diff --git a/media/src/api/api._selectors.js b/media/src/api/api._selectors.js
index fbb4215a..b5265428 100644
--- a/media/src/api/api._selectors.js
+++ b/media/src/api/api._selectors.js
@@ -1,16 +1,50 @@
 
 
 
-var _pluck = function ( a, prop ) {
+var _pluck = function ( a, prop, prop2 ) {
 	var out = [];
+	var i=0, ien=a.length;
 
-	for ( var i=0, ien=a.length ; i<ien ; i++ ) {
-		out.push( a[i][ prop ] );
+	// Could have the test in the loop for slightly smaller code, but speed
+	// is essential here
+	if ( prop2 !== undefined ) {
+		for ( ; i<ien ; i++ ) {
+			out.push( a[i][ prop ][ prop2 ] );
+		}
+	}
+	else {
+		for ( ; i<ien ; i++ ) {
+			out.push( a[i][ prop ] );
+		}
 	}
 
 	return out;
 };
 
+// Basically the same as _pluck, but rather than looping over `a` we use `order`
+// as the indexes to pick from `a`
+var _pluck_order = function ( a, order, prop, prop2 )
+{
+	var out = [];
+	var i=0, ien=order.length;
+
+	// Could have the test in the loop for slightly smaller code, but speed
+	// is essential here
+	if ( prop2 !== undefined ) {
+		for ( ; i<ien ; i++ ) {
+			out.push( a[ order[i] ][ prop ][ prop2 ] );
+		}
+	}
+	else {
+		for ( ; i<ien ; i++ ) {
+			out.push( a[ order[i] ][ prop ] );
+		}
+	}
+
+	return out;
+};
+
+
 var _intVal = function ( s ) {
 	var integer = parseInt( s, 10 );
 	return !isNaN(integer) && isFinite(s) ? integer : null;
@@ -21,7 +55,7 @@ var _selector_run = function ( selector, select )
 	var
 		out = [], res,
 		a, i, ien, j, jen;
-	
+
 	if ( ! $.isArray( selector ) ) {
 		selector = [ selector ];
 	}
@@ -43,6 +77,30 @@ var _selector_run = function ( selector, select )
 	return out;
 };
 
+var _selector_opts = function ( opts )
+{
+	if ( ! opts ) {
+		opts = {};
+	}
+
+	return {
+		filter: opts.filter || 'none',
+		order:  opts.order  || 'current',
+		page:   opts.page   || 'all'
+	};
+};
+
+var _range = function ( len )
+{
+	var out = [];
+
+	for ( var i=0 ; i<len ; i++ ) {
+		out.push( i );
+	}
+
+	return out;
+};
+
 
 /* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
  * Tables
@@ -100,14 +158,10 @@ var _row_selector_indexes = function ( settings, opts )
 		displayFiltered = settings.aiDisplay,
 		displayMaster = settings.aiDisplayMaster;
 
-	if ( ! opts ) {
-		opts = {};
-	}
-
 	var
-		filter = opts.filter  || 'none',    // none, applied, removed
-		order  = opts.order   || 'current', // current, original
-		page   = opts.page    || 'all';     // all, page
+		filter = opts.filter,  // none, applied, removed
+		order  = opts.order,   // current, index (original - compatibility with 1.9)
+		page   = opts.page;    // all, page
 
 	// Current page implies that order=current and fitler=applied, since it is
 	// fairly senseless otherwise, regardless of what order and filter actually
@@ -127,7 +181,7 @@ var _row_selector_indexes = function ( settings, opts )
 					return $.inArray( el, displayFiltered ) === -1 ? el : null;
 				} );
 	}
-	else if ( order == 'original' ) {
+	else if ( order == 'index' || order == 'original' ) {
 		for ( i=0, ien=settings.aoData.length ; i<ien ; i++ ) {
 			if ( filter == 'none' ) {
 				a.push( i );
@@ -150,15 +204,6 @@ var _row_selector_indexes = function ( settings, opts )
 
 var _row_selector = function ( settings, selector, opts )
 {
-	// argument shifting
-	if ( selector === undefined ) {
-		selector = '';
-	}
-	else if ( $.isPlainObject( selector ) ) {
-		opts = selector;
-		selector = '';
-	}
-
 	return _selector_run( selector, function ( sel ) {
 		var selInt = _intVal( sel );
 
@@ -180,7 +225,7 @@ var _row_selector = function ( settings, selector, opts )
 			return [ selInt ];
 		}
 
-		// Get nodes in the order from the `rows` array (can't use `pluck`)
+		// Get nodes in the order from the `rows` array (can't use `pluck`) @todo - use pluck_order
 		var nodes = [];
 		for ( var i=0, ien=rows.length ; i<ien ; i++ ) {
 			nodes.push( settings.aoData[ rows[i] ].nTr );
@@ -224,7 +269,7 @@ var _row_selector = function ( settings, selector, opts )
 
 var _re_column_selector = /^(.*):(jq|visIdx)$/;
 
-var _column_selector = function ( settings, selector )
+var _column_selector = function ( settings, selector, opts )
 {
 	var
 		columns = settings.aoColumns,
@@ -234,7 +279,12 @@ var _column_selector = function ( settings, selector )
 	return _selector_run( selector, function ( s ) {
 		var selInt = _intVal( s );
 
-		if ( selInt !== null ) {
+		if ( s === '' ) {
+			// All columns
+			return _range( settings.aoColumns.length );
+		}
+		else if ( selInt !== null ) {
+			// Integer selector
 			return [ selInt ];
 		}
 		else {
diff --git a/media/src/api/api.ajax.js b/media/src/api/api.ajax.js
index d97eae97..9d3224e3 100644
--- a/media/src/api/api.ajax.js
+++ b/media/src/api/api.ajax.js
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ _Api.register( 'ajax.json()', function () {
  * @returns {DataTables.Api} this
  */
 _Api.register( 'ajax.reload()', function ( resetPaging ) {
-	return this.tables( function (settings) {
+	return this.iterator( 'table', function (settings) {
 		_reload( settings, resetPaging===false );
 	} );
 } );
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ _Api.register( 'ajax.url()', function ( url ) {
 	}
 
 	// set
-	return this.tables( function ( settings ) {
+	return this.iterator( 'table', function ( settings ) {
 		if ( $.isPlainObject( settings.ajax ) ) {
 			settings.ajax.url = url;
 		}
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ _Api.register( 'ajax.url()', function ( url ) {
 _Api.register( 'ajax.url().load()', function () {
 	// Same as a reload, but makes sense to present it for easy access after a
 	// url change
-	return this.tables( _reload );
+	return this.iterator( 'table', _reload );
 } );
 
 
diff --git a/media/src/api/api.columns.js b/media/src/api/api.columns.js
index 22102c41..70913fd4 100644
--- a/media/src/api/api.columns.js
+++ b/media/src/api/api.columns.js
@@ -6,21 +6,48 @@ var _api = DataTable.Api;
 
 
 /**
- * 
+ *
  */
-_api.register( 'columns()', function ( selector ) {
-	return this.tables( function ( settings ) {
-		return _column_selector( settings, selector );
+_api.register( 'columns()', function ( selector, opts ) {
+	// argument shifting
+	if ( selector === undefined ) {
+		selector = '';
+	}
+	else if ( $.isPlainObject( selector ) ) {
+		opts = selector;
+		selector = '';
+	}
+
+	opts = _selector_opts( opts );
+
+	var inst = this.iterator( 'table', function ( settings ) {
+		return _column_selector( settings, selector, opts );
+	} );
+
+	// Want argument shifting here and in _row_selector?
+	inst.selector.cols = selector;
+	inst.selector.opts = opts;
+
+	return inst;
+} );
+
+
+/**
+ *
+ */
+_api.register( 'columns().header()', function ( selector, opts ) {
+	return this.iterator( 'column', function ( settings, column ) {
+		return settings.aoColumns[column].nTh;
 	} );
 } );
 
 
 /**
- * 
+ *
  */
-_api.register( 'columns().header()', function ( selector, opts ) {
-	return this.iterator( function ( settings, el ) {
-		return settings.aoColumns[ el ].nTh;
+_api.register( 'columns().cells()', function () {
+	return this.iterator( true, 'column-rows', function ( settings, column, i, j, rows ) {
+		return _pluck_order( settings.aoData, rows, 'anCells', column ) ;
 	} );
 } );
 
diff --git a/media/src/api/api.core.js b/media/src/api/api.core.js
index 27fa3db7..12744810 100644
--- a/media/src/api/api.core.js
+++ b/media/src/api/api.core.js
@@ -240,6 +240,13 @@ DataTable.Api = _Api = function ( context, data )
 		this.push.apply( this, data );
 	}
 
+	// selector
+	this.selector = {
+		rows: null,
+		cols: null,
+		opts: null
+	};
+
 	_Api.extend( this, this, _apiStruct );
 };
 
@@ -312,19 +319,48 @@ _Api.prototype = /** @lends DataTables.Api */{
 	},
 
 	// Internal only at the moment - relax?
-	iterator: function ( fn ) {
+	iterator: function ( flatten, type, fn ) {
 		var
 			a = [], ret,
-			i, ien, j, jen, k, ken,
+			i, ien, j, jen,
 			context = this.context,
-			items;
+			rows, items,
+			selector = this.selector;
+
+		// Argument shifting
+		if ( typeof flatten === 'string' ) {
+			fn = type;
+			type = flatten;
+			flatten = false;
+		}
 
 		for ( i=0, ien=context.length ; i<ien ; i++ ) {
-			for( j=0, jen=this.length ; j<jen ; j++ ) {
+			if ( type === 'table' ) {
+				ret = fn( context[i] );
+
+				if ( ret !== undefined ) {
+					a.push( ret );
+				}
+			}
+			else if ( type === 'columns' || type === 'rows' ) {
+				// this has same length as context - one entry for each table
+				ret = fn( context[i], this[i] );
+
+				if ( ret !== undefined ) {
+					a.push( ret );
+				}
+			}
+			else if ( type === 'column' || type === 'column-rows' || type === 'row' ) {
+				// columns and rows share the same structure.
+				// 'this' is an array of column indexes for each context
 				items = this[i];
 
-				for ( k=0, ken=items.length ; k<ken ; k++ ) {
-					ret = fn( context[i], items[k], i, j, k );
+				if ( type === 'column-rows' ) {
+					rows = _row_selector_indexes( context[i], selector.opts );
+				}
+
+				for ( j=0, jen=items.length ; j<jen ; j++ ) {
+					ret = fn( context[i], items[j], i, j, rows );
 
 					if ( ret !== undefined ) {
 						a.push( ret );
@@ -333,9 +369,15 @@ _Api.prototype = /** @lends DataTables.Api */{
 			}
 		}
 
-		return a.length ?
-			new _Api( context, a ) :
-			this;
+		if ( a.length ) {
+			var api = new _Api( context, flatten ? a.concat.apply( [], a ) : a );
+			var apiSelector = api.selector;
+			apiSelector.rows = selector.rows;
+			apiSelector.cols = selector.cols;
+			apiSelector.opts = selector.opts;
+			return api;
+		}
+		return this;
 	},
 
 
@@ -436,6 +478,10 @@ _Api.prototype = /** @lends DataTables.Api */{
 	reverse: _arrayProto.reverse,
 
 
+	// Object with rows, columns and opts
+	selector: null,
+
+
 	shift:   _arrayProto.shift,
 
 
diff --git a/media/src/api/api.draw.js b/media/src/api/api.draw.js
index d25d29de..da5209f2 100644
--- a/media/src/api/api.draw.js
+++ b/media/src/api/api.draw.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ var _api = DataTable.Api;
  * @returns {DataTables.Api} this
  */
 _api.register( 'draw()', function ( resetPaging ) {
-	return this.tables( function ( settings ) {
+	return this.iterator( 'table', function ( settings ) {
 		_fnReDraw( settings, resetPaging===false );
 	} );
 } );
diff --git a/media/src/api/api.order.js b/media/src/api/api.order.js
index af3bc06a..9eedd929 100644
--- a/media/src/api/api.order.js
+++ b/media/src/api/api.order.js
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ _Api.register( 'order()', function ( order, dir ) {
 	}
 	// otherwise a 2D array was passed in
 
-	return this.tables( function ( settings ) {
-		settings.aaSorting = order;
+	return this.iterator( 'table', function ( settings ) {
+		settings.aaSorting = order.slice();
 	} );
 } );
 
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ _Api.register( 'order()', function ( order, dir ) {
  * @returns {DataTables.Api} this
  */
 _Api.register( 'order.listener()', function ( node, column, callback ) {
-	return this.tables( function ( settings ) {
+	return this.iterator( 'table', function ( settings ) {
 		_fnSortAttachListener( settings, node, column, callback );
 	} );
 } );
diff --git a/media/src/api/api.page.js b/media/src/api/api.page.js
index d7a3cafa..73b7816c 100644
--- a/media/src/api/api.page.js
+++ b/media/src/api/api.page.js
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ _Api.register( 'page()', function ( action ) {
 	}
 
 	// else, have an action to take on all tables
-	return this.tables( function ( settings ) {
+	return this.iterator( 'table', function ( settings ) {
 		_fnPageChange( settings, action );
 	} );
 } );
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ _Api.register( 'page.len()', function ( len ) {
 	}
 
 	// else, set the page length
-	return this.tables( function ( settings ) {
+	return this.iterator( 'table', function ( settings ) {
 		_fnLengthChange( settings, len );
 	} );
 } );
diff --git a/media/src/api/api.rows.js b/media/src/api/api.rows.js
index 0016bff5..2f8f1575 100644
--- a/media/src/api/api.rows.js
+++ b/media/src/api/api.rows.js
@@ -9,25 +9,50 @@ var _api = DataTable.Api;
 
 
 /**
- * 
+ *
  */
 _api.register( 'rows()', function ( selector, opts ) {
-	return this.tables( function ( settings ) {
+	// argument shifting
+	if ( selector === undefined ) {
+		selector = '';
+	}
+	else if ( $.isPlainObject( selector ) ) {
+		opts = selector;
+		selector = '';
+	}
+
+	opts = _selector_opts( opts );
+
+	var inst = this.iterator( 'table', function ( settings ) {
 		return _row_selector( settings, selector, opts );
 	} );
+
+	// Want argument shifting here and in _row_selector?
+	inst.selector.rows = selector;
+	inst.selector.opts = opts;
+
+	return inst;
 } );
 
 
 _api.register( 'rows().nodes()', function () {
-	return this.iterator( function ( settings, el ) {
-		return settings.aoData[ el ].nTr || undefined;
+	return this.iterator( 'row', function ( settings, row ) {
+		// use pluck order on an array rather - rows gives an array, row gives it individually
+		return settings.aoData[ row ].nTr || undefined;
+	} );
+} );
+
+
+_api.register( 'rows().cells()', function () {
+	return this.iterator( true, 'row', function ( settings, row ) {
+		return settings.aoData[ row ].anCells || undefined;
 	} );
 } );
 
 
 _api.register( 'rows().data()', function ( data ) {
-	return this.iterator( function ( settings, el ) {
-		return settings.aoData[ el ]._aData;
+	return this.iterator( true, 'rows', function ( settings, rows ) {
+		return _pluck_order( settings.aoData, rows, '_aData' );
 	} );
 } );
 
diff --git a/media/src/api/api.table.js b/media/src/api/api.table.js
index ef60f906..9367cecf 100644
--- a/media/src/api/api.table.js
+++ b/media/src/api/api.table.js
@@ -6,52 +6,21 @@ var _Api = DataTable.Api;
 
 
 /**
- * Context selector and iterator for the API's context (i.e. the tables the
- * API instance refers to.
+ * Context selector for the API's context (i.e. the tables the API instance
+ * refers to.
  *
  * @name    DataTable.Api#tables
  * @param {string|integer} [selector] Selector to pick which tables the iterator
  *   should operate on. If not given, all tables in the current context are
  *   used. This can be given as a jQuery selector (for example `':gt(0)'`) to
  *   select multiple tables or as an integer to select a single table.
- * @param {function} [fn] Iterator function. Will be called for every table in
- *   the current context (once the selector has been applied, if one is given).
- *   The function is passed two parameters: 1. the DataTables settings object
- *   for the table in question and 2. the index of that table in the current
- *   context. The execution scope of the function is the API instance.
- * @returns {DataTable.Api} Returns a new API instance if a selector is given,
- *   or the callback function returns information from each loop. The
- *   information, if returned, is assigned to the API instance. Otherwise the
- *   original API instance is returned for chaining.
+ * @returns {DataTable.Api} Returns a new API instance if a selector is given.
  */
-_Api.register( 'tables()', function ( selector, fn ) {
-	// Argument shifting
-	if ( typeof selector === 'function' ) {
-		fn = selector;
-		selector = undefined;
-	}
-
-	var a = [];
-	var context = selector ?
-		_table_selector( selector, this.context ) :
-		this.context;
-
-	if ( fn ) {
-		for ( var i=0, ien=context.length ; i<ien ; i++ ) {
-			var ret = fn.call( this, context[i], i );
-			if ( ret !== undefined ) {
-				a.push( ret );
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	// A new instance is created if there was a selector specified, or if
-	// data was returned from the callback
-	var api = selector || a.length ?
-		new _Api( context, a ) :
+_Api.register( 'tables()', function ( selector ) {
+	// A new instance is created if there was a selector specified
+	return selector ?
+		new _Api( _table_selector( selector, this.context ) ) :
 		this;
-
-	return api;
 } );
 
 
@@ -61,7 +30,7 @@ _Api.register( 'tables()', function ( selector, fn ) {
  *   tables.
  */
 _Api.register( 'tables().nodes()', function () {
-	return this.tables( function ( settings, i ) {
+	return this.iterator( 'table', function ( settings, i ) {
 		return settings.nTable;
 	} );
 } );
diff --git a/media/src/core/core.draw.js b/media/src/core/core.draw.js
index a2162089..e613ee11 100644
--- a/media/src/core/core.draw.js
+++ b/media/src/core/core.draw.js
@@ -578,6 +578,7 @@ function _fnAddOptionsHtml ( oSettings )
 			/* End container div */
 			nInsertNode = nInsertNode.parentNode;
 		}
+		// @todo Move options into their own plugins?
 		else if ( cOption == 'l' && oSettings.oFeatures.bPaginate && oSettings.oFeatures.bLengthChange )
 		{
 			/* Length */