User interfaces for controlling audio playback devices and related systems and devices

1. A user interface for controlling an audio playback device, the user interface comprising:

an input region operable to select from a plurality of entities for providing audio content to the audio playback device; and

a display for displaying information associated with the entities,

wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user to preview the information associated with the entities via the display prior to selection of one of the entities for providing audio content for playback on the audio playback device,

wherein the user interface is operable in a presets mode and a recents mode,

wherein, when the user interface is in the presets mode, the input region operates as an absolute location of a plurality of preset indicators, which correspond to a set of preset indicators on the audio playback device, each indicator in the set of preset indicators is configured to have assigned to it one of the entities, and a user can preview information associated with an assigned one of the entities via the display by touching a corresponding one of the preset indicators, and

wherein, when the user interface is in the recents mode, a swiping motion along the input region allows a user to preview a recents list, wherein the recents list is a list of entities that is populated from content that the user has chosen to play on the audio playback device.

2. The user interface of claim 1 , wherein the information associated with the entities comprises an identification of an audio source associated with a corresponding one of the entities, and metadata associated with the corresponding one of the entities.

3. The user interface of claim 2 , wherein the identification of the audio source comprises an icon associated with the audio source.

4. The user interface of claim 1 , wherein the input region comprises a finger position sensor for sensing a position of a user's finger on a surface of the input region.

5. The user interface of claim 4 , further comprising a switch,

wherein the input region is spatially displaceable to actuate the switch,

wherein the user interface is configured to interpret input from the finger position sensor indicating a position of a user's finger relative to the input region as a user request to preview information regarding one of the entities in the absence of input indicating actuation of the switch, and

wherein the user interface is configured to interpret input from the finger position sensor indicating a position of a user's finger relative to the input region in combination with input indicating actuation of the switch as selection of one of the entities to provide audio content to the audio playback device.

6. The user interface of claim 4 , wherein the input region operates as an absolute location of a plurality of preset indicators, wherein each indicator in the set of preset indicators is assigned to it one of the entities.

7. The user interface of claim 4 , further comprising a switch,

wherein the input region is spatially displaceable to actuate the switch,

wherein the user interface is configured to interpret input from the finger position sensor indicating a position of a user's finger relative to a first one of the preset indicators as a user request to preview information associated with the entity assigned to the first one of the preset indicators in the absence of input indicating actuation of the switch, and

wherein the user interface is configured to interpret input from the finger position sensor indicating a position of a user's finger relative to the first one of the preset indicators in combination with input indicating actuation of the switch as selection of the entity assigned to the first one of the preset indicators to provide audio content to the audio playback device.

8. The user interface of claim 4 , wherein a swiping motion along the input region allows a user to preview a recents list, wherein the recents list comprises a list of entities that is populated from content that the user has chosen to play on the audio playback device.

9. The user interface of claim 8 , further comprising a switch,

wherein the input region is spatially displaceable to actuate the switch,

wherein the user interface is configured to interpret input from the finger position sensor indicating a position of a user's finger relative to the input region as a user request to preview information regarding one of the entities from the recents list in the absence of input indicating actuation of the switch, and

wherein the user interface is configured to interpret input from the finger position sensor indication a position of a user's finger relative to the input region in combination with input from the finger position sensor as selection of one of the entities from the recent list.

10. The user interface of claim 1 , wherein the entities comprise at least (i) user-defined playlists of digital music and (ii) Internet radio stations.

11. A remote control device comprising the user interface of claim 1 .

12. The remote control device of claim 11 , wherein the input region operates as an absolute location of a plurality of preset indicators, wherein each indicator in the set of preset indicators is assigned to it one of the entities.

13. The remote control device of claim 12 , wherein the preset indicators on the user interface correspond to a set of preset indicators on the audio playback device.

14. The remote control device of claim 11 , wherein the remote control device is not configured to stream audio content to the audio playback device.

15. An audio playback device comprising the user interface of claim 1 .

16. A system comprising:

A. a remote control device comprising a user interface for controlling an audio playback device, the user interface comprising:

i. an input region operable to select from a plurality of entities for providing audio content to the audio playback device, and

ii. a display for displaying information associated with the entities,

wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user to preview the information associated with the entities via the display prior to selection of one of the entities for providing audio content for playback on the audio playback device; and

B. an audio playback device configured to operably connect to a plurality of digital audio sources, the audio playback device comprising:

i. a digital-to-analog converter configured to receive a digital representation of content from the digital audio sources and convert to analog form; and

ii. an electro-acoustic transducer,

wherein the remote control device is configured to send a command to the audio playback device instructing the associated audio playback device to render audio content from a selected one of a plurality of entities associated with the plurality of digital audio sources, and

wherein, in response to receiving the command from the remote control device, the audio playback device is configured to establish communication with an audio source associated with the selected one of the entities, to receive streamed audio content from the selected one of the entities.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the input region operates as an absolute location of a plurality of preset indicators, wherein each indicator in the set of preset indicators is assigned to it one of the entities.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the audio playback device comprises a plurality of preset indicators, wherein each indicator in the set of preset indicators of the audio playback device is assigned to it one of the entities, and wherein the preset indicators on the remote control device correspond to the preset indicators on the audio playback device.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the preset indicators of the remote control device are disposed circumferentially around the display.

20. A user interface for controlling an audio playback device, the user interface comprising:

a plurality of concentrically arranged user interface elements comprising:

a center button comprising a display;

an inner ring circumferentially surrounding the center button and operable to select from a plurality of entities for providing audio content to the audio playback device;

a middle ring circumferentially surrounding the inner ring and comprising a plurality of discrete buttons; and

a volume ring circumferentially surrounding the middle ring and operable to adjust the audio volume of the audio playback device,

wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user to preview the information associated with the entities via the display prior to selection of one of the entities for providing audio content for playback on the audio playback device,

wherein the inner ring comprises a finger position sensor for sensing a position of a user's finger on a surface of the ring.

21. The user interface of claim 20 , wherein the plurality of discrete buttons comprise a plurality of capacitive touch buttons.

22. The user interface of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of discrete buttons comprise a skip forward button and a skip back button.

23. The user interface of claim 20 , wherein the finger position sensor comprises a capacitive touch circuit.

24. The user interface of claim 20 , wherein the center button is displaceable to actuate a switch, and wherein the user interface is configured to interpret input from the finger position sensor indicating a position of a user's finger relative to the inner ring as a user request to preview information regarding one of the entities in the absence of input indicating actuation of the switch, and

wherein the user interface is configured to interpret input from the finger position sensor indicating a position of a user's finger relative to the inner ring in combination with input indicating actuation of the switch as selection of one of the entities to provide audio content to the audio playback device.

25. The user interface of claim 24 , wherein, in response to receiving input from the finger position sensor indicating a position of a user's finger relative to the inner ring in combination with input indicating actuation of the switch, the user interface is configured to instruct the audio playback device to play content from a selected one of the entities.