iSean

not long ago, i was told that our department had technology money to spend and i was asked to help figure out how it could be best used. the course i coordinate is an undergraduate course for future teachers. we have about 20 sections of this course that we offer each semester, so it’s a pretty large undertaking to coordinate the hiring of instructors and making sure resources are available, etc. things tend to work out just swell. well, this program has many technology needs and that was my first concern when the funds became available. we ordered new hard drives for some video editing labs we do and we obtained some software to supplement other labs in our program. however, the funds allocated were more than our class needed. there are many other classes and many other professors in this department, so the money was sure to dry up quickly.

the money did not dry up quickly. in fact, i was able to justify a new iPod. that’s right, i received a 60 GB iPod that will play video. i did explain that i use podcasting in my classes and that i also create video podcasts and even some screencasting. in other words, i implement a lot of the tools that an iPod is best suited for handling. i thought it would be nice to have an iPod to demonstrate to students how to use the various tools and resources that i will implement. this was approved. yipee!

the iPod arrived this week. and that’s my dilemma. i read that the current iPods have reached the end of their life and that new iPods will be released soon. this may or may not be true, but if it’s true then i shouldn’t open my new iPod in the hopes of exchanging it when the new model is released as soon as next week. well, to exchange the iPod, i would guess that it has to happen within a certain number of days of purchase. i have no clue how long our IT department held onto my iPod before delivering it to me so that return date may have passed. further, i might need a receipt to exchange the gadget. so, my option appears to be selling the thing on EBAY and setting the minimum amount at the education price so that i can be assured of having enough money to buy the new model at the education price.

now, don’t get me wrong . . . i am extremely grateful to have received this device in the first place. i want to tear it open right now and just use it. but, being the geek that i am, i also want to have the latest and greatest as well. what a terrific dilemma to have, eh? materialism for geeks. ;~)

Tags: iPod