Stories by Serenity Caldwell

Congratulations, you've braved the lines, delivery wait times, or in-store negotiations to snag yourself a brand-new iPhone 5. But before you get to playing with your new device, you'll probably want to get to know it and set it up. Thanks to iOS 6's step-by-step activation process, Apple's made it pretty simple to get started; but just in case you need some extra help, we've put together a comprehensive guide for activating your new iPhone, transferring data from your old phone, and some suggestions for exploring its new features.

Apple announced at Wednesday's press event that the newest version of the company's mobile operating system, iOS 6, will be available for users to download on September 19. The update will be free and available for the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPhone 4S, along with the second- and third-generation iPads. If you have iOS 5 installed, you'll be able to download iOS 6 over the air on the 19th via the Software Update screen in the Settings app; if you're running a previous version of iOS, you'll have to use iTunes.

With Mountain Lion poised to make an appearance at WWDC next week for developers and eager keynote followers alike, we figured it might be a good time for a rundown of what we already know about Apple's next OS.

Start your engines: Google’s long-rumored Drive service is officially out and ready for a test… well, drive. The search giant’s answer to services like Dropbox, Drive offers 5GB of free online storage space that also syncs with a local folder on the desktop of your Mac or PC. (An Android app is currently available, with an iOS app in the works.)

Sharing, sharing, everywhere

Though Safari didn't receive as huge an overhaul in Mountain Lion as other OS X apps have, it still got some love from the folks in Cupertino. Refined search interfaces, sharing integration, and clear-cut password storage are just three of the things you have to look forward to come this summer - here are a few brief impressions of Safari's new features.

Though Mountain Lion snuck onto the scene just this morning - big cats are sly like that - I've already discovered a few delightful details about the apps in Apple's upcoming OS update for the Mac, thanks to editorial director Jason Snell's hands on with the software. Here are five app changes I can't wait to see come to my Mac this summer.

While most treat the holidays as a time for goodwill toward all, scammers don't really seem to have gotten the message. Their latest tactic: a phishing scheme aimed at MobileMe users.

Carrying around your entire music library just got a little bit easier for international users, as Apple on Thursday began rolling out iTunes Match to countries beyond the United States and Brazil.

Looking for something to +1 this Halloween season? You may get your wish: Google has rolled out a slew of new features to Google+, including new breaking news collections, interaction graphs, photo styling, and support for Google Apps users.

One of the best parts of iOS 5--regarding device management, at least--is that you no longer have to connect your device to your Mac or PC when you want to sync your information or download a subsequent software update. There are two features at work here: iTunes Wi-Fi Sync and Software Update.

iOS 5 has hit the stage, and eager users everywhere are getting ready to upgrade their devices. If you're concerned about the upgrade process, or simply want to know all your setup options before making the big switch, let us help you upgrade your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad to iOS 5 with this step-by-step guide.

Over the past few years, consumers have become obsessed with the notion of having their documents and data instantly available wherever they are, on whichever device they happen to be using at the time.

After months of rumors and speculation, Facebook launched an updated version of its iOS app on Monday with iPad support.

Apple has been sure to highlight the apps receiving the biggest changes in iOS 5 - Safari, for example - but there are still many new features in iOS 5's other built-in apps that haven't gotten as much attention. With iOS 5 arriving next week, it's high time we looked at some of the goodies awaiting you in the updated versions of Maps, Weather, FaceTime, Contacts, Music, and Video.