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A portable device uses a microphone to listen to ambient audio, derives data from captured audio signals, and uses the derived data to request delivery of the audio or related information to the user's home or other location. The device is desirably pocket-sized, or suitable for carrying on a key-ri

A portable device uses a microphone to listen to ambient audio, derives data from captured audio signals, and uses the derived data to request delivery of the audio or related information to the user's home or other location. The device is desirably pocket-sized, or suitable for carrying on a key-ring. The device may also detect a watermark signal that is present in the user's environment (e.g., played through a public address speaker system) to aid the user in recalling the context from which the audio was requested.

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1. A method comprising: receiving, through a user interface of a device, a user input signaling interest in ambient audio;capturing the ambient audio with a microphone;converting the captured ambient audio into digital form;providing the digital form of the ambient audio to a processor;receiving dat

1. A method comprising: receiving, through a user interface of a device, a user input signaling interest in ambient audio;capturing the ambient audio with a microphone;converting the captured ambient audio into digital form;providing the digital form of the ambient audio to a processor;receiving data corresponding to the ambient audio back from the processor;storing the received data in a memory of the device for later transmission in a store-and-forward mode;at a later time, recalling the received data from the memory of the device, and also recalling identification information from a memory, wherein the identification information comprises information identifying a model of the device;transmitting both the recalled received data and the recalled identification information to a remote computer;receiving information relating to the ambient audio in response to the transmission of both the recalled received data and the recalled identification information; andcontrolling an operational aspect of the device in accordance with the received information. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the received information relating to the ambient audio comprises plural internet links for presentation to the user, through which the user can link to additional information related to the audio. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the received information relating to the ambient audio comprises XML tags. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving information relating to the ambient audio comprises receiving a URL, and wherein the method further comprises receiving a digital song file at the user device from a remote computer indicated by the URL. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the digital song file is in MP3 format. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, to the remote computer, location information relating to a location of the device when the ambient audio was captured. 7. A device comprising: a transducer configured to receive ambient audio and to output electrical signals corresponding thereto;a processor configured to decode a watermark from the electrical signals corresponding to the ambient audio, wherein the watermark comprises an identifier;a memory configured to store identification information; andan interface configured to transmit both the identifier and at least some of the identification information to a relay station. 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the interface is a wireless interface. 9. The device of claim 7, further comprising an alphanumeric display. 10. The device of claim 9, wherein the interface is further configured to receive data related to the ambient audio from the relay station, wherein the alphanumeric display is configured to present at least part of the received data. 11. The device of claim 10, wherein the received data comprises data representing a song title. 12. The device of claim 7, further comprising a keypad. 13. The device of claim 7, wherein the identification information comprises information identifying a user of the device. 14. The device of claim 13, wherein the identification information comprises at least one of name, address information, age, gender, or unique identifier, for the user of the device. 15. The device of claim 7, wherein the identification information comprises information identifying the device. 16. The device of claim 15, wherein the identification information comprises information identifying a model of the device. 17. A method comprising: receiving identification data originally transmitted from a portable device, wherein the identification data corresponds to a watermark encoded in audible or visual information sensed by a sensor at the portable device;by reference to the identification data, making an identification of the sensed information; andtransmitting, to a destination device distinct from the portable device, information corresponding to the identified information. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the portable device is associated with a user, and the destination device is also associated with the same user. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the received data corresponds to ambient audio sensed at the portable device. 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving instructions, wherein the instructions identify the destination device. 21. A method comprising: sampling content from the user's environment, using an audio sensor or a video sensor in a microprocessor-equipped first device;decoding a watermark from the sampled content, wherein the watermark comprises identification data; andwirelessly transmitting the identification data, together with context information, from the first device, wherein the context information relates to a second microprocessor-equipped device. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising receiving information relating to the sampled content in response to the wireless transmission, and controlling an operational aspect of the first device in accordance with the received information. 23. A method comprising: sampling human perceptible content, using one or more sensors for producing data corresponding to human perceptible stimulus;decoding a first watermark from the sampled content, wherein the first watermark comprises identification data;decoding a second watermark from the sampled content, wherein the second watermark comprises context information, wherein the context information is different than the identification information and is different than the sampled content; andwirelessly transmitting at least the identification information and the context information from the device. 24. The method of claim 23 wherein the context information comprises information related to a physical environment of the portable device. 25. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving information in response to the transmitting. 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising controlling an operational aspect of the portable device in accordance with the received information. 27. The method of claim 23 wherein the one or more sensors comprise an audio sensor. 28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising: receiving identification data originally transmitted from a portable device, wherein the identification data corresponds to a watermark encoded in audible or visual information sensed by a sensor at the portable device;by reference to the identification data, making an identification of the sensed information; andtransmitting, to a destination device distinct from the portable device, information corresponding to the identified information. 29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising: receiving data corresponding to sampled human perceptible content;decoding a first watermark from the data, wherein the first watermark comprises identification data;decoding a second watermark from the data, wherein the second watermark comprises context information, wherein the context information is different than the identification information and is different than the data; andtransmitting at least the identification information and the context information to a remote device.