Apple has released the latest round of improvements and bug fixes to iOS. Version 6.1 has hit the streets, and the update includes several new features for the iPhone 3GS and later. The iPod touch 4G and 5G as well as all iPads from the iPad 2 on can take advantage of the free iOS 6.1 firmware update.

Installing the update is simple thanks to the over-the-air (OTA) updating included in iOS. To install, navigate to Settings -> General -> Software Update -> Install Now. The iOS 6.1 software download totals 107 MB. So what are the new features of Apple's latest mobile operating system?

Apple has increased the convenience of owning an iOS device with the introduction of iCloud. Backing up multiple devices has never been easier, and you can restore on the go. The only catch is that using more than 5 GB of online storage requires an annual subscription.

You can help keep your storage needs to a minimum by managing your iCloud device backups. Sometimes backup files get damaged, and other times you'll just run out of space. It's a simple process to delete old iCloud backups and free up space for other content.

Apple's low-cost iPhone will feature "a 4-inch screen, like the iPhone 5, a bottom like the latest iPod touch, and a shape that’s most similar to the iPod classic," according to iLounge's Jeremy Horwitz. The phone will be comprised mostly of plastic like a previous rumor suggested, and it will feature the same sensor, camera, and button arrangement as the iPhone 5. The low-cost iPhone 5 will also sport a Gorilla Glass screen, "pill-shaped" volume buttons, and Lightning port.

Here's Horwitz's description of the new phone:

"Apple’s budget housing looks closest to the iPod classic in shape, though not in materials. Unlike the plastic iPhone 3G/3GS, which featured soft curves on all sides, the budget iPhone’s curves start and end at flat surfaces, so each side and the back are flat..."

Finally a simple way to add reminders and lists of tasks to the home screen on any iOS device. We've already covered the jailbreak tweak Reminders+ which allows reminders to be pinned to the lock screen. Now those with iPhones that are not jailbroken can enjoy similar convenience from a free app.

Task Paper (not the similarly named TaskPaper, which costs $4.99) can be installed from the App Store and provides a simple way to keep your reminders visible on the lock screen. The app works by creating your list of tasks using pre-set backgrounds or your own wallpaper, then generating a custom lock screen wallpaper containing all of the information.

Ah the good old days, when we could unlock our iPhones ourselves and use them with the carrier of our choice. The Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) exemption that made unlocking your cellular phone completely legal expired on Saturday, January 26, 2013. From now on, you'll need your wireless carrier's permission to unlock.

So will this really make an impact on unlocked iPhones? Actually, right now all Verizon iPhones come from the factory unlocked, and AT&T will unlock any iPhone that's completed its two-year service agreement. You can also purchase an unlocked iPhone for the unsubsidized price out of contract. So what's the big deal?