10. A portable media playback device comprising: a media playback system; a user interface; and a processor configured to: receive user input indicative of an interaction of the user with the user interface; determine that an audio is to be outputted; determine whether a communication channel to a voice prompt server remote from the media playback device is available to the media playback device; if the communication channel to the voice prompt server is available, receive a prepared audio prompt from the voice prompt server; if the communication channel to the voice prompt server is not available, synthesize a new audio prompt; and initiate playback of at least a portion of one of the prepared audio prompt or the new audio prompt using the media playback system.
11. The portable media playback device of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to synthesize the new audio prompt using a voice synthesis module.