Facilitating creation and playback of user-recorded audio

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• receiving, by a voice-activated product at one or more input devices, a first command from a user, wherein the first command notifies the voice-activated product that the user wishes to record an audible rendition of a narrative targeted towards one or more children;
• receiving, by the voice-activated product at one or more of the input devices, bibliographic input from the user, wherein the bibliographic input is indicative of bibliographic information associated with the narrative;
• recording, by the voice-activated product via an audio input device, the audible rendition of the narrative spoken by the user;
• storing, in computer memory available to the voice-activated product, an audio file comprising the recorded audible rendition of the narrative spoken by the user, wherein the audio file is indexed in the computer memory based at least in part on the bibliographic information;
• receiving, by the voice activated product at one or more of the input devices, a voice input from a subsequent user;
• detecting one or more characteristics of the voice input;
• determining, based on the detected one or more characteristics, that the subsequent user is a child;
• in response to determining that the subsequent user is a child, biasing speech recognition in respect of the voice input towards recognition of one or more bibliographic identifiers associated with one or more stored audio files that were recorded for one or more children, wherein the one or more bibliographic identifiers include the bibliographic information associated with the narrative;
• recognizing in the voice input, based on the biased speech recognition, the bibliographic information associated with the narrative;
• searching the computer memory based on the recognized bibliographic information to locate the stored audio file;
• and
• rendering, by the voice-activated product via an audio output device, the audio file.

A voice-enabled device comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more speakers operably coupled with the one or more processors;
• one or more microphones operably coupled with the one or more processors;
• and
• memory operably coupled with the one or more processors, wherein the memory stores instructions that, in response to execution of the instructions by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
• receive, at one or more of the microphones, a first command from a user, wherein the first command indicates that the user wishes to record an audible rendition of a narrative, wherein the narrative comprises a preexisting written work;
• receive, at one or more of the microphones devices, bibliographic input from the user, wherein the bibliographic input is indicative of bibliographic information associated with the narrative;
• record, via one or more of the microphones, the audible rendition of the narrative spoken by the user;
• match the bibliographic information to the preexisting written work in a database, wherein additional information is associated with the preexisting written work in the database;
• store, in the memory or in computer memory of one or more remote computing devices, an audio file comprising the recorded audible rendition of the narrative spoken by the user, wherein the audio file is indexed based at least in part on the bibliographic information;
• receive, at one or more of the microphones, a voice input from a subsequent user;
• detect one or more characteristics of the voice input;
• determine, based on the detected one or more characteristics, that the subsequent user is a child;
• in response to the determination that the subsequent user is a child, bias speech recognition in respect of the voice input towards recognition of the additional information associated with the preexisting written work in the database;
• recognize in the voice input, based on the biased speech recognition, the additional information;
• search the computer memory based on the recognized additional information to locate the stored audio file;
• and
• render, via one or more of the speakers, the audio file.