So I installed iOS 5 Beta 2

To be honest, I was not so sure if I should try the iOS 5 Beta 2.  iOS 5 Beta 1 was not stellar, but it worked OK for me so far.  Installing a new OS always create some uncertainty on the stability of the system, not to mention the potential ruin of all the set up time I put in, like setting up all those passwords and user account and the whole 9 yard.  But eventually, I gave in, and did the installation.

The first thing I realized is that I have to install the new iTune 10.5 Beta 2 in order to make it "work" (particularly the wireless sync feature that makes iTune 10.5 Beta 2 special).  The second thing I found out was that the [Update] (hold ALT button and then click [Update]) doesn't work.  I read about someone finding a workaround, but I could not find the IP address that the workaround mentioned.  So I have to do it the regular way, meaning backing up the device using iTune 10.5 Beta 2, install the new OS using [Restore], and then restore the back up I made a while ago.

The whole process took about 30 minutes, and I didn't multitask much during the process (except typing this blog), worrying that I might ruin the installation if I didn't pay attention to the detail.

And the first thing that "surprised"  (should say PISSED) me was that NONE of my third party app were being backed up.  That means I have to spend all my time restoring all the apps and settings that I had been set up.  SON OF THE BITCH!  So I guess next time I have to make sure that all the apps were SYNCED to iTune before I do a backup, and then this whole RESTORE mess.  But VERY VERY FUCKING PISSED.

So since I've been gone so far already, I might just better off continue the journey. 

The next important thing about this update is wireless sync.  So I went ahead and did the set up, and sure enough, I was able to sync the content of my iPad 2 to the iTune on my Lion Preview.

In fact, after I downloaded AirVideo, I found that all the setting is still there.  It's just that the app was gone.  Odd.  Well, I should experiment more.

Now I was thinking, why sync with the iTune on the OSX Lion, when my closet server stays up all the time!  I should sync with THAT MACHINE instead!  But then I just found out that wireless sync ONLY works on Mac this time.  Sigh.  I also found out that iTune for Windows does not recognize my iPad 2 if I launch the app in Windows Remote Desktop.  So when wireless sync finally comes to Windows, I will have to sync it by physically walked to the machine and use the connected monitor and keyboard to do all the set up stuff.

(BTW, when not using remote desktop, both the backside and the front side of the USB ports can recongnize the iPad2.  Just FIY to myself.)

I will continue documenting once I find out more stuff about this new OS.