Siri

The latest major update to the iOS Apple Store app is here. Passbook integration was expected but Apple didn't stop there. Users of the app can now use Siri to get information about Apple products using voice queries.

Changes have been made to point-of-sale devices in Apple's retail stores to complement the additional functionality found in the Apple Store app. Passbook-ready digital gift cards came online just yesterday, and can now be purchased, gifted and used to pay for Apple products.

Google Search is getting rave reviews, and side-by-side comparisons have shown Google's voice assistant is much faster and sometimes more accurate than Apple's Siri. Jalbreakers who would like to kick Siri to the curb can do so by downloading the NowNow jailbreak utility from the BigBoss repo in Cydia. NowNow allows you to replace Siri by launching the Google Search app with an Activator function. To do so, just download the utility, locate the NowNow option under Settings and tap Activation Methods. You can then select the function you would like to use to activate the Google Search app. To replace Siri select "Short Hold" under the Home Button options. Holding the Home Button will now bring up the Google Search app instead of the Siri screen.

iOS 6 is now available for download. The new update adds over 200 new features to the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. You can upgrade to iOS 6 by going to Settings > General > Software Update, or you can update via iTunes. Some of the more talked about and bigger upgrades include Apple's new 3D mapping technology, turn-by-turn navigation, the Passbook app, and some improvements to Siri. Here are four other smaller but helpful features you will also enjoy.

Dismiss call with message

iOS 6 allows you to be a little more polite when ignoring phone calls. Instead of sending someone directly to voicemail, you can now decline a call by using one of three default messages (I'll call you later, I'm on my way, What's up?), or by creating your own. Just swipe up from the display during an incoming call to access the new feature.

Do Not Disturb

Jailbreakers have had the option to add a "Do Not Disturb" toggle switch to their Settings for quite some time. Now non-jailbreakers can join the party with Apple's official version. The iOS 6 Do Not Disturb toggle allows users to switch off notifications during certain times. For example, you can stop receiving notifications while you're sleeping or while you're at work. This option also allows you to block incoming calls when you do not want to be disturbed. The "Do Not Disturb" switch is located under Settings.

Even though the next-generation iPhone will be the sixth smartphone released by Apple, it's still being called the "iPhone 5" by most Apple fans. It's almost like Apple users have already forgotten about the disappointing iPhone 4S and its even bigger disappointment Siri. This is probably why the iPhone 5 is expected to enjoy record sales this holiday season. Many longtime Apple users skipped the iPhone 4S in anticipation of a 2012 iPhone 5 release. This means a lot of iPhone owners will be coming off two-year carrier contracts when the iPhone 5 becomes available in the fall. And there are also the iPhone 4S owners who have already dumped their devices for the iPhone 5. That adds up to a lot of people waiting for a new iPhone.

The hoopla surrounding the iPhone 5 is carryover from last year's next generation rumors. Dreams of a tear-dropped shaped iPhone may be gone, but the new iPhone is still expected to receive a complete body makeover. Part leaks have shown that the new iPhone could feature a chrome-plated metal frame and 8-pin dock connector. The iPhone 5 is also rumored to be 2mm thinner than the iPhone 4S, and to feature a 4-inch, 16:9 screen. The current models feature a 3.5-inch display.