Apple just released an update to Safari on its Downloads website and Software Update, adding a number of improvements for stability, compatibility, and security.

• Improve JavaScript performance
• Improve responsiveness when typing into the search field after changing network configurations or with an intermittent network connection
• Address an issue that could cause webpages to flash white when switching between Safari windows
• Address issues that prevented printing U.S. Postal Service shipping labels and embedded PDFs
• Preserve links in PDFs saved from webpages
• Fix an issue that could make Flash content appear incomplete after using gesture zooming
• Fix an issue that could cause the screen to dim while watching HTML5 video
• Improve stability, compatibility and startup time when using extensions
• Allow cookies set during regular browsing to be available after using Private Browsing
• Fix an issue that could cause some data to be left behind after pressing the “Remove All Website Data” button

You can find Safari 5.1.4 here. The previous version of Safari, 5.1.3, was released alongside 10.7.3, adding, again, bug fixes and improvements.

Update 3/10: Apple has confirmed in a statement to CNET that initial iPad units available for pre-order are sold out.

Customer response to the new iPad has been off the charts and the quantity available for pre-order has been purchased,” an Apple representative told CNET. “Customers can continue to order online and receive an estimated delivery date. Beginning Friday, March 16, the new iPad will be available for purchase at Apple’s retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers on a first come, first-served basis.

As noted by Matthew Panzarino at The Next Web, shipping times for the recently announced new iPad have slipped to 2-3 weeks in several online stores worldwide. The new device, announced at a media event on Wednesday, was made available through online pre-orders immediately after the event; in the hours following the refresh of the Apple online store with new products, the company had to face technical problems with the site not loading correctly due to heavy traffic. That hasn’t stopped customers, however, from sending their orders for the new iPad, whose initial shipments are now sold out in many international versions of the store — shipping times of 2-3 weeks are now reported in the UK, Germany, Japan, France, and Australia. Curiously enough, at the moment of writing this US shipping times had slipped to 2-3 weeks as well, only to go back to March 19 right before publishing.

Other stores of the initial launch countries are now reporting delays as well: in Canada, new iPad orders will be shipped on March 19, in Singapore and Australia on March 22.

On March 16th, the new iPad will go on sale in:

• US
• Canada
• UK
• France
• Germany
• Switzerland
• Japan
• Hong Kong
• Singapore
• Australia

25 more countries will follow one week later on March 23rd:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Finland
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Liechtenstein
• Luxembourg
• Macau
• Mexico
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Puerto Rico
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden

You can read more about the new iPad, which carries a Retina display, LTE, Bluetooth 4.0 and quad-core GPU, in our overview.

With a support document updated today, Apple has informed users of iWork.com that the public beta of the service will be discontinued on July 31:

After July 31, 2012, you can no longer publish new documents to iWork.com from any iWork application on your Mac or iOS device. Documents already shared on iWork.com will not be available to you or to those you shared documents with.

Moving forward, you can use iCloud to share documents between your computer and your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Giving instructions to save documents already published on iWork.com, Apple is advising customers to start using iCloud instead. Currently, iCloud offers a functionality to store iWork documents online, and access them from the native iWork apps for iOS. With Mountain Lion, Apple will offer a new iCloud save interface, although it’s not clear yet whether this will translate in a storage UI for iCloud.com as well, or an update to iWork for OS X. Currently, iCloud.com offers no sharing system for documents stored online, either.

Apple never showed too much interest in bringing new features to its iWork.com service, which has always been labelled as “beta” by the company. Some minor additions were brought to iWork.com last year, but the company never specifically mentioned major new functionalities would be introduced. Especially after the launch of iCloud, many had wondered if iWork.com was set to be discontinued, like other MobileMe services, and it now appears those doubts were legitimate, as the company is looking to move every document-related feature to iCloud. Right now, it’s not clear whether native apps will gain new options for publishing and sharing, or if Apple will keep building more powerful web apps for storing and sharing documents online.

Apple has already confirmed that MobileMe will be discontinued later this year, on June 30.

The first new game by Rovio in over a year, Angry Birds Space is the next step in the company’s franchise, and it’s coming out on March 22. Previously teased online, Rovio has now updated the game’s webpage with an official trailer featuring a NASA engineer talking about the game and the new physics engine behind it. Based in a weightless environment, the basic gist of the game seems to be that in such conditions, trajectories are affected by gravity, and objects end up following curves, rather than straight lines. Using a “galactic slingshot” in footage shot on-location at the International Space Station, NASA’s Don Pettit explains how astronauts and scientists have to consider these changes in physics and gravity when they are in outer space; apparently, this mechanic will be brought to Angry Birds Space in a fairly accurate representation.

Angry Birds isn’t new to physics. In fact, we could say that the entire franchise has been so successful thanks to its user-friendly implementation of actual law of physics that take into account gravity, weight, trajectories, and speed through a multitouch interface. From what we can see in the trailer, surprisingly demoed on a Galaxy Note, the new Angry Birds will work as a crossover between the original game and Super Mario Galaxy — those who have played Nintendo’s Wii game might remember how planets affected Mario’s jumps and moves when floating in space. It looks like Angry Birds Space will somehow translate that gameplay in 2D scenes while mixing it with new birds, new pigs, and new actions with the ultimate goal of giving the franchise a new spin and an entirely new set of physics users will have to adapt to.

Angry Birds Space will be released on March 22 on iOS, Android, Mac, and PC. Check out the official video below.

Update: More screenshots and information directly from Rovio.

Features:

• 60 interstellar levels!
• Regular free updates!
• Brand new birds!
• Brand new superpowers!
• Zero-gravity space adventures!
• Trick shots using planets’ gravity!
• New in-app purchases for iOS!
• Hidden bonus levels!
• Beautifully detailed backgrounds!

Description:

After a giant claw kidnaps their eggs, the Angry Birds chase it into a wormhole and find themselves floating in a strange new galaxy – surrounded by space pigs! Luckily the Angry Birds have super powers of their own…

Angry Birds Space features 60 interstellar levels on planets and in zero gravity, resulting in spectacular gameplay ranging from slow-motion puzzles to lightspeed destruction. With regular free updates, new in-app purchases, brand new birds, brand new superpowers, and a whole galaxy to explore, the sky is no longer the limit!

Screenshots

(more…)

Following the release of iOS 5.1 earlier today, Apple has updated its developer portal with a new “Create Apps for iOS 5.1” webpage, asking developers to start submitting apps written specifically with the iOS 5.1 SDK. The checklist includes links to the iOS 5.1 SDK release notes, Xcode 4.3.1 for developers, and a detailed explanation of the various functionalities introduced in iOS 5.

iOS 5.1, the latest version of the world’s most advanced mobile operating system is now in the hands of millions of iOS customers. Install iOS 5.1 now and download Xcode 4.3.1 with iOS 5.1 SDK from the Mac App Store, so you can test and submit your iOS 5.1 apps today.

Furthermore, Apple has updated the iOS Human Interface Guidelines with new icon size information, as well as the iOS App Programming Guide.

Developers can head over this page to check out Apple’s resources for developing and submitting iOS 5.1 apps.

Today, during Apple’s Keynote, they showed off updates for iWork, iMovie and GarageBand after revealing the new iPad. After the Keynote, many more of Apple’s iOS apps also received updates as well. All these updates are available now in support of the new iPad. Lucky for you we have the entire list (with direct links) for our loyal readers!

iOS Apps

Find My Friends 1.1:

• Support for Retina display-capable devices
• Bug Fixes
• Stability enhancements

iTunes U 1.1:

• Now designed for the spectacular Retina display on the all new iPad.
• This version also includes a number of performance improvements.

GarageBand 1.2:

• Start a Jam Session to play or record live with up to three of your friends using iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch*
• Conduct an entire string orchestra using Smart Strings
• Use the Note Editor to adjust or fine-tune any Touch Instrument recording
• Combine recordings to free up additional tracks using Track Merge
• Keep your GarageBand songs up to date across all your iOS devices with iCloud*
• Share your songs directly to Facebook, YouTube, and SoundCloud
• Perform retro and modern synth bass lines and grooves with new Smart Bass instruments
• Play synth melodies and arpeggios with new Smart Keyboard instruments

*Jam Session and iCloud are available on iPhone 4 or later, 4th generation iPod touch, and all iPad models.

iMovie 1.3:

• Create beautiful movie trailers with stunning graphics and world-class soundtracks*
• Swipe up on the playhead to freeze a frame in your video
• Preview music and sound effects in the Audio Browser
• Create a song in GarageBand and send it directly to iMovie

*Trailers are available on iPhone 4 or later and iPad 2 or later

Find My iPhone 1.4:

• Support for Retina display-capable devices
• Bug Fixes
• Stability enhancements

iBooks 2.1:

• Read books more easily with sharply detailed text on the new iPad’s amazing Retina display
• See page numbers that correspond to the printed edition of select titles
• Search for a page number to jump to a desired page with a single tap
• Use your finger as a highlighter when swiping over text
• This version also includes a number of important stability and performance improvements

Numbers 1.6: (Numbers 1.6 requires iOS 5.1 software update or later)

• Create and view stunning 3D bar, line, area, and pie charts
• Numbers 1.6 is enhanced to take advantage of the Retina display on the new iPad
• Includes performance improvements

Keynote 1.6: (Keynote 1.6 requires iOS 5.1 software update or later)

• Create and view stunning 3D bar, line, area, and pie charts
• Animate your 3D charts with Crane, Grow, Radial, Rotate, Rotate & Grow, and Z Axis builds
• Keynote 1.6 is enhanced to take advantage of the Retina display on the new iPad
• Use new builds and transitions including Iris, Shimmer, Wipe, Flame, Perspective, Swing, Object Push, Object Zoom, and Fade Through Color
• Includes performance improvements

Pages 1.6: (Pages 1.6 requires iOS 5.1 software update or later)

• Easily enter text using the landscape keyboard on iPhone and iPod touch
• Create and view stunning 3D bar, line, area, and pie charts
• Pages 1.6 is enhanced to take advantage of the Retina display on the new iPad
• Includes performance improvements

Remote 2.3:

• Support for iTunes Match on Apple TV
• Support for Retina display on iPad

Mac Apps

Xcode 4.3.1:

• Includes SDKs for Mac OS X 10.7 Lion and iOS 5.1
• New code signing workflow supports signing OS X apps with Developer ID
• Adds installation of command-line tools to the Downloads preference pane
• Open Developer Tool menu launches Instruments, File Merge, and other tools
• ARC migration tool converts both retain/release and garbage collected code
• Additional bug fixes and stability improvements

iBooks Author 1.1:

• iBooks Author 1.1 is enhanced to create books that take advantage of the Retina display on the new iPad
• Includes performance and stability improvements

iPhoto 9.2.2:

• Photos can now be deleted from Photo Stream

Apple has increased the over-the-air download size limit for the App Store to 50MB, from the previous 20MB. This only makes sense with cellular data networks getting faster speeds, especially with the launch of the new iPad, its Retina Display and 4G LTE data networks. The new iPad’s Retina Display will require its apps to have larger file sizes, thus the increase in download limits. This means that any app that is 50MB or less can be downloaded over the 3G or 4G networks.

The 50MB limit is now in effect, and applies to all kinds of media – music, video and apps. Now if the cellular companies would bring back “real” unlimited data plans!

Image via

[via MacRumors via AppAdvice]

Following today’s new iPad announcement, Apple has released a new version of iTunes, which reaches 10.6. The update is now available through Software Update, and will be up soon on Apple’s website. iTunes 10.6 brings the possibility to play 1080p HD movies and TV shows from the iTunes Store, and “many improvements” for iTunes Match, listed below.

• Improved song matching
• Improved album artwork handling, downloading, and display
• Addresses an issue where songs may skip when playing from iCloud

iTunes 10.6 is out now in Software Update.

Apple just released the new version of iOS, iOS 5.1, through Software Update. Notable new features in this update include Siri support for Japanese users, a new camera shortcut, and new Camera app for iPad. Full changelog below.

This update contains improvements and bug fixes, including:

• Japanese language support for Siri (availability may be limited during initial rollout)
• Photos can now be deleted from Photo Stream
• Camera shortcut now always visible on Lock Screen for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch (4th generation)
• Camera face detection now highlights all detected faces
• Redesigned Camera app for iPad
• Genius Mixes and Genius playlists for iTunes Match subscribers
• Audio for TV shows and movies on iPad optimized to sound louder and clearer
• Podcast controls for playback speed and a 30 second rewind for iPad
• Updated AT&T network indicator
• Addresses bugs affecting battery life
• Fixes an issue that occasionally caused audio to drop for outgoing calls

At the moment of writing this, the update server can’t be reached with iTunes, but the over-the-air update is working through iOS devices. We’ll update this story with more details as we install iOS 5.1 on our devices. (more…)

The new iPad (our March 7 news hub) is a thing of beauty. As we’re detailing in our complete overview right now, the device features a high-res Retina display, supercharged dual-core A5X processor with improved graphics for smooth gaming performance and video playback, Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, LTE, and a bunch of new apps from Apple. Together, these new features complete a package owners of the original iPad will likely have a hard time saying “no” while considering an upgrade this year. And what better way to put this upgrade question many will face later this month with a handy comparison chart?

At MacStories, we typically don’t care about tech specs as much as others do. We value the experience more than speeds and feeds. But we also think that, for the sake of information, tech specs are a set of data worth reporting and disclosing to those who care — that’s what Apple does with its Tech Specs page on every product.

So here’s what you’ll find below: a comprehensive chart comparing the new iPad to previous models. We have included specs and price — as well as a bunch of other tablets so you’ll get the big picture of what Apple has to offer with its latest iPad.

Last, make sure to check out our March 7 news hub for a roundup of everything that went down at the Yerba Buena Center today, as well as our New iPad Overview.

Full-size comparison image here.

Apple has announced that new iPad owners will have the option to purchase the AppleCare+ for iPad service plan. Every iPad will ship with the usual one year hardware-related technical support and 90 days of expert telephone technical support. The optional AppleCare+ for iPad will not only extend both of these support features to two years but it also gives the customer protection from accidental damage. This is similar to the AppleCare+ plan that launched during the iPhone 4S release as it provides up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage. Each of these incidents would be subject to a $49 fee should the iPad need to be serviced because of accidental damage.

AppleCare+ for iPad extends your coverage to two years from the original purchase date of your iPad and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a $49 service fee.1 Whether you use your iPad with a Mac or a PC, just one phone call can help resolve most issues.2

Items covered under the warranty:

• The iPad
• Battery
• Any Time Capsule or AirPort device purchased with the iPad
• USB cable and Power adapter

Apple also states that in order to qualify for the AppleCare+ plan, it must be purchased within 30 days of the date the iPad was purchased. If you wait to buy the plan, you can still pick one up within that 30 days by bringing your device to an Apple retail store for a Genius to inspect. Provided there is no pre-existing damage then you will be able to purchase the AppleCare+ plan.

AppleCare+ will be available soon and is priced at only $99

Apple has posted a video for its new iPad event that took place in San Francisco earlier today. The video can be streamed here, and a higher quality version should be made available in a few hours through iTunes.

Streaming: Apple Events

Also, here’s a recap of our coverage for today’s event:

- The Apple TV Gets A Refresh: New UI, 1080p Playback, Available on March 16

- This Is The New iPad: Our Complete Overview

- Apple Announces iPhoto for iOS: Coming Today at $4.99

We will post additional news on the site’s homepage, or tweet as @MacStoriesNet throughout the day.

Update: The keynote is now available for download in iTunes.