Subverting the iPod to Further Education
Students might think their iPods are for entertainment purposes only, but Apple and Stanford University have changed that. Apple's new iTunes university allows professors to post lectures onto a university's own iTunes store for downloading by students. Some universities, like my own, don't have much yet, but Stanford already has an array of interesting lectures.
One of my latest favorites is Denise Clark Pope's Getting Ahead in School: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed-Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students. You can find her book here.
While I'm not sure how helpful podcasts will be helpful for students outside of large lecture classes, I love being able to pick and choose good lectures at my convenience. The integration of the iPod into the university system might also help Apple's lower-priced online music sales competitors figure out why Apple is succeeding where they are failing.