As if there weren’t enough apps and operating system updates already today, Apple also pushed a new version of its web browser, Safari, into the public domain. Coming packaged as part of the OS X Lion 10.7.2 update as well as being available as a separate download, Safari 5.1.1 features a host of new updates and changes, with iCloud support front and center.
Safari 5.1.1 includes support for iCloud, a breakthrough set of free cloud services. iCloud stores your Safari bookmarks and Safari Reading List and automatically pushes them to all your devices.
Reading List is best described as Instapaper-lite. While it offers similar functionality to Instapaper, it lacks the latter’s spit and polish, as well as not also syncing with third-party apps and devices. Safari’s Reading List is a nice addition, but if you’re the kind of person that’s already using Instapaper, you won’t be switching any time soon, but we tried it still, and somewhat dig it.
Along with iCloud support, Apple also managed to find the now-expected speed boost over the previous version, with Safari 5.1.1 apparently possessing 13% better JavaScript performance over 5.1, something worth complementing.
Speed improvements are always very welcome, obviously, though we’re struggling to get too excited this time around. Perhaps we’ve been spoiled by the 128 app updates we’ve waded through today already!
Other improvements include improved PDF handling, improved ‘pinch to zoom’ efficiency and improved printing. Yes, that’s right, improved printing.
If that doesn’t get you all good and sweaty, then nothing will. Certainly nothing else in this list of changes, the most exciting of which we’ve just run through in a couple of paragraphs.
Jaded? Us? Never!
Of course, right now, the chances of you successfully downloading either Safari or the OS X update it’s hiding in, are extremely slim. Reports across the internet tell a story of failed downloads, extremely slow downloads, and completed downloads that just don’t work.
Perhaps Apple should have staggered all these updates and new iOS apps, instead of trying to push gigabytes of data out per user? Perhaps, but with all the money spent on data centers, Apple could perhaps be forgiven for expecting their end to stay up longer than it appears to have done.
I’m told you can get tablets for that.
You can download Safari 5.1.1 for Windows and Mac by heading over to this link.
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