By most accounts, today's Apple event wasn't exactly action-packed. In fact, most of the surprises revolved around what Apple didn't announce, rather than what it did. The biggest surprise at the event, however, was also one of its most minor announcements: FM radio.

Sure, much of the event revolved around the iPod nano, but it was the expected addition of a camera to the rear of the device that caused the most commotion. Steve Jobs more or less glossed over the addition of an FM radio tuner to the device--maybe because he's finally eating crow.

Apple, of course, is far from the first company to add the feature to a music player--in fact, it's become something of an industry standard on players, save for the iPod. Over the years, Jobs has skipped the feature, time and again. So, why the big change? Why now? I like the theory Joel Santo-Domingo tried out on me earlier today: Maybe Jobs started going to a gym that required an FM tuner for its TVs.

My guess is that Apple needed to add as many features as possible to keep the thing interesting--hence the pedometer. Or maybe someone high up decided it would be a good idea while Jobs was on sick leave. Either way it's a welcome, if relatively minor feature--after all, in the age of the iPod, radio needs all the help it can get.

The radio is bolstered by the ablility to pause live radio, DVR-style, a feature the company calls Live Pause, which also likely helped change the minds of some of those hesitant to include FM. The radio also has song and artist tagging for iTunes (ka-ching) The features, able says, "make listening to the radio nothing like listening to the radio." Take a second to wrap your head around that.

Personally, I'd love to see an FM transmitter on the thing, for long car rides. My guess is that the Belkins and Griffins of the world will lobby to bar that for as long as humanly possible--not that Apple is a huge fan of third-party feedback.