iOS 5 Beta Available for Devs, First Hands On, and Gallery

Monday June 6, 2011 3:24 pm PDT by Arnold Kim

BGR posts a hands on and screenshot gallery of the newly released iOS 5 developer beta which adds a number of new features to iOS. Here are some early observations:

• Preference to open pages in Safari in a new page or in background (amazing!).
• More alert choices for emails, calendar, and the ability to buy more.
• Ability to create keyboard shortcuts (autotext) to replace custom phrases. The default entry is “omw” which is replaced with, “On my way!”
• Software update option in settings to check for the latest OS.
• Sync now button to wireless sync to iTunes
• Ability to customize how notifications in Notification Center look — you can customize how many recent ones to show, 1, 5 or 10, if it’s showed in the lock screen, if it’s in Notification Center, and also the alert style, banner or alert style.

iOS 5 is due for general release in the fall, and is presently available for download for registered iOS developers.

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Top Rated Comments

kultschar

196 months ago

Can you FINALLY attach a picture within the Mail app to an email???

This was only possible to do via the photo film roll (totally backwards)

In fact can you now attach anything from within the mail app e.g. docs, pics instead of the photo / pages app

Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

pmz

196 months ago

I bet intelliscreen and lockinfo devs are sighing and saying well, it was a nice run.

Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

ThE.MeSsEnGeR

196 months ago

hey guys keep on checking this page! it updates every now and then...

iOS 5 Hands-On (http://www.bgr.com/2011/06/06/apple-ios-5-iphone-ipad-2-hands-on/)

* Preference to open pages in Safari in a new page or in background (amazing!).
* More alert choices for emails, calendar, and the ability to buy more.
* Ability to create keyboard shortcuts (autotext) to replace custom phrases. The default entry is omw which is replaced with, On my way!
* Software update option in settings to check for the latest OS.
* Sync now button to wireless sync to iTunes
* Ability to customize how notifications in Notification Center look you can customize how many recent ones to show, 1, 5 or 10, if its showed in the lock screen, if its in Notification Center, and also the alert style, banner or alert style.
* Twitter installs directly from the settings page if its not installed directly, you arent even taken to the App Store.
* FaceTime button in iMessage messages at the top now
* Tweeting photos is, so so slick. It displays on Twitter as powered by Photobucket, and its from iOS.
* Theres a new option to print out from the Maps app hilarious.
* You can make new albums right from the device itself in Photos.
* You can move and add photos to albums.
* Doesnt look iMessage is fully baked in here yet.
* You can customize the default alert times. This is so needed so now when you enter a calendar entry, you dont have to set the default alert time you like Im a 15 minute calendar alert type of guy.
* Email flagging doesnt look to be enabled in this beta, though S/MIME support is. Never mind, it is. You have to go into the message and tap mark.
* It seems that Reminders sync with Exchange (Tasks basically), but you cant set location-based reminders if youre on Exchange, just with iCloud. You can selectively choose where to sync the reminder though, its just not streamlined if you use Exchange.
* You can set the caller ID for FaceTime calls, so if you call someone, you can choose it to display your cellular number or email address.
* In the weather app, there is a new pane for a current location which will show you weather for wherever you are.
* When syncing with iTunes you can use the device normally no more syncing screen!
* You can delete individual calls from the call list I know a lot of people that just got super excited.

Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Apple Expert

196 months ago