Instagram , Apple’s 2011 “App of the Year,” just released an update to its iOS application that includes a sleek user interface, tappable notifications, a new filter, and an enhancement feature.

ASUS took to its Facebook page on Tuesday to ease tensions from an increasing number of customers unhappy with the locked bootloader on the quad-core Transformer Prime tablet. The company also confirmed that it will begin rolling out an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update on January 12th.

Dear Aunt TUAW, More of a question rather than a tip, but with the App Store lockdown today, I presume OnLive's Player App will not be live in time for Christmas. I was thinking: Do you think Apple delayed approval of the app to maximize profits by sales over Christmas, including the significant revenue likely generated by the release of Grand Theft Auto 3

Sprint announced Thursday that it is releasing the Android 3.2.1 (Honeycomb) update for irs HTC EVO View 4G tablet. The slate originally launched running Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), an operating system designed for smartphones

Amazon on Wednesday began rolling out an update for its Kindle Fire tablet that is expected to address a number of user complaints . Software version 6.2.1 should “enhance fluidity and performance” and “improve touch navigation responsiveness.” The patch will also enable users to customize the order in which applications appear in the Kindle Fire UI carousel and enable additional security features, such as the ability to create a password lock for Wi-Fi access. Amazon says the free patch will be delivered over the air via Wi-Fi to the Kindle Fire, and the company advises that users make sure their devices are fully charged before initiating the update.

Verizon Wireless on Monday confirmed that it is working on a software fix that will address what it refers to as a “signal strength issue” present in its just-released Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone. “The signal strength issue is currently being investigated,” a Verizon Wireless support representative posted on a company Twitter account. “We don’t have an ETA, but a software update is being developed.”

Google on Friday announced that it has begun to push out an update that will bring Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich to its Nexus S smartphone. “We’re rolling out Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, to GSM/UMTS Nexus S devices over the coming month, starting today,” Google’s Android team wrote in a post on Google+. The Ice Cream Sandwich update is available over the air (OTA) for GSM Nexus S handsets and while the roll-out will begin today, Google indicated that it could take as long as a month to complete.

Google on Friday announced that it has begun to push out an update that will bring Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich to its Nexus S smartphone. “We’re rolling out Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, to GSM/UMTS Nexus S devices over the coming month, starting today,” Google’s Android team wrote in a post on Google+.

Barnes & Noble’s previous-generation Nook slate is getting an update beginning today that will add a number of features from the new Nook Tablet to the device. “Among the new features, NOOK Color v1.4.1 now offers access to streaming popular movies and TV shows through Netflix, comics and graphic novels, new PagePerfect NOOK Books, reading NOOK Books in portrait and landscape modes, and many other enhancements through-out the device,” Barnes & Noble said.

Fire up your updaters, campers, because there's a prize inside -- in theory, anyway. iTunes 10.5.2 has appeared on the iTunes direct download page , but it's not yet showing up in Software Update, and the KB article covering the update is now 404ing. Reader Chasapple also points out that the Apple security updates page is having a bit of an issue, too ; it's not displaying.