iTunes 101: Apple brings college to the iPod

Pop quiz: What sounds like a fictional teen soap school but actually might prove to be very useful?

Apple on Wednesday launched iTunes U, a new section for the iTunes Store dedicated to free content related to all things college.

(Credit: Apple)

Posted material is set to include media such as language lessons, lab demonstrations, campus tours and, yes, course lectures.

Universities and colleges participating so far include the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University, Duke University and the University of California at Berkeley.

Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of iTunes, said in a statement that the intent of the new section is to make educational material more accessible to all.

So far, the posted content is in the form of podcasts and videos. As of Wednesday morning, the top downloaded item on iTunes U was a classic college favorite: "What is Existentialism?"

Taking turns going to that early lecture to take notes is so last millennium.