This week's tips focus on the recently released iOS 4.1 and some of the things that you can do with it on the iPhone 4, iPod touch 4G, and older iPod touch models running iOS 4.1.

Apple has made changes or additions to Phone Favorites, Keyboard, and Parental Controls. Plus, we threw in a tip about getting information regarding the hardware and software within your iOS based device using the About feature.

This information can be handy when troubleshooting with AT&T, Apple, or one of your knowledgeable friends.

FaceTime Phone Favorites

You can easily add your FaceTime buddies to the Phone app's Favorites tab. When adding a buddy, you're given the option to add as a Voice Call or FaceTime contact. In order do to this, go to Contacts on your iPhone, tap a contact to select it, scroll down to the bottom of the contact information and tap Add to Favorites. You'll be presented with the options: Voice Call, FaceTime, or Cancel -- choose the option that suits you best and tap it.

The option to use their e-mail address will help you to connect to your FaceTime buddies that own one of the new 4th generation iPod touches released this week.

Compatibility: iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4G (late 2010)

Disable Spell Check

If you don't like Apple's spell checker, because you're a national Spelling Bee champion, turn it off. Apple's iOS 4.1 now has a feature that allows you to toggle the spell checker on and off. Simply navigate to Settings>General>Keyboard. Locate the Check Spelling option and tap it to toggle it on or off.

Note: Do not confuse this option with the option to turn Auto-Correction on or off -- it is different. The Auto-Correcting option can be changed using the same steps above.

Compatibility: iPhone, and iPod touch

Enable Parental Controls

All iOS devices have parental controls that you can setup to restrict access to: Safari, YouTube, iTunes, Installing Apps, Camera, FaceTime, Location, Allowed Content, and Game Center. Game Center and FaceTime restrictions are new to iOS 4.1.

If you haven't used these restrictions before you'll need to set up first by navigating to Settings>General>Restrictions and tap the Enable Restrictions button.

Follow the prompts to setup a Passcode and remember this Passcode is separate from the one used to lock your device, so make sure you make it different from that one. You'll be asked to enter it again to confirm that you entered the Passcode correctly. You can now toggle access to all the features listed about by tapping on the on/off switch next to each one.

Compatibility: iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch; some features not available on all models.

Find Important Hardware and Software Information

This tip is compatible with all iOS based devices and will give you immediate access to a lot of important information about the version of iOS you are running and the hardware you are holding in your hands. Go to Settings>General>About. Your iOS device will display information about your current cellular network if applicable, statistical information about your content, used and available memory.

More importantly you will see the following: iOS version(build), carrier profile version, model number, and serial number. These will all be handy when calling AppleCare for technical support. The IMEI and ICCID codes will be useful if either Apple or AT&T asks you for this information to help support your phone, etc. The Wi-Fi address is the MAC address of your iPhone's Wi-Fi adapter and this can be useful if you setup MAC address filtering on your Wi-Fi network for additional security. The Bluetooth version of the MAC address is there also.

Compatibility: iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Follow this article's author, David W. Martin, on Twitter.