The Buzz - iOS 5 for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad due this fall with iCloud, Twitter integration, new apps and no iTunes required

Almost lost amidst all of the E3 chatter, Apple unveiled iOS 5 for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad due for download this fall. Here are the top features and improvements:

• No iTunes required. Syncing to a PC or Mac will be optional, and the new iCloud service will permit storing of content including music, photos and app data. Backups also go to the cloud and can be restored to a new device via WiFi. Past purchases can be redownloaded free to any iDevice you own, and a $25 per year music matching service will unlock songs from your CDs and other sources (unmatched tracks can be uploaded to the cloud if you choose). iCloud replaces MobileMe as a free service, unless you choose iTunes Match.
• Game Center improvements. Taking a cue from Microsoft, gamers can earn achievement points, access friends of friends, find players for your game using game discovery, download games from within the Game Center app and share photos.
• Camera quick access. Access the camera app without unlocking your phone and snap photos with the + volume button instead of the onscreen button. There's also limited photo editing with red eye reduction, color correction, cropping and other minor picture fixers.
• Safari enhancements. The Web browser adds tabs to speed up page switching and a Reading List feature to save pages for offline sync and review.
• Twitter integration. Post images to Twitter directly from the camera, share videos from the YouTube app and even add Twitter addresses to Contacts. It's not clear whether this only works with the "official" Twitter app or if any app (like our favorite, Twittelator) can be adapted to use these features.
• Reminders and Notifications. This new app lets you create To Do lists that are sync'd between devices and Max OS X. Notifications of all types are now delivered to a Notification Center, which can display useful information without the need to unlock your device.
• iMessage. Similar to the free Ping app we use today, messages can be transmitted between iDevices without the need for SMS or MMS. Though Ping now works cross-platform with Android and Blackberry, while iMessage will only work with iOS and Mac OS clients.
• Newsstand. Magazine and newspaper content will be available similar to iBooks, with subscribed issues downloaded automatically.