iOS 9 features - updated for iOS 9.3

Update: iOS 9 has updated to iOS 9.3, with the current version, iOS 9.3.3, the last stopgap before iOS 10. Here's everything you need to know about the recent iPhone and iPad interface changes.
iOS 9 launched back in September of last year and it was instantly better than iOS 8, thanks to new features that make the iPhone and iPad software easier to use.

Siri is smarter, Apple Maps has transit directions and the notifications drop-down menu is now sorted chronologically (and, thus, logically). Best of all, every device that works with iOS 8 works with iOS 9.

It improved even further in March with the rollout of iOS 9.3. The new software rolled out alongside the smaller iPad Pro 9.7 and even tinier 4-inch iPhone SE. iOS 9.3.3 is the latest version in that release.

iPads benefit the most from this current operating system update. New iPad multitasking functionality, especially for the iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro, finally fulfills the tablet's promise of productivity on the go.

While iOS 9 and even iOS 9.3.3 lack key Android N features, there's a lot to like about it on the iPad and phones like iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. It's enough to tide us over until iOS 10.

Check out our collection of guides on how to use iOS 9
iOS 9.3 update

iOS 9.3 is Apple's first major update with exciting new features to highlight, so you'll actually really want to update to the newest software version. It's now up to iOS 9.3.3.

This contrasts with what we've seen before: iOS 9.1 added new emojis, iOS 9.2 tweaked Apple Music and Apple News and iOS 9.2.1 just fixed bugs. Nothing exciting. iOS 9.3 is different.

Specifically, the new software debuts Night Shift, which automatically tints your iPhone and iPad with warmer colors. Bright blue light can keep you up at night, studies have shown.

Night Shift uses the time and geolocation to determine the sunset and the display returns to normal in the morning. It's a feature we've seen from third-party apps like f.lux on Mac, but a first directly from Apple.

Interested? Here's how to download iOS 9.3 right now
Educators wielding iPads can dive into a new classroom app and multi-student login. Passing an iPad around the class can let students save their work to individual profiles and pick up where they left off.

Beyond that, Notes can be locked behind Touch ID for additional security, and the Apple News and Apple Health apps have been tweaked with minor design and content changes.

Specifically for the US, Verizon customers without a strong signal can now switch on Wi-Fi calling, just in case the usually reliable carrier doesn't have a good signal while you're in the range of a router.

iOS 9.3.1, iOS 9.3.2 and iOS 9.3.3 all took care of behind-the-scenes issues with iOS 9.3. One front-facing feature change to the latest software is the ability to run Night Shift and Low-Power mode at the same time.

iOS 9.1

The first small update Apple brought to its mobile operating system was iOS 9.1. Its headline feature? 150 new emoji, brought about through its support of Unicode 8, so you can more easily express the fact that you're painting your nails or playing at detective.

The update also added a trio of new wallpapers, but the most significant additions are the least visible ones, as iOS 9.1 fixes a number of bugs, improves general stability and boosts the performance of multitasking, the Calendar, Game Center and Mail.

iOS 9 1970 glitch

Don't reset your iPhone date back to January 1, 1970. Doing so can brick your iPhone upon resetting it, requiring a visit to the Apple Store for some major surgery.

It's an iOS glitch affects all newer iPhones running iOS 9, and it's thought to happen because the phone recognizes this date as a negative time

Why you should buy the 2012 MacBook Pro in 2016.

Apple is apparently phasing out the old 13-inch MacBook Pro without Retina Display from its shops over in the US, most likely preparing the ground for the refreshed model to hit shelves later this year.

This is according to Apple Insider, which received a tip from an unnamed source who said that while the old 13-inch MacBook Pro was still in stock across the majority of Apple stores, outlets were no longer putting the device on display for punters to try out.

The 12-inch MacBook pro without Retina display was launched way back in 2012 and comes with a Intel Core i5 'Ivy Bridge' processor, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD and integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000. Lets compare this to the cheapest 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro on offer.

Firstly, it comes with a Retina display, with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 that equates to 227 pixels per inch (as compared to the 167ppi display of the 2012 MacBook pro). In addition, it offers an Intel Core i5 'Broadwell' processor, 8GB RAM, 128GB flash storage and integrated Intel Iris 6100 graphics.

So, the display is much better, it comes with twice the amount of RAM, flash storage as compared to an old 5,000rpm hard-drive and better graphics. So why should you buy the non retina 2012 MacBook pro over the base Retina model?

Well, there are several reasons.

Firstly, the price. While there is not that much of a price difference in the official MRP's of the product, with the 2012 model at Rs 89,990 and the newer Retina version at Rs 1,06,990, the street price is a different story. On Amazon India, the 2012 MacBook Pro is available currently for Rs 59,239 while the entry-level 13-inch Retina model is going for Rs 89,994. That's a difference of a whopping thirty thousand rupees.

Secondly, it is the only MacBook Pro available currently with a DVD drive, which is still important to some users. It also has an ethernet ports and a FireWire 800 port, and doesn't need any finicky adapters like the latest Retina MacBook Pros.

Thirdly, it has battery notification LED's on the left edge, next to the headphone jack. This is an insanely useful feature, and allows you to check your battery level at the push of a button, without even having to open the Lid of the MacBook Pro.

Lastly, and this is the kicker, is the fact that this was the last MacBook Pro that Apple made which was upgradable. You can change the HDD and the RAM without voiding the warranty. Thus you can turn the MacBook Pro 2012, with it's middling 2012 specifications into a laptop that can easily rival any 2016 competition for a few thousand bucks.

Let's do the math here. a 256GB SSD costs around 5,000 rupees on e-commerce websites and 8GB of Mac compatible RAM is available for around 3,000 bucks. So for just 11,000 rupees, you can spec your 2012 MacBook Pro with a 256GB SSD and 16GB(!) of RAM.

Whats even more interesting is that by ordering a HDD caddy from Amazon India, you can replace the DVD drive of the MacBook Pro, and insert the old 500GB HDD (or even another SSD in raid configuration!) in it's place.

My current 2012 MacBook Pro has a 500GB Kingston SSD, the old 500GB HDD and 16GB of RAM, for a grand total of just 80,000 rupees.

ISRO begins countdown for launch of 20 satellites.

  The 48-hour countdown for the launch of India's Cartosat-2 series and 19 other satellites slated for Wednesday, began on Monday morning, the Indian space agency said.

According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), on Wednesday at 9.25 am, Indian rocket Polar satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) will lift off from the rocket port at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh with 20 satellites.

The rocket's main cargo will be India's 725.5 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite for earth observation.
The other 19 satellites weighing totally around 560 kg are from US, Canada, Germany and Indonesia as well as one satellite each from Chennai's Sathyabama University and College of Engineering, Pune.

The rocket will blast off from the second launch pad with a total payload of 1,288 kg.
The whole mission will get over in around 26 minutes.
The images sent by Cartosat satellite will be useful for cartographic, urban, rural, coastal land use, water distribution and other applications.

On the other hand, the 1.5 kg Sathyabamasat from Sathyabama University will collect data on green house gases while the 1 kg Swayam satellite from College of Engineering, Pune will provide point-to-point messaging services to the HAM radio community.
Wednesday's mission will be the first time the ISRO will be launching more the 10 satellites with a single rocket.
In 2008, the ISRO had launched 10 satellites with the PSLV rocket.