OTHER TECH

PERFORMANCE One of the reasons the iPod has been so successful is a user interface that is not only effective but so simple to operate that your grandmother could figure it out. For a third-party device to integrate effectively with an iPod, it can't be more complicated to use than the 'Pod itself, and the FP-1 definitely passes that test.

As I said, Escient is known for its media-management interface, and once your iPod's music library has been processed, it appears in an easy-to-use graphic display. You can browse your music with the supplied remote control in a variety of ways, sorted by artist, album, song, genre, album art, and so forth. For songs to be processed correctly - and to appear on the FP-1 display - they must be "tagged" with artist, album, and genre info. If any of this metadata is missing, which is possible with music downloaded from file-sharing sites, the FP-1 will disregard the track.

On top of creating playlists, the FP-1 features a jukebox mode that is great for parties. Pressing the Add button on the remote will slot songs into the Now Playing queue. Simply leave the interface running on your TV and let guests select songs they want to hear.

The FP-1 offers several sexy features that really set it apart from ordinary iPod docks. First, it can act as both a client and a server in existing Escient systems. Just use the setup menus to "point" the FP-1 at another Escient server over your network, and you'll have access to music stored on that server, all aggregated into a single guide view. Additionally, other Escient servers and clients can access all of the tunes stored on your iPod as long as it remains mounted. This is particularly useful in house-wide audio systems or if components are located in multiple rooms. You can also stream music from any computer running the FireBall PC software or stream Internet radio stations. The FP-1 can perform only one function at a time, however; if it is streaming music from another server (or Internet radio station or PC), it can't send any iPod tunes to other servers, and it can serve up only one 'Pod tune at a time.