1. A method for operating a portable electronic device using voice-activated input, said method comprising: operating the portable electric device to listen for a user voice command; monitoring an operational state of the portable electronic device; receiving an audio input; determining a set of commands that are authorized for usage with the portable electronic device while in the operational state; determining whether the audio input pertains to at least one of the commands within the set of commands; and executing the at least one of the commands within the set of commands that is determined to pertain to the audio input.