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 . <EOS>