The university where I work, Duke, gained considerable press for it's adoption of the iPod for class activities. One issue that plagues the device, along with many other current technology gadgets, is how well they hold up over time.
The magazine Stay Free has started a campaign to raise awareness about the issue, urging companies to build more robust electronics equipment that isn't so breakable and disposible.
iDud at Stay Free
It's something to think about both for faculty members and administrators seeking to integrate technology into teaching. Many analogue devices, such as rugged Tascam portable cassette recorders designed for fieldwork or even early portable GPS devices, are still useable today. The trend towards less rugged electronics could be chalked up to the drive for cost savings among corporations or planned obsolecence, but the end result of less reliability is becoming a major factor in deciding on whether to use a tool in class or how to pay for a comprehensive program that puts technology in the hands of a large number of students.
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