I received an iPod for Christmas last year and to date I do not know how to charge it, download music to it , and barley remember how to turn it on. It is a bit embarrassing when you have to ask your 15 year old to download some tunes for you, and have to say "none of that stuff you listen to please!" . My challenge in the coming months is to learn how to do this. I realise it is not difficult, and perhaps it is easier to have someone else do it for you, however , I do enjoy a challenge and also want to investigate the full potential of this tiny device.
The digital Apple iPod is currently the worlds best selling digital audio player and its worldwide mainstream adoption makes it one of the most popular consumer brands. Mellisa's blog told us how many students are downloading files and cheating on exams, I'll try not to do that ( actually I pretty sure I won't figure that out before the next exam). iPods were used in the classroom to record lectures, discussions, and feedback during an experiment at Duke University .: “It was great. I didn’t have to write down all the comments my group said about my paper because I could just download it off my iPod onto my iTunes and listen to it from there.” (Duke report, page 7)
The ipod is compact and relatively easy to take with you anywhere. It comes in different memory sizes ( 30, 60 and 80 GB) and some brands have video capabilites. They can store up to 100 hours of video , and I-tunes has videos and movies available for purchase .
As I began to research a bit more on the ipod there are opposing thought in schools as to the useage of the device. Some schools have actually banned students from bringing their iPods to school as they feel the device isolates the students, which could lead to anti-social behaviors in the future. ".. every second spent with an iPod is an opportunity lost."
Other schools , as stated above,particularly Universities have utilized this technology by broadcasting recorded lectures to the internet for students to download , This is known as "podcasting". This technology is accessible and convenient to the student.
I do know of one thing you probably should not do with your ipod . I'm not sure if the warranty covers this!!
