User profile for user: Bosamar
Bosamar Author
User level: Level 1
35 points

iOS 4.2 Software Update for iPad now available

I'm downloading 4.2 now. Here are the specifics from the info screen:

BTY: It took a few attempts to start the download

iOS 4.2 Software Update for iPad

This update contains over 100 new features for iPad including support for multitasking, folders, unified mail inbox, Game Center, AirPrint, AirPlay, and many system improvements. It is highly recommended for all iPad users.

iOS 4.2 for iPad includes the following:

• Multitasking support for third-party apps
- Multitasking user interface to quickly move between
apps, adjust screen brightness, control playback,
lock screen-rotation, and manage print jobs
- Support for audio apps to play in the background
- VoIP apps can receive and maintain calls in the
background or when device is asleep
- Apps can monitor location and take action while
running in the background
- Alerts and messages can be pushed to apps using
push and local notifications
- Apps can complete tasks in the background
• Folders to better organize and access apps
• Mail improvements
- Unified inbox to view emails from all accounts in one
place
- Fast inbox switching to quickly switch between
different email accounts
- Threaded messages to view multiple emails from the
same conversation
- Import .ics files into Calendar
- Open attachments with compatible third-party apps
- File or delete search results
- Option to select size of photo attachments
- Messages in the Outbox can be edited or deleted
• Game Center
- Send and receive friend requests
- Invite friends to multi-player games over the Internet
- Play multi-player games by auto-matching with other
players
- View Leaderboards and Achievements
- Discover new games from friends
• AirPrint
- Print mail, photos, web pages, and more directly to
AirPrint compatible printers on a local wireless network
• AirPlay
- Wirelessly stream videos, music, and photos to
Apple TV
- Wirelessly stream music to AirPlay-enabled speakers or
receivers, including AirPort Express
• Find text on web pages in Safari
• Use Spotlight to search the web and Wikipedia
• Suggestions and recent searches appear during a web
search
• Support for TV show rentals using iTunes
• Create and edit iTunes playlists on device
• Support for iTunes gifting of apps
• Send and accept calendar invitations wirelessly with
supported CalDAV servers
• Support for MobileMe calendar sharing
• Enhanced location privacy
- A Location Services icon appears in the status bar to
indicate when Location Services are being used
- Location Services can be enabled and disabled per app
- Indication of apps that have requested your location
within the last 24 hours
• Additional Parental Controls
- Prevent adding friends in Game Center and deletion
of apps
- Restrict changes to Accounts and Location Services
settings
• New languages, dictionaries and keyboards
• New fonts available in Notes
• Wirelessly sync notes using IMAP-based mail accounts
• Automatic spellcheck
• Silence background sounds using the Silent switch on
the side of iPad
• Improved support for Bluetooth AVRCP
• Persistent WiFi connection to receive push notifications
• Support for Bluetooth braille displays and International
braille tables, control VoiceOver using an external
keyboard, and other accessibility enhancements
• Wireless delivery of carrier settings updates for
iPad WiFi + 3G
• Improved enterprise support
- Support for third-party Mobile Device Management
solutions
- Enables wireless distribution of enterprise applications
- Exchange Server 2010 compatibility
- Support for multiple Exchange ActiveSync accounts
- Support for Juniper Junos Pulse and Cisco
AnyConnect SSL VPN apps (available from the
App Store)
• More than 1,500 new developer APIs
• Bug fixes

Products compatible with this software update:
• iPad
• iPad WiFi + 3G

For feature descriptions and complete instructions, see the user guides for iPad at:
<http://support.apple.com/manuals/ipad>

For more information about iPad, go to:
<http://www.apple.com/ipad>

To troubleshoot your iPad, or to view additional support information go to:
<http://www.apple.com/support/ipad>

For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website:
<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222>

MSI K9N Diamond, Windows 7, iPhone 3GS/iPad WiFi 32GB

Posted on Nov 22, 2010 10:15 AM

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16 replies
User profile for user: bboeri
bboeri
User level: Level 1
4 points

Nov 26, 2010 1:59 PM in response to nick101

I'm leery of downloading an early (beta) version. How do I get the released version? I'm supposed to just plug the iPad into iTunes on my PC, then "follow the instructions." All that happens is that the iPad gets backed up (5 minutes) each time I plug it in.

Also, I'm disinclined to turn my firewall off to download >500 Megs. Do I need to do that to get this thing downloaded and installed, assuming I can ever get past the repeated backups.

I'm also surprised that the backup isn't incremental, in which case the backup would have been instantaneous (no changes).
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User profile for user: nick101
nick101
User level: Level 5
5,150 points

Nov 26, 2010 3:25 PM in response to bboeri

bboeri wrote:
I'm leery of downloading an early (beta) version. How do I get the released version? I'm supposed to just plug the iPad into iTunes on my PC, then "follow the instructions." All that happens is that the iPad gets backed up (5 minutes) each time I plug it in.


The version linked to is the released version; the only reason for using the direct link was to get round the problem that the OP faced, which was that the load on the servers meant they couldn't get the update via the normal route ...

... which is to plug the iPad into iTunes and, on the summary page, click Check for Updates. What ought to happen is that iTunes then tells you that there's an update available and offers you the options of a download only or an update. I prefer download only because you don't have to leave the iPad plugged in while the download completes. But that's a personal preference - it's not necessary to do it that way. The only mandatory point is that, once the actual update of the iPad has started, do not unplug it until the update completes. It's not fatal if you do, but it can cause you to have to redownload the update, among other irritating issues
Also, I'm disinclined to turn my firewall off to download >500 Megs. Do I need to do that to get this thing downloaded and installed, assuming I can ever get past the repeated backups.


You shouldn't have to do anything to your firewall unless you run into the problem that the download won't complete. Some software firewalls block the completion of the download, I presume because the relevant ports aren't opened, but maybe for other reasons. A more common issue is anti-virus blocking completion of the download. The rational approach is to leave everything as it is and attempt the download; only if it fails persistently will you need to think about disabling protection.

I'm also surprised that the backup isn't incremental, in which case the backup would have been instantaneous (no changes).


Backup times vary enormously and a number of people have reported very slow backups. They are normally incremental, but I make a point of doing a full backup before I do the upgrade - better safe than sorry. My full backup took about 90 minutes. Various suggestions have been made about why backups might be slow; the most common are slow USB port or slow USB cable. Some people who have been using an iPhone cable have reported that using the actual iPad cable improved matters

You can cancel a backup at any time - in the progress panel at the top of iTunes, where it says 'Backup up x's iPad), you can hit the cancel x on the right hand side to stop it if you don't want to wait
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iOS 4.2 Software Update for iPad now available

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