Siri

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.

Nuance Communications' technology is what powers Apple's mobile voice assistant Siri. The company's voice recognition engine can also be found in dictation software like Dragon Dictation and even in devices like Smart TVs. Nina is the company's response to the growing popularity of intelligent personal assistants that are popping up on all Android and iOS devices

Nuance Communications describes Nina as "the first virtual assistant customer service app to incorporate both speech recognition and voice biometrics into a single integrated solution." Nina uses a combination of Nuance technologies like speech recognition and voice biometrics to understand what a speaker is saying and to identify who is speaking. This allows Nina the potential to perform such tasks as paying bills, or the ability to use other personal services without the need to enter a password.

HiddenHelper, the new jailbreak tweak for the iPhone, allows you to use Siri without the Siri interface popping up on your Home screen. This can be helpful when you want to set your alarm or dictate a note on your iPhone while you are using the device for something else, and you don't want Siri to interrupt. For example, Siri will not interrupt your Angry Birds game by displaying the note you just dictated to her. It's a great multitasking tool.

HiddenHelper also allows you to decide which Siri snippets you want displayed, and which snippets you want disabled. Asking Siri to tell you about the weather is useless without the UI because Siri displays the temperature instead of reading it to you. Wolfram Alpha queries are also pointless without Siri displaying the results.