song in the playlist, skip forward to the next song in the play list, restart the song currently being rendered, or return to the previous song being rendered. As such, the next song and the previous song may be candidates for pre-caching. In one instance, the previous song and the next song may both be retrieved for pre-caching.