Apple just released iOS 10.1, the first major update to the iPhone and iPad's mobile operating system since iOS 10 launched in September.

For iPhone 7 Plus users, the update officially brings Portrait mode, the camera feature that creates photos with a blurred-out background. Portrait mode will continue to be an ongoing public beta, but iPhone 7 Plus users no longer need to install the public beta in order to get it.

As always, the easiest way to update your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to iOS 10.1 is to go to Settings > General > Software Update and download it over-the-air (OTA).

iOS 10.1 weighs about 200MB and we recommend connecting to a Wi-Fi network to download adn install it instead of eating into your data plan.

If the update is taking forever to download, your best option is to try again later when Apple's servers aren't being slammed by everyone simultaneously downloading it.

Alternatively, you can also connect your supported iOS device to your PC or Mac and update through iTunes. 

The full iOS 10.1 release notes from Apple include:

iOS 10.1 is available for the following iOS devices:

• iPhone: iPhone 5, iPhone 5C, iPhone 5S, iPhone SE, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus

• iPad: iPad 4, iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 4, iPad Pro 9.7, iPad Pro 12.9

• iPod touch: iPod touch (sixth-generation)

As a precaution, we also recommend backing up your data with iCloud or to a computer via iTunes beforehand to prevent any accidental data loss during the update process. It's rare you'll lose any data, but it's always better to be safe than sorry.

Google Photos is also a great way to keep a backup of all your photos and videos. If you go with the free tier, you'll be able to store an unlimited amount of photos at up to 16 megapixels and video at up to 1080p full HD resolution; to store video at up to 4K resolution, you'll need to pay for storage.

You may soon see a lot more NSFW content on Facebook. 

The social network is updating its community standards to allow more types of graphic or offensive content that would have previously violated its standards — if the content is deemed newsworthy or "important to the public interest."

"In the weeks ahead, we’re going to begin allowing more items that people find newsworthy, significant, or important to the public interest — even if they might otherwise violate our standards," facebook's VP of Global Policy Joel Kaplan and VP Global Operations & Media Partnerships Justin Osofsky wrote in a statement..

It's not clear how Facebook will determine what types of content are allowed going forward, but the executives noted that the social network wants to avoid showing graphic content to "minors and others who do not want to see them." Whether this would be automated or whether there would be a specific way to opt-out is unclear. 

Facebook also said it would work with publishers, journalists, members of law enforcement and others as it develops its policies. 

Facebook has grappled with censorship for some time. The social network's somewhat nebulous content policies, which already allow for some kinds of graphic content if it's a matter of public interest, have come under fire repeatedly for uneven enforcement. Earlier this year, a Norwegian newspaper published a front page editorial taking Mark Zuckerberg to task for removing a famous photograph from the Vietnam War. 

Microsoft just made another big advancement in artificial intelligence.

Researchers at the company have created speech recognition software that is able to hear language as accurately as humans. The development, detailed in a paper published Monday, marks the most advanced speech recognition software to date, according to Microsoft, who had also set the previous record for speech recognition.

In the study, the software had a word error rate of 5.9 percent, which is about the same as that of human transcribers. 

Here's how Microsoft explains it: 

The research milestone doesn’t mean the computer recognized every word perfectly. In fact, humans don’t do that, either. Instead, it means that the error rate – or the rate at which the computer misheard a word like “have” for “is” or “a” for “the” – is the same as you’d expect from a person hearing the same conversation.

Previously, the researchers had reached an error rate of 6.3 percent and had set their sights on reaching human-levels of accuracy next. That was just over a month ago. 

The software itself relies on deep neural networks — technology that interprets data in a way similar to how the human brain works — as well as specialized graphics processing units (GPUs) that allow the software to learn at speeds not previously possible.

The milestone has far-reaching implications. On a practical level, it means that Microsoft's products could soon be a whole lot better at understanding humans. The researchers name Microsoft's personal assistant app Cortana and the Xbox as two products that could immediately benefit from the research. Accessibility software, such as instant transcription services, could also benefit from the advancement.  

The milestone has far-reaching implications

It could also easily be incorporated into Microsoft's productivity tools like Office — imagine how much better Word's dictation feature would be with near-human levels of accuracy — or its enterprise offerings. 

Consumer products aside, it also marks a turning point for AI research. In a statement, Geoffrey Zweig, from Microsoft's Speech and Dialog research group, notes that the next phase is to help build software that can not just transcribe human speech but understand it as well. Though that's a goal that's much further away, being able to accurately transcribe human speech is a big step forward. 

If you have an iPhone 7, you should download the latest version of iOS now.

Apple just released an iOS update for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus devices, which fixes a bug that apparently caused some users to "temporarily lose cellular connectivity."

This is the second iOS 10 update that has addressed issues with cellular connectivity. Previously, during the initial iOS 10 rollout, T-Mobile reported a bug that caused some iPhone 6 and iPhone SE users to lose signal. Apple later addressed that bug in a subsequent update. 

The latest iOS  update includes other bug fixes as well, though Apple hasn't elaborated on them. The iOS 10.0.3 update includes the same security content as the iOS 10.0.1 update, according to Apple's website. 

Despite these issues, though, iOS 10 is seeing wide adoption just a few weeks after its formal release. The update is already installed on more than half of iOS devices, according to the latest numbers from Cupertino, and third-party estimates suggest adoption has been growing rapidly as well. 

Though an important update, iPhone 7 owners will still need to wait a little longer for an iOS update that brings new features to their phones. Notably, a forthcoming update will bring a new Portrait Mode to iPhone 7 Plus devices later this year. That update is currently part of the iOS 10 beta release, which suggests it should be getting an official release soon. 

 There’s so much more to life than what we can see with the naked eye.   

We’re unable to see — or at least register — certain things that happen right before us, because they happen too fast.   Sometimes, we miss out on subtle colour transitions and contrasts that could help us see more clearly and make a more informed split-second decision.  

Occasionally, our slightly narrow field of view prevents us from seeing something happening on our periphery.   

And that’s just to name a few.   

But in recent years, new technologies have been developed to help us see some things we might otherwise not. Here are five devices and apps that use these technologies.   

1. Oakley Prizm lenses   

The Prizm lenses use a unique technology — basically ultra-precise colour tuning — that enhances the detail of what you’re seeing. This in turn enhances your experience in a positive way, whatever that experience may be. The lenses see things in different ways than the naked eye. Landscapes that would generally be washed out, dull or flat while looking through other lenses (or no lenses at all) are enhanced to become more defined, vibrant and vivid.   

While the lenses are designed to enhance vision in any environment, they’re especially great when playing sport. The lenses sharpen your sight so you can see more clearly and react more quickly; they enhance detail recognition to help you spot what you need to see; and they improve your peripheral vision (especially when it comes to tracking moving objects).

2. Seek Thermal thermal imaging   

We can, of course, feel heat, but we obviously can’t see it with our naked eye. That’s where Seek Thermal’s thermal cameras that attach to your smart phone come in. The cameras work with an app to show you thermal activity, which is to say they enable you to see heat and where it’s coming from.    

You can use the imaging capabilities to help scout, track and recover wildlife, locate air leaks and all kinds of other uses when you want to detect the temperature of an object or find where heat is present. You can even use it to figure out the temperature of a food and drink, so you can make sure you get the coldest beverage available from the cooler or refrigerator.   

3. Dark Sky   

The naked eye can sometimes predict when a storm is coming. We can, of course, see cloudy skies, flashes of lighting and other signs of inclement weather.    We can’t, however, see enough to know for sure that it’s going to rain, snow or sleet, or whether a tornado is going to form above us.    

But Dark Sky can. It’s a hyperlocal weather forecasting app that uses new, innovative technology to give you down-to-the-minute weather forecasts — for precisely where you’re standing. If it’s going to start raining where you’re standing within 11 minutes, the app will tell you. It’ll also tell you forecasts for further along in your week, which you obviously can’t see with the naked eye.   

The app also shows you what storm patterns look like in meteorological radar form — so you can see what a storm looks like from satellites above.   

4. LifeScanner   

Imagine for a second the number of organisms surrounding you during any part of your day — especially if you’re exploring the great outdoors.   Now think about how few of them you can actually see during any given moment. Chances are, you don’t even know most of the species around you exist or are present.    

That’s where the LifeScanner app comes in. It enables you to use your smart phone to see what species scientists have found in different parts of the world — both visible to the naked eye and otherwise. It’s great for education and exploration.   

5. RF-Capture   

Our eyes can’t see through walls, but the RF-Capture can. Developed by researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, the device captures human figures through walls and occlusions by transmitting wireless signals. 

According to the researchers’ website, the device "reconstructs a human figure by analyzing the [wireless] signals’ reflections.   The researchers say it can know who the person behind a wall is, trace a person’s handwriting in air from behind a wall and determine the movements a person behind a wall is making.   

According to Popular Science, the device works by relaying a radio signal through a wireless transmitter. The device’s receivers then pick up the signal reflected back by a hidden body, and the data collected from the signal helps determine the silhouette of the body on the other side. The device can even distinguish between different people, and can track motion and posture.   

Discover more about Oakley Prizm technology and see the full range of eyewear here    

With recent tech headlines dominated by Samsung finally killing the Note7 and Periscope launching its new Producer platform, you may have missed some of this week's best new apps. 

Each weekend, we round up a few of our favorite new and updated apps. This week's list includes an app for face swapping, an artificially intelligent messaging app and Pandora's new iMessage app.

Check out the gallery below to see our top picks. If you're looking for more items to fill up your phone, take a look at our last roundup of can't-miss apps.

With Google showing off a boatload of new hardware and Facebook showing off its new virtual reality prototype, you may have missed some of this week's best new apps. 

Each weekend, we round up a few of our favorite new and updated apps. This week's list includes an app to help you take better 360-degree photos, an app to help you avoid getting regrettable tattoos and a music app for better playlists.

Check out the gallery below to see our top picks. If you're looking for more items to fill up your phone, take a look at our last roundup of can't-miss apps.

One socially conscious company is making your emoji keyboard a little less perfect in an effort to tackle food waste.

Hungry Harvest, a startup service that delivers "recovered produce" to consumers' doorsteps, has created a series of "ugly" fruit and vegetable emoji meant to get people thinking — and typing — about our preoccupation with aesthetically pleasing food.

In late September, the company rolled out Ugly Produce!, an iOS app that gives every user a package of new emoji, including a slightly misshapen strawberry and an imperfect potato.

Pretty produce is the standard in most U.S. supermarkets, meaning fruits and veggies that have visible variations from our standard idea of a robust apple or a snappy carrot are usually tossed. That means roughly 1 out of every 5 edible fruits and vegetables are thrown out every year — simply for appearing a little out of sorts.

Roughly 1 out of every 5 edible fruits and veggies are tossed every year.

This adds up to a lot of wasted food — but it's not only an American problem. About one-third of all food produced worldwide is wasted or lost between the process of food production and consumption, worth around $1 trillion annually.

All this waste is disheartening when you consider the realities of hunger and food insecurity across the globe. But high rates of discarded food also have adverse impacts on the environment. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, organic waste is the second highest component of landfills in the U.S., contributing substantially to methane gas emissions that warm the atmosphere.

Hungry Harvest wants you to use its emoji to make an impact. But it isn't stopping with just an opt-in app. The company is taking its mission further, currently petitioning to encourage Unicode, Apple and Google to adopt the imperfect produce into their standard emoji keyboards.

While it isn't likely that these massive tech companies will change their faultless emoji fruit for something a little more flawed, iPhone users who want to make a difference can tackle the issue through tech. 

At the very least, it will make you think twice next time you scoff at a misshapen melon.

If you were hoping to hear more about the next version of Android Wear at Google's big hardware event next week, you might not want to get your hopes up just yet.

Google has now pushed back the date for the official release of the update to "early 2017."

The company didn't provide a reason for the change, which was buried at the bottom of a post on its Android Developers blog. 

But the delay isn't terribly surprising to those who have been following closely. Earlier this month, CNET reported that many of Google's biggest Android Wear partners, including LG, Lenovo and Huawei, wouldn't be releasing new watches before the end of the year. 

Given that it wouldn't have any new watches from many of its biggest partners, it makes sense that Google would want to delay the launch to coincide with new hardware. (We have seen a few new Android Wear devices from smaller partners, like Michael Kors and Asus.) 

The update, originally slated for release this fall, adds standalone app functionality, new text input options and other features. Google also launched the third version of its developer preview Thursday, which adds a watch-specific version of Google's Play Store. This will allow you to download apps to your watch independently of your smartphone.

Delays aren't the only problems Google is facing with Android Wear. Many smartwatches are apparently not working with Apple's iPhone 7, according to a report in 9to5Mac. The source of the issue is unclear but Google has reportedly made Apple aware of the issue. 

If you were hoping to hear more about the next version of Android Wear at Google's big hardware event next week, you might not want to get your hopes up just yet.

Google has now pushed back the date for the official release of the update to "early 2017."

The company didn't provide a reason for the change, which was buried at the bottom of a post on its Android Developers blog. 

But the delay isn't terribly surprising to those who have been following closely. Earlier this month, CNET reported that many of Google's biggest Android Wear partners, including LG, Lenovo and Huawei, wouldn't be releasing new watches before the end of the year. 

Given that it wouldn't have any new watches from many of its biggest partners, it makes sense that Google would want to delay the launch to coincide with new hardware. (We have seen a few new Android Wear devices from smaller partners, like Michael Kors and Asus.) 

The update, originally slated for release this fall, adds standalone app functionality, new text input options and other features. Google also launched the third version of its developer preview Thursday, which adds a watch-specific version of Google's Play Store. This will allow you to download apps to your watch independently of your smartphone.

Delays aren't the only problems Google is facing with Android Wear. Many smartwatches are apparently not working with Apple's iPhone 7, according to a report in 9to5Mac. The source of the issue is unclear but Google has reportedly made Apple aware of the issue. 

The name of one of the world's fastest growing messaging apps appeared pretty self-explanatory. "Slack" seemed like a simple nod to what you shouldn't be doing at work. 

Turns out it was actually an acronym. It stands for Searchable Log of All Communication and Knowledge. 

In response to a Twitter inquiry last night, the co-founder and CEO of Slack, Steward Butterfield, explained that Slack came about as a better alternative to linefeed, the original codename for the now multibillion-dollar company. 

To prove the story was true, Butterfield uploaded a screenshot of a conversation with someone named Eric, likely Eric Costello, another co-founder of Slack. 

Costello pointed out that the name could have negative connotations, but Butterfield thought the name could be funny. "Our users would be Slackers :)" he wrote. 

In its quest to make itself indispensable, Uber is keen to slide itself into your daily commute.

On Monday, the company announced a partnership in Australia with the travel planning app TripGo, which lets users request an Uber ride to the closest ferry terminal or train, bus or tram station in time for the next departure.

The new service is available in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, Sunshine Coast and Sydney. While the company would like to partner with other Australian transport apps, an Uber spokesperson told Mashable there are no current negotiations underway.

The last mile gap

With this collaboration, Uber is targeting what's known in transport planning parlance as the "first or last mile gap." That's the inconvenient distance between someone's home and a transport hub, which often keeps them driving their own car.

In Sydney, data provided by Uber to Mashable indicates that 10 percent of Uber trips start or end within 200 metres (656 feet) of a "medium frequency public transport hub." In Brisbane, it's nine percent, in Melbourne, eight percent, and Perth, five percent.

Uber has undertaken similar collaborations with travel apps in other countries. In the U.S., it has teamed up with the transit tracking company TransLoc to let users create a journey combining Uber and public transport, as well as order a car in-app.

According to Geoffrey Clifton, lecturer in transport management at Sydney University, these integrations will be particularly useful for people who live in the outer suburbs, where there are longer distances to get home from the train station or bus stop.

Public transport works best when there is a density of population or activity, he suggested, which typically means there are better services closer to the city during peak times and during daylight hours. Those living in further flung areas can be left out, especially at night.

"There isn't really a fully integrated night network [in Sydney], whereas cities like London have that," he said. "Anything that helps fill that last mile gap is useful, and some of these new technologies will have a big benefit there."

Australian cities have by and large pushed poorer communities to the outer suburbs, while the wealthy have taken over urban centres. Is there a risk the government could forgo investment in public transport in these areas if they see private services like Uber stepping in?

It's unlikely, in Clifton's view. "Some people talk about Uber-like services replacing public transport all together, and I think we're very far away from that happening," he said. "I can't see people switching to Uber being enough to cancel a bus service.

"It might even go the other way — people being more confident to take public transport at night if they know they've got some way of going that last mile home."

Nevertheless, the technology gap — whether people in less-served areas always have the technology to order an Uber — or the extra cash to pay for it is another question.

What's in it for Uber?

Well, Uber wants you to know you can always use Uber, but there's more to it than that.

According to Matthew Burke, associate professor at the Cities Research Centre at Griffith University, the company is also trying to diversity its local offering. For Uber, introducing a suite of options that allow it to play an increasingly vital role in someone's commute is "a bit of a no-brainer."

"Uber recently failed in China. Many people have said that was protectionism on behalf of the Chinese state, but I actually think [Didi Chuxing], the competitor, was a better product," he said, pointing out that Didi already had a range of transport integrations, including a bus shuttle service.

"I think [Uber has] been slower than many others in this space ... and this is in part because of working out its legality as it entered the market [in Australia]," he added.

It's also a way for the ride hailing giant to get a head start on competitors. Although Uber does have some homegrown rivals such as GoCatch, it's not facing off a powerful, established product such as Didi in Australia, but that situation may not last forever.

"Those rivals will comes, and those rivals will come in niche areas. For instance, there's a group in Shanghai who only do airport runs," Burke explained. "We're going to see, I think, diversification in the market."

Ultimately, Burke sees Uber and public transport working together to evolve a transport situation that has remained largely static thanks to Australia's reliance on the privately owned car.

That's Uber's point, too: "Aligning ridesharing with public transport systems is one of the smartest ways to help people move around the city without the need for costly infrastructure developments or owning a personal vehicle," David Rohrsheim, general manager of Uber Australia, said in a statement.

It may soon be time to let go of owning a car, and in bad news for the labour market, maybe even the human driver.

"Uber is part of a set of transport that will see more and more of us changing our relationship with the car," Burke added. "I think we'll start to see more and more use of these services, more and more for the collectivised car, and less two car or three car households.

"Still, it's going to be difficult to untangle that."

Tinder power users, rejoice: You can now swipe in iMessage.

The dating app rolled out a new experience for iMessage, an app called Tinder Stacks, that allows people to create their own Tinder-like swiping experiences directly in their conversations.

The idea behind Tinder Stacks is to give Tinder users a way to allow their friends to "vote" on collections of photos while they chat. Though the experience is technically separate from Tinder's dating features, you will need to have the main Tinder app installed in order to use it. 

You'll also need to make sure your iPhone is running iOS 10, which added the new iMessage App Store. (You can read more about how iMessage apps work here.) Once set up, using Tinder Stacks is fairly straightforward: create a "stack" based on photos from your camera roll and share it with friends who can vote on the images you share. You can keep tabs on how they vote within iMessage.

Tinder's swipe-based user interface is, of course, one of the most recognizable parts of the app. When Mashable published its list of the 100 greatest iPhone apps of all time, we noted the greatest contribution Tinder (#20) has made to the app world is its design. The "swipe right to like" dynamic has now been copied so much it's almost a cliché.

Now, Tinder is finally starting to expand its swipes to more use cases than dating alone, which certainly seems to fit in with its stated goals of empowering others kinds of social experiences than the dating and hookups its known for. 

Amidst all the crazy news at Apple's iPhone event last week, the announcement of new emoji may have gotten lost in the shuffle. (Remember the shuffle? RIP.)

As part of the iOS 10 update that rolled out this week, a slew of new – and for the most part, progressive – emoji are available on your iPhone.

With so many new emoji sliding into your DMs, we created a guide on when each is most appropriate to use. 

Here are our suggestions on when you should use all of the shiny new emoji. Happy texting!

If you've been paying attention, then you know Apple made Messages one of the stars of iOS 10.

The update supercharged the operating system's messaging features with the ability to add a whole boatload of new animations and other fun effects to your messages. But not all of the new features are easy to find.

The ability to send messages with the new "invisible ink" feature, along with some of the other new effects, is not immediately obvious when you open the new Messages app. 

To send a message with invisible ink (or other animations, like adding balloons or confetti) you first need to type your message as you normally would. Then, use 3D Touch (or just hold down if you have an older iPhone) on the send button to bring up the menu for changing the look of your text. 

Select "invisible ink" from the menu. This will allow you to preview how your message looks before you finally send it. Check out the GIF below to see it in action. 

Of course, it's important to keep in mind that these features will only work with iMessage, not if you're texting a friend who uses Android or another type of device. Additionally, the message may not render for the recipient if they haven't yet updated their device to iOS 10.

Also, unlike Snapchat, these messages don't actually disappear. Anyone who taps on the message can reveal its contents, so it's probably best to avoid sending messages you actually want to keep secret. But even so, it's a fun (if slightly gimmicky) way to exchange messages with friends.

Apple's new operating system may let you order an Uber with Siri and other fancy things, but let's be serious: It's all about the new and improved Messages.

Apple has given the once tired app a complete overhaul, complete with GIFs, full screen effects and predictive emoji. And stickers. Thousands of stickers for you to use, rather than needing to form complete sentences.

The new release has been embraced by a number of Australian developers and brands. Clara Reeves, president of Hipster Whale, the Melbourne gaming studio that created mobile arcade hopper game Crossy Road, told Mashable the stickers were a perfect extension for the game's marketing efforts. 

"Anything that brings social and sharing integration into the game is great, because it lets people make it their own," she said.

If you download Crossy Road, you will have free access to the sticker pack.

Reeves said the team will also potentially integrate the stickers as a mechanism back into the game. Players could be rewarded with additional stickers or animation in new levels, for example, or the studio could release special stickers to coincide with new game themes.

"Players have always enjoyed the characters in Crossy Roads, so being able to bring them into Messenger is just something fun we wanted to do," she added. "I think it's always really cool — just watching people with a new tool — we'll see some creative and funny things created with iMessage and stickers."

If you take your patriotism super seriously, here are five of the best local-made sticker packs for you to download straight away.

1. Crossy Road

Crossy Road was created in Melbourne, but it's now made it all the way to Disney. In 2016, the company brought out Disney Crossy Road and has won a slew of gaming prizes along the way. If you're an addict, your dedication can now be shared with friends through endless sticker use.

2. Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Yes, it's a New Zealand-made film, but who won't find the need for a sticker about the "skux life?" Only eggs, probably.

3. Qantas

Qantas is one of the first local corporates to jump on the sticker trend, but you have to admit, that roo is pretty cute.

4. Cricket

Cricket. It's the Australian past time. What more do you want?

5. Fruit Ninja 

Created by Brisbane-based studio Halfbrick, the mobile game Fruit Ninja has been a smashing international success. One minute you're slicing fruit in Fruitasia and and the next you're sharing character stickers with mates to properly convey the devastation of a low score. Fruit Ninja 100 percent of the time, basically.