How iOS 5 Redefines Productivity

Will its productivity upgrades turn us all into workaholics?

iOS 5 is packing over 200 features, and more than a few of them will help you be more productive than ever before. Whether you’re looking for a to-do list that will flawlessly integrate with the OS, notifications that will finally get out of your way, or even an improved iPad keyboard, iOS 5 will dramatically increase the speed with which we do everyday processes on the iPad. Apple is taking significant strides to turn our iOS devices into devices we can use for serious work, and iOS 5 marks the biggest step yet. Here’s what to expect:

Reminders

Reminders might just replace our favorite similarly aimed iOS apps.

Some seriously awesome to-do list apps populate the App Store -- so many, in fact, that the Mac|Life staff can’t reach a consensus on which is “best” -- but that might be about to change. With the Reminders app, Apple is stepping into the (admittedly crowded) to-do list space to offer something none of the alternatives can -- a deep-seated integration with the OS and a shine that only an app developed by Apple has. That’s why this simple app is one of the top features we’re excited about in iOS 5.

Wireless Syncing and the Cloud

Imagine snapping a picture and wirelessly transferring it to every iOS device and Apple computer you own. We can’t wait either.

Say goodbye to the outrageously unwieldy File Sharing. With iCloud and wireless syncing, we don’t even have to see our computer when we want to save documents, photos, and music. Lose your phone? Restoring has never been easier thanks to the ability to grab backups from the cloud. As if that’s not exciting enough, iCloud will replace the sometimes-horrendous MobileMe and help us manage our calendars, contacts, and mail -- without the snafus (we hope!). Goodbye and good riddance!

Better Notifications

Notification Center won’t interrupt us while we’re working—or playing Cut the Rope.

Ever tried to spend quality time writing a document, only to be bombarded by Game Center friend requests, text messages, tweets, and other unimportant push notifications? We have, and that’s why we’re so darn excited for the revamped Notification Center. Improved notifications stay out of your way when you need them to, making this feature far more than a cosmetic upgrade.

iMessages

If you threw instant messaging, texting, and BlackBerry Messenger into a blender, iMessages would be the result.

Say you’re working in an Apple-friendly office, and you want to shoot a message to your coworker, whom you can see is working on an iPad. With iOS 5, you won’t have to send an email (which have quickly become the voicemails of the internet). Instead, you can simply open up iMessages and send free messages. As in iChat, you can tell if someone’s typing to you so you don’t have to stay glued to your computer, refreshing your inbox waiting for that next message to come in.

Reading List

Reading List is a much better solution than a browser crowded with temporary bookmarks.

Everyone who works in a wired office knows how dangerous the internet can be. Within minutes, you can go from plugging away on your next big deadline to being completely and utterly derailed. That’s why some of us worried that our productivity might actually decrease when multitasking was first released on the iPad. Luckily, iOS 5 will come loaded with Reading List -- a folder of bookmarks that allows us to quickly mark something we want to read -- and then, hopefully, keep working.

Multitasking Gestures

Switching between apps on the iPad will feel almost identical to switching between full-screen apps in Lion.

If Lion has taught us anything, it’s that gestures are our best friend. Apple understands their importance, too, which is why they’re coming to the iPad. Using four or more fingers, swiping left or right will switch between open apps, swiping up will show the multitasking bar, and pinching will return to the home screen. For those who work on their iPads, these three little gestures will save tons of time each day.

Split Keyboard

iOS 5—now with reasonably fast typing on the iPad.

No matter how hard we try, typing on an iPad has always been a bit too slow for us. Some of us have become experts of hunt and peck, while others have just resorted to iPad keyboards. But all that’s about to change as iOS 5 has created an option to split your keyboard in half, meaning you can finally type with your thumbs. This simple option will make typing on an iPad about as fast as an iPhone, but also provide a more comfortable way to type while you’re on the go -- you’ll no longer be required to set your iPad down every single time you want to type a few words.