Network identification of portable electronic devices while changing power states

A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium is provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a system to:

• detect a command to control playback of given media content at a first computing device;
• determine that the first computing device is in a first power state wherein (i) the first computing device consumes less power than in a second power state and (ii) the first computing device is not configured to receive commands to control playback of media content;
• after determining that the first computing device is in the first power state:
• receive, from a second computing device that is in the second power state, a request for the first computing device to transition from the first power state to the second power state, wherein the request comprises state information for the first computing device obtained from a central data repository;
• and
• based on the request, cause the first computing device to transition from the first power state to the second power state for playback of the given media content.

A method carried out by a system, the method comprising:

• detecting a command to control playback of given media content at a first computing device;
• determining that the first computing device is in a first power state wherein (i) the first computing device consumes less power than in a second power state and (ii) the first computing device is not configured to receive commands to control playback of media content;
• after determining that the first computing device is in the first power state:
• receiving, from a second computing device that is in the second power state, a request for the first computing device to transition from the first power state to the second power state, wherein the request comprises state information for the first computing device obtained from a central data repository;
• and
• based on the request, causing the first computing device to transition from the first power state to the second power state for playback of the given media content.