Everyone on the web is talking about the iPod’s 5th birthday … it has been five years since Apple introduced that little music player (and future computing platform) but since the web has done a great job documenting it all I have no need to repeat all that stuff. In addition to changing the music landscape forever, this little device did quite a bit for educational technology as well. If I wasn’t typing in between new baby duty I would point to dozens of posts I have made that documented it all. When it appeared I wasn’t convinced that it was going to be a hit — it was platform dependent and seemed very limited. I even sat in Cupertino and told them I wasn’t sure — not surprisingly they all looked at me like I was crazy. Steve was right, it was and still is a revolutionary device. I have to admit I still have the first generation iPod my Mother-in-Law got me for Christmas the same year my first baby was born — like my first child, the thing has changed the rules.

Five years ago very few of us thought about music like we do now — digital first. All I can say is “thank you” to Apple for creating a new eco-system that now contains the iPod, the iTunes Store, iTunes U, and all the interest that goes along with it. All of those things have added up to new opportunities to engage faculty and students alike. DRM aside, it is a good thing. When was the last time that has happened? Tell me.