Apps gain AirPrint, iOS 4.2.1 compatibility

As hinted at earlier, Apple has posted v1.3 updates for apps in the iPad version of the iWork suite. All expected upgrades are present, including support for two key iOS 4.2.1 features: multitasking, and AirPrint, which allows printing via Wi-Fi. Only a handful of HP printers are currently supported, however.

Other shared upgrades include support for languages like Swedish, Korean and traditional Chinese, and a fix for PDF export involving an issue within missing fonts in Windows. Apple has also dealt with several problems related to WebDAV servers. These include saving port numbers, saving files with invalid characters, and signing out when a server is actually no longer available.

Pages has been tweaked to automatically paginate tables that span a page break, and incorporate several interface enhancements, specifically in font size selection and showing bold, italic and underline indicators in the ruler. Importing Word and Pages '09 documents should be more reliable.

Keynote can now display notes or current and next slides while a presentation runs on an external display; the ability to add or import notes is new in its own right. PowerPoint and Keynote '09 file import has been improved.

Numbers, finally, has been given a new print preview mode that allows control of how a spreadsheet prints across several pages. To simplify the option, people can simply tap Auto Fit. Any pagination settings carry over to PDF export. Mirroring changes in Pages and Keynote, Numbers should also offer more reliable import of Excel and Numbers '09 content.

Each app is $10 new, or a free upgrade from earlier App Store downloads.

by MacNN Staff