With these new features, you can sync and update your iPad or iPhone wirelessly. You'll encounter a few trade-offs--for instance, wireless syncing is significantly slower than syncing via USB--but after you install iOS 5 through iTunes, you may never plug your iGadget into a computer again.

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Until iOS 5, Apple required you to plug in your phone or tablet in order to shuttle new data out of iTunes and onto your device; for each new album, for example, you had to plug in and sync up. iOS 5 offers an easy alternative: Just check the box next to the 'Sync with this [device name] over Wi-Fi' option, which should now appear in iTunes whenever you sync any iOS 5 device.

If you plug your phone or tablet into a power outlet, and the device is connected to the same wireless network as your computer, the two now will automatically sync their information. And if you're in a hurry, you can manually force your iOS device to sync up right away. Just go to Settings, General, iTunes Wi-Fi Sync, and press the Sync Now button to get your new music and apps onto your iPad or iPhone whenever you want.

iOS 5 also improves the way iDevices handle software updates, ending the irritating process of updating the operating system through iTunes. Before iOS 5, you had to plug your phone or tablet into your computer, wait for the computer to download the new iOS software, wait for it to load the software on your device, and then wait for the device to update and restart itself.