This Oct. 13, 2011 blog post is mirrored from an internal site at Lee Enterprises, my current employer. I thought it might be handy to those outside the company too, so I’m cross-posting it here.

If you’re an Apple iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad owner who uses their phone for mobile reporting, I’d highly encourage you take advantage of their free software update to the new version of iOS 5. There’s more than 200 changes in the software, one of the most basic benefits for mobile reporters is the ability to snap photos and video much quicker from the lock screen.

With the new software update, here’s how to quickly access the camera from sleep mode:

1 – Double tap the home button and a camera button will appear in the lower right corner. (Music controls will also appear at the top, if you feel the need to put on some motivational mobile reporting music.)

2 – Tap the camera button and you’re launched straight into the phone app.

3 – Shoot away!

This is much faster than having to swipe, type in your unlock code, navigate to the photo app, tap that icon and launch, saving at least 7-10+ seconds (depending on how quick your fingers are typing in your code). The time saved could mean the difference between catching the “decisive moment” or not.

Another bonus feature for mobile reporters: With the iOS 5 update, the hardware volume up botton can act as a shutter for the camera! That also includes the white earbuds with the volume rocker that come with the device and some Bluetooth headsets also activate the shutter by pressing the increase volume button.

Another double bonus feature for mobile reporters: With the update, the camera app also offers basic editing tools built in now. For photos, cropping, red-eye removal and “enhance” are available … although the enchance isn’t what you’d hope (it seems to do some color correction and toning, but can be really funky at times). On videos you can trim and preview the clips. Having these tools in the camera app can help you get basic editing done before you send the media in breaking news situations. To find these new features, in the Camera Roll click “edit” to get these features.

To upgrade your software, just plug your iOS device into your computer, open iTunes, and iTunes should prompt you to update your software and take it from there. Just a heads up: It’ll take a LONG time to update, the files are almost 1 gb in size, so don’t do this at the last minute before you head home from work.

The iOS 5 upgrade is available for free for all iPhone 3GS, 4 and 4S, as well as the iPod Touch 3rd & 4th generation and iPad 1 and 2.