A portable audio device, comprising: a set of one or more far-field microphones configured to acquire a voice query; a set of one or more speakers; a wireless modem configured to connect to a wireless wide area network, WWAN; a memory that includes an audio processing application; a processor that is coupled to the memory and, when executing the audio processing application, is configured to: generate a data request based on the voice query; transmit the data request to the WWAN via the wireless modem; receive a data response associated with the data request from the WWAN via the wireless modem; generate an audio signal based on the data response; and transmit the audio signal to the set of speakers to generate audio output; and a network card to connect to a wireless local area network, WLAN, wherein the processor is further configured to: before generating the data request, continuously monitor for a wake command to be acquired by the set of microphones; and in response to detecting the wake command, determine whether to connect to the WWAN via the wireless modem or the WLAN via the network card, and when it is determined that the portable audio device is outside a coverage range of the WLAN, determine to connect to the WWAN and to not connect to the WLAN, power on the wireless modem, and power off the network card. a set of one or more far-field microphones configured to acquire a voice query; a set of one or more speakers; a wireless modem configured to connect to a wireless wide area network, WWAN; a memory that includes an audio processing application; a processor that is coupled to the memory and, when executing the audio processing application, is configured to: generate a data request based on the voice query; transmit the data request to the WWAN via the wireless modem; receive a data response associated with the data request from the WWAN via the wireless modem; generate an audio signal based on the data response; and transmit the audio signal to the set of speakers to generate audio output; and generate a data request based on the voice query; transmit the data request to the WWAN via the wireless modem; receive a data response associated with the data request from the WWAN via the wireless modem; generate an audio signal based on the data response; and transmit the audio signal to the set of speakers to generate audio output; and a network card to connect to a wireless local area network, WLAN, wherein the processor is further configured to: before generating the data request, continuously monitor for a wake command to be acquired by the set of microphones; and in response to detecting the wake command, determine whether to connect to the WWAN via the wireless modem or the WLAN via the network card, and when it is determined that the portable audio device is outside a coverage range of the WLAN, determine to connect to the WWAN and to not connect to the WLAN, power on the wireless modem, and power off the network card. before generating the data request, continuously monitor for a wake command to be acquired by the set of microphones; and in response to detecting the wake command, determine whether to connect to the WWAN via the wireless modem or the WLAN via the network card, and when it is determined that the portable audio device is outside a coverage range of the WLAN, determine to connect to the WWAN and to not connect to the WLAN, power on the wireless modem, and power off the network card.