Media content playback speed adjustment

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at an information handling device, an indication to adjust a playback speed of media content;

determining, using a processor, an optimal playback speed of the media content for a user, wherein the determining comprises identifying one or more characteristics associated with the user, identifying a maximum comprehensible playback speed for the user based upon the one or more characteristics, and dynamically establishing the optimal playback speed for the user based upon the maximum comprehensible playback speed; and

adjusting, responsive to the determining, the playback speed of the media content from an original playback speed to the optimal playback speed, wherein the adjusting the playback speed comprises adjusting the playback speed based upon the dynamically established optimal playback speed and without additional user input.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media content corresponds to at least one of: audio content and video content.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the maximum comprehensible playback speed of the media content comprises:

capturing, at an input device associated with the information handling device, audio generated from the media content at the original playback speed;

transcribing the captured audio at the original playback speed;

iteratively increasing the playback speed of the media content; and

identifying, as the maximum comprehensible playback speed, a fastest playback speed at which a transcription confidence for transcription of the media content remains at or above a predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the maximum comprehensible playback speed of the media content comprises:

extracting, via analysis of a plurality of video frames of the media content at the original playback speed, metadata;

determining, from the metadata, an activity occurring in the media content;

iteratively increasing the playback speed of the media content; and

identifying, as the maximum comprehensible playback speed, a fastest playback speed at which extracted metadata from the plurality of the video frames provides a clear indication of the activity.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the optimal playback speed comprises:

identifying at least one characteristic associated with the user or the media content;

accessing crowdsourced data associated with the at least one characteristic, wherein the crowdsourced data identifies a crowdsourced playback speed for the media content based on the at least one characteristic; and

establishing, as the increased optimal playback speed, the crowdsourced playback speed;

wherein the at least one characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: an age category of the user, a historical playback preference of the user, and a genre of the media content.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the optimal playback speed comprises:

accessing a database comprising an indication of a historical comprehension speed of user for the media content; and

establishing, as the optimal playback speed, the historical comprehension speed.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the optimal playback speed comprises:

identifying a target for a number of words to be recited in the media content over a predetermined period of time; and

establishing, as the optimal playback speed, an increased playback speed at which the target is reached.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing an indication of the optimal playback speed for the media content in a database, wherein the database is accessible by other individuals also viewing the media content.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically decreasing the playback speed from the optimal playback speed responsive to identification of a predetermined event.

10. An information handling device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory device that stores instructions executable by the processor to:

receive an indication to adjust a playback speed of media content;

determine an optimal playback speed of the media content for a user, wherein the determining comprises identifying one or more characteristics associated with the user, identifying a maximum comprehensible playback speed for the user based upon the one or more characteristics, and dynamically establishing the optimal playback speed for the user based upon the maximum comprehensible playback speed; and

adjust, responsive to the determining, the playback speed of the media content from an original playback speed to the optimal playback speed, wherein to adjust the playback speed comprises adjusting the playback speed based upon the dynamically established optimal playback speed and without additional user input.

11. The information handling device of claim 10 , wherein the media content corresponds to at least one of: audio content and video content.

12. The information handling device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to identify the maximum comprehensible playback speed of the media content comprise instructions executable by the processor to:

capture, at an input device associated with the information handling device, audio generated from the media content at the original playback speed;

transcribe the captured audio at the original playback speed;

iteratively increase the playback speed of the media content; and

identify, as the maximum comprehensible playback speed, a fastest playback speed at which a transcription confidence for transcription of the media content remains at or above a predetermined threshold.

13. The information handling device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to identify the maximum comprehensible playback speed of the media content comprise instructions executable by the processor to:

extract, via analysis of a plurality of video frames of the media content at the original playback speed, metadata;

determine, from the metadata, an activity occurring in the media content;

iteratively increase the playback speed of the media content; and

identify, as the maximum comprehensible playback speed, a fastest playback speed at which extracted metadata from the plurality of the video frames provides a clear indication of the activity.

14. The information handling device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to determine the optimal playback speed comprise instructions executable by the processor to:

identify at least one characteristic associated with the user or the media content;

access crowdsourced data associated with the at least one characteristic, wherein the crowdsourced data identifies a crowdsourced playback speed for the media content based on the at least one characteristic; and

establish, as the optimal playback speed, the crowdsourced playback speed;

wherein the at least one characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: an age category of the user, a historical playback preference of the user, and a genre of the media content.

15. The information handling device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to determine the optimal playback speed comprise instructions executable by the processor to:

access a database comprising an indication of a historical comprehension speed of user for the media content; and

establish, as the increased optimal playback speed, the historical comprehension speed.

16. The information handling device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to determine the optimal playback speed comprise instructions executable by the processor to:

identify a target for a number of words to be recited in the media content over a predetermined period of time; and

establish, as the optimal increased playback speed, an increased playback speed at which the target is reached.

17. The information handling device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to automatically decrease the playback speed from the optimal playback speed responsive to identification of a predetermined event.

18. A product, comprising:

a storage device that stores code, the code being executable by a processor and comprising:

code that receives, at an information handling device, an indication to adjust a playback speed of media content;

code that determines an optimal playback speed of the media content for a user, wherein the determining comprises identifying one or more characteristics associated with the user, identifying a maximum comprehensible playback speed for the user based upon the one or more characteristics, and dynamically establishing the optimal playback speed for the user based upon the maximum comprehensible playback speed; and

code that adjusts, responsive to the code that determines, the playback speed of the media content from an original playback speed to the optimal increased playback speed, wherein the code that adjusts the playback speed comprises adjusting the playback speed based upon the dynamically established optimal playback speed and without additional user input.