Let’s face it — I’m a sucker for gadgets, the newer and smaller the better. Which is why I immediately headed for the local Target store to check out Apple’s 5th generation iPod nano just days after its release. I have to tell you, folks: This is one cool piece of work.

Apple engineers have packed into this tiny device (1.5 x 3.5 inches) some new audio-video features that include a video camera, FM radio, voice recorder, built-in speaker, larger 2.2-inch screen, and even a pedometer. This nano is available with either 8GB or 16GB of storage capacity.

There is a lot to like about this iPod. The ultra compact design makes it much easier to carry than previous models; in your shirt pocket it feels no heavier than a standard ballpoint pen. No doubt Apple’s replacement of the hard drive with flash memory contributes to the light feeling.

But the most striking feature is the inclusion of a video camera that actually shoots decent footage and saves your video files in convenient MPEG-4 format for uploading to the Web. And while it lacks a zoom and other bells and whistles found on more elaborate video cameras, image stabilization is surprisingly good compared to the Flip phone and other basic models. Here is a sample clip (compressed from the original) I shot recently while hiking.

So what’s in it for teachers? This space certainly isn’t large enough to address all possible iPod classroom applications. I’ll just say that I’ve used one in situations where computer hookups were unavailable, to display on a large TV still pictures and slideshows, movie clips, flash cards, text files, and language games. The iPod is also superb for playing audio files either through a TV or a compact pair of speakers.

With newly added video and audio recording functions, coupled with its attractive size, the new iPod nano opens up even more exciting possibilities, such as creating and capturing role plays on video, students interviewing each other, and possibly interviewing unusual guests.