Thanks to Marco for spotting that, hidden down near the bottom of the iPod tech specs page, is news that the new iPod records in 44.1khz stereo. No word yet on formats (presumably it's compressed, rather than raw aiff files), but it's certainly good news. Expect a rash of all-in one XLR port/phantom power/preamps in matching white and black. If you're looking to get started, Giant Squid Labs sell minature stereo microphones with powered preamps for $80, which are perfect for bootlegging concerts field recording.
Now just one question remains: Who did Damon Albarn have to blow to get his album cover in all the iPod ads?
UPDATE: Lots of people asking about the recording software on the new iPod. Anyone have one? Does it record uncompressed wav files? Does it have any level meter or way to set the recording level? I'm guessing not, but as usual I'm 100% ill-informed.
UPDATE: This report from ILounge suggests that the new iPod records everything as uncompressed wav files.