iTunes 9.1 is out: iPad syncing, e-books, customizable Genius Mixes

Apple has updated its free jukebox software for Mac and Windows late afternoon, just in time for the official iPad launch this Saturday. The new version has brought a rumored support for e-books and iPad syncing.

Apple says iTunes 9.1 lets you organize and sync books downloaded from the iBooks app on the iPad or manually added to your iTunes library. Like with the iPhone, iPad owners will need to connect their device to desktop iTunes via a USB cable in order to transfer e-book purchases to their iTunes libraries.

Also part of the change is the renaming of iTunes’ Audiobooks section into a broader Books category that combines audiobooks and e-books. Other tweaks include the ability to rename, rearrange, or remove Genius Mixes, a smart iTunes’ feature that can create genre-based mixes from the songs in your library that go great together.