Predictive caching for content

A system, comprising:

• at least one computing device;
• and
• a predictive caching system executable in the at least one computing device, wherein when executed the predictive caching system causes the at least one computing device to at least:
• determine a set of recommended content items based at least in part upon a media consumption history of a client;
• select a particular recommended content item of the set of recommended content items based at least in part on a bandwidth profile of the client;
• send at least an initial portion of the particular recommended content item and metadata associated with the particular recommended content item from to the client prior to an indication that use of the particular recommended content item is desired;
• and
• cause processing relative to the metadata to be performed in the client to prepare the client for playback of the particular recommended content item prior to the indication that use of the particular recommended content item is desired.

A method, comprising:

• determining, in a computing device, a recommended content item;
• determining that the computing device has available resources to facilitate instantaneous use of the recommended content item;
• and
• in response to determining that the computing device has available resources to facilitate instantaneous use of the recommended content item and before use of the recommended content item:
• obtaining, in the computing device, metadata for the recommended content item from a server;
• obtaining, in the computing device, at least an initial portion of the recommended content item from the server;
• and
• initializing, in the computing device, the available resources to prepare for instantaneous use of the recommended content item based at least in part on the metadata and the initial portion of the recommended content item.