Not that it was a total snooze-fest or anything, but one of the only surprises the Stevenote did hold in store was the advent of new wireless input devices-- and we're not even remotely sure that it technically counts as a "surprise," since the "what" (namely, the Bluetooth-based Apple Wireless Keyboard and Apple Wireless Mouse) was hinted at/flat-out revealed ages ago in numerous instances by Apple itself. Only the "when" was up in the air, and given the amount of support for the new devices added to Panther throughout its developer seeds, most of us expected Apple to hold off on shipping the new wireless beasties at least until Mac OS X 10.3 was available. Some rumors even claimed they were slated for a January ship date.

Well, Panther's still got at least a month left to simmer before Apple calls it soup, and unless our snazzy new Rockwood calendar (profound thanks to faithful viewer David Dennis!) is woefully inaccurate, it ain't January yet-- but the wireless keyboard and mouse are here nonetheless. Yes, they use Bluetooth-- apparently with something called "Adaptive Frequency Hopping" (sounds painful), which the press release insists "eliminates interference between Bluetooth devices and other wireless networks and devices." The devices even encrypt your keystrokes and mouse clicks so they can't be intercepted wirelessly and used to reconstruct your passwords, the URLs of your favorite (ahem) "entertainment" sites, or the middle name that is your secret shame. (Don't worry, your secret's safe with us, "Fulbright.")

We remain skeptical about the practical applications of this technology, however. According to Apple, "the first time you use this wireless keyboard, you'll realize just how much freedom it offers you." Well, we'll see, but given that our Power Mac is stationary on a desk that's stationary and connected to a display that's, you guessed it, stationary, we're having a difficult time understanding why it's so important to have a keyboard that's not. Apple's enthusiastic insistence that we can use the wireless keyboard while "standing" and positioning it "on a pile of books" strikes us as one of the most bizarre bits of marketing copy we've ever encountered. On the other hand, customers being able to use their wireless keyboard and mouse "up to thirty feet" from their Macs ought to do wonders for Apple's sizeable demographic among the extremely farsighted, who previously either needed to undergo extensive and painful arm-lengthening surgery, or... um... buy a longer USB cable. But these are wireless!

With a PowerBook things are a little different, granted, and we here at the AtAT compound did briefly entertain the notion of Velcroing an Apple Wireless Keyboard to the AtATmobile's steering wheel so that we could get at least a little production done at stoplights during our hour-long daily commute. We soon abandoned the idea as potentially too dangerous and, more importantly, far too close to demonstrating an actual work ethic.

Plus, to use these things, you have to trade in the inconvenience of cables for the inconvenience of changing batteries. Okay, okay, fine, two AA batteries in the mouse are supposed to last for three months and four in the keyboard allegedly last for nine, but eventually those batteries will need changing, and probably at the most inopportune moments. Plus, battery life is even shorter if you forget to turn your keyboard and mouse off. Turning your keyboard and mouse off? Yeeks, we don't even turn our Macs off; talk about something that might take a little getting used to. Oh, and does this mean that wireless input devices-- alongside the stove, the oven, and the faucet-- have now joined the pantheon of Road Trip Derailment Objects? "Harry, turn the car around-- I think I left the keyboard on!" (Hey, at least Apple was nice enough to include a set of Energizers. They keep going, and going, and going...)

Sounds like we're down on it all, doesn't it? Well, we're not. Odds are, we'll take 'em for a test drive at some Apple retail store, fall in love, and blow a wad of cash on a pair or three, just 'cause they're neat. Oh, and about that mouse: it "has a single button that makes it easy and comfortable to use," so those of you still holding out hope that Apple's going to chuck that particular Mac trademark out the window are going to be waiting a little longer. On the plus side, the click-sensitivity wheel from the original Pro Mouse is back. It's just too bad they're only available in white...