If you’re like us and have been waiting with bated breath for months in anticipation of the newest update to Apple’s iOS operating system, your suffering is done – the wait is over. iPhone 3GS / 4 users, iPad / iPad2 and 3rd / 4th Generation iPod Touch owners alike will be able to take advantage of iOS5, though some features may not be available to older devices.

Today, Apple released the latest version of its popular mobile operating system with a ton of updated and totally-new features. From changes to the messaging system, to OS-wide Twitter integration, the updates are advertised to be significant.

Have you already taken the plunge and upgraded your device to iOS5? What are your favorite new features? Anything you hate? Share your feedback with our readers in the comments below.

If you want to know what new features are being offered with iOS5 before upgrading your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, here’s a list taken directly from the install documentation when upgrading to iOS5:

iOS 5 Software Update
This update contains over 200 new features, including the following:

NOTIFICATIONS

• Swipe from the top of any screen to view notifications in one place with Notification Center
• New notifications appear briefly at the top of the screen
• View notifications from lock screen
• Slide the notification app icon to the right on the lock screen to go directly to the app

iMESSAGE

• Send and receive unlimited text, photo, and video messages with other iOS 5 users
• Track messages with delivery and read receipts
• Group messaging and secure encryption
• Works over cellular network and Wi-Fi*

NEWSSTAND

• Automatically organizes magazine and newspaper subscriptions on Home Screen
• Displays the cover of the latest issue
• Background downloads of new issues

REMINDERS FOR MANAGING TO-DO LISTS

• Syncs with iCloud, iCal and Outlook
• Location-based reminders when you leave or arrive at a location for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4

BUILT-IN SUPPORT FOR TWITTER

• Sign-in once in Settings and tweet directly from Camera, Photos, Maps, Safari and YouTube
• Add location to any tweet
• View twitter profile pictures and usernames in Contacts

CAMERA IMPROVEMENTS FOR DEVICES WITH CAMERAS

• Double click the home button when device is asleep to bring up a camera shortcut on iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch (4th generation)
• Volume Up button to take a picture
• Optional grid lines to line up shots
• Pinch to zoom in the preview screen
• Swipe to camera roll from preview screen
• Tap and hold to lock focus and exposure, iPad 2 and iPod touch (4th generation) only support exposure lock

PHOTO IMPROVEMENTS FOR DEVICES WITH CAMERAS

• Crop and rotate
• Red eye removal
• One tap enhance
• Organize photos into albums

MAIL IMPROVEMENTS

• Format text using bold, italic, or underlined fonts
• Indentation control
• Drag to rearrange names in address fields
• Flag messages
• Mass mark messages as flagged, read or unread
• Customize mail alert sounds
• S/MIME

CALENDAR IMPROVEMENTS

• Year view on iPad and new Week view for iPhone and iPod touch
• Tap to create an event
• View and add event attachments

GAME CENTER IMPROVEMENTS

• Use personal photos for your Game Center account
• Compare your overall achievement scores with your friends
• Find new Game Center friends with friend recommendations and friends of friends
• Discover new games with custom game recommendations

AIRPLAY MIRRORING FOR iPAD2 and iPHONE 4S


MULTITASKING GESTURES FOR iPAD

• Use four or five fingers to pinch to the Home Screen
• Swipe up to reveal the multitasking bar
• Swipe left or right to switch between apps

ON-DEVICE SETUP, ACTIVATION AND CONFIGURATION WITH SETUP ASSISTANT

SOFTWARE UPDATES AVAILABLE OVER THE AIR WITHOUT TETHERING

iCLOUD SUPPORT

• iTunes in the Cloud
• Photo Stream
• Documents in the Cloud
• Apps and Books automatic download and purchase history
• Backup
• Contacts, Calendar, and Mail
• Find My iPhone

REDESIGNED MUSIC APP FOR iIPAD

HOURLY WEATHER FORECAST

REAL-TIME STOCK QUOTES

WIRELESS SYNC TO iTUNES

KEYBOARD IMPROVEMENTS

• Split keyboard for iPad
• Improved autocorrection accuracy
• Improved Chinese and Japanese input
• New Emoji keyboard
• Personal dictionary for autocorrection
• Optionally create keyboard short cuts for frequently used words

ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS

• Option to light LED flash on incoming calls and alerts for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4
• Custom vibration patterns for incoming calls on iPhone
• New interface for using iOS with mobility-impairment input devices
• Option to speak a selection of text
• Custom element labeling for VoiceOver

EXCHANGE ACTIVESYNC IMPROVEMENTS

• Wirelessly sync tasks
• Mark messages as flagged, read or unread
• Improved offline support
• Save a new contact from a GAL service

MORE THAN 1,500 NEW DEVELOPER APIS
BUG FIXES

PRODUCTS COMPATIBLE WITH THIS SOFTWARE UPDATE

• iPhone 4S
• iPhone 4
•  iPhone 3GS
• iPad 2
• iPad
• iPod touch (4th generation)
•  iPod touch (3rd generation)