iOS

In each of the last few iPhones, there's been one new feature that's stolen the show. Video recording rocked on the iPhone 3GS, FaceTime entertained on the iPhone 4, and Siri undoubtedly is the star attraction on the iPhone 4S.

Though Apple's phones have long had a Voice Control feature, Siri goes a few steps further. She'll not only follow your basic commands, she'll give you directions and answer all kinds of wacky and serious questions. She's surprisingly intelligent and rather fun.

I've been interacting with Siri for a couple of days, and … Read more

Apple's Siri service, the voice assistant feature that's an exclusive to the newly launched iPhone 4S, is experiencing downtime, according to numerous users.

At approximately 6 p.m. PT, users began posting to Twitter that they were experiencing problems getting Siri to respond to voice commands. Affected users reported that the feature activated correctly, but was not connecting to process voice commands.

Multiple tests with CNET's test unit between 6:58 p.m. and 7:50 p.m. Pacific had the feature working over CNET's Wi-Fi network and over Sprint's 3G network on a number … Read more

Now that just about everyone has high-quality cameras on their phones, people's smartphones have become the main repository for all their photos. This can be great for showing off photos of your kids or reminiscing about an event in the past. But what about when you leave your phone on your desk or coffee table--do you really want people to have access to all your pictures?

This week's iOS app collection provides a way to create a locked folder on your phone. The first is free and offers just the basics for added security. The second adds a few more features for managing photos. The third snaps a picture of would-be intruders in addition to having a secure folder.… Read more

Anyone who carries his or her life on an iDevice will run to iOS 5, Apple's new mobile operating system (compatible with the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad, iPad 2, and the third and fourth generation of the iPod Touch) that makes day-to-day tasks easier to complete on the go.

We're excited about it, too, so we dug our hands into iOS 5 and created dozens of tutorials to help you master the new apps (like iMessage and Reminders), customize the interface, control your privacy, and uncover some hidden features.

Bookmark this page for future reference, … Read more

One of iOS 5's most anticipated features is iMessage, an Apple instant-messaging service that can be used only among iOS devices. This is essentially Apple's answer to BlackBerry Messenger, RIM's own internal messaging system. The idea behind both messaging services is that they don't cost anything extra and won't deduct from your text messaging plan.

The catch, of course, is that both exist only in either the iOS or the BlackBerry ecosystem. Here, we take the opportunity to compare both messaging services. … Read more

CNET has told you all about what's new in Apple's iOS 5 operating system and in the iPhone 4S that launched today, but this here's a deep dive into the Notifications Center, one of the new features to hit iOS 5 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod.

Pull down notifications The new notifications center is one of the biggest changes to iOS 5, and also among the best. Previously, if you missed or dismissed an alert, that's it, it was gone. Now you can place a finger at the information bar at the top of the screen and pull down to reveal a whole collection of messages, e-mail, reminders, calendar events, and other notifications you may have missed.

Comparisons with the pull-down menu in Android's operating system have been plentiful, and I'll get to them later on. But yes, the surface similarities are apparent.… Read more

Safari in iOS 5 brings an entirely new experience for those who spend much of their time browsing the Web on their iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.

The new OS introduces tools for better news reading, Twitter integration, and a new private browsing option.

Use Reader and Reading List to keep up with news Of the new features, Reader and Reading List take center stage; it makes reading news and blogs a more enjoyable experience on the new OS. Now, if you navigate to an article, "Reader" will appear in the address bar. Tap it, and an e-reader-style … Read more

An attempted upgrade to iOS 5 bricked my iPod Touch, forcing me to spend hours restoring the device. What steps should you take if this happens and how do you protect yourself before you update your iOS device?

The upgrade to iOS 5 started smoothly enough on my end as iTunes seemed to be chugging along updating my device. But about halfway through, an error message popped up, and the process was aborted. When I checked my iPod Touch all the data had been wiped out, and iTunes refused to recognize the device.

After plugging and unplugging my Touch and … Read more

There's a new iOS in town and and it comes bearing gifts. iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch owners are kicking their old OS to the curb and embracing this handsome stranger.… Read more