Cody Lee

Cody Lee, iDownloadBlog.com’s longest-serving Editor, joined the site in 2008. He specializes in uncovering the best deals on Apple products, apps, and accessories. With years of experience in technology journalism, Cody helps readers save money while staying informed about the latest trends and updates in the Apple ecosystem. Cody’s history with smartphones goes almost as far back as he does. As the son of a Nokia employee, he was exposed early on to handsets like the N91 and the Communicator. He has since been involved in nearly every aspect of the mobile phone industry. While going to college, he worked at a Nokia factory, building handsets, and later moved on to a sales position at a major wireless carrier.

Square Enix’s Dragon Quest III launches worldwide

Fans of the classic RPG ‘Dragon Quest III’ will be happy to hear that Square Enix has delivered on its promise to launch an English version of the game. After spending a few months in Japan, the title is now available in the US App Store.

Dragon Quest III is the third installment in Square Enix's popular turn-based RPG series from the early 90s. And as with other ports, the iOS version of DQ III features the same great gameplay as the original, with updated touch controls.

Apple spending $161 million on Campus 2 auditorium, $74 million on fitness center

In addition to the now-iconic "spaceship" building, Apple's upcoming Campus 2 will also feature a state-of-the-art auditorium and fitness center. And according to building permits recently obtained by BuildZoom, the Cupertino firm is spending a fortune on the two spaces.

The permits show that the 120,000 square foot auditorium where Apple will hold future press events is being constructed by BNBT Builders, and is costing the company around $161 million. Additionally, the 100,000 square foot fitness center is costing them $74 million.

Apple Maps team working to improve community crowdsourcing

A new job listing hints the Apple Maps team is working on improving community crowdsourcing, as well as better Siri and Passbook integration. First spotted by 9to5Mac, the listing calls for a 'Maps Community Client Software Engineer' to join the Cupertino firm's growing Maps group.

According to the position's description, the engineer will focus on "high level UI development of the 'Report a Problem' feature." They'll also be working on the frameworks and plugins that enable Maps to "integrate deeply and seamlessly with other applications" such as Siri and Passbook.

Starbucks launches ‘Mobile Order & Pay’ in Oregon, national rollout planned for 2015

Starbucks has announced that it's launched a new "Mobile Order & Pay" service that will allow customers to place an order using the Starbucks app on their iPhone and schedule it for pickup. The service, which we first heard about in July, is available now at stores in Portland, Oregon, and will rollout to other locations in 2015.

The whole thing works like you'd expect it to. You can place an order for both food and beverages, and drinks are completely customizable down to the size, dairy and espresso additives, and more. Once you've selected all of your items, you choose the closest participating store for pickup and pay in-app with your Starbucks card.

Apple seeds second OS X 10.10.2 beta to developers

Apple has seeded the second beta of OS X Yosemite 10.10.2 this afternoon. The update, labeled build 14C78c, is available through the Update tab in the Mac App Store and the Dev Center for all registered Mac developers.

Today’s release comes a little more than two weeks after the first 10.10.2 beta, and Apple has asked developers to focus on Wi-Fi connectivity. Users have complained of Wi-Fi issues since updating to Yosemite in October.

Apple rumored to be working on new 4-inch iPhone

Apple is working on a new 4-inch iPhone model for next year, according to website G for Games. Citing sources in the Asian supply chain, the site says the Cupertino firm is aiming to release the smaller form factor device in the second half of 2015.

If true, the move would bring one-handed usability back to the iPhone line—a benefit that Apple frequently touted in previous years, but essentially abandoned in September when it introduced the new 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch 6 Plus.

TaiG releases jailbreak for iOS 8.1.1

TaiG released a jailbreak for iOS 8.1.1 devices this morning, roughly two weeks after Apple closed the latest Pangu jailbreak by releasing iOS 8.1.1. For those unfamiliar with the TaiG team, they were behind the third-party Chinese app store-evad3rs controversy last fall.

It's surprising that the team chose to release at this time, given that the previous jailbreak has only be defunct for a few weeks, and Apple is in the middle of testing iOS 8.2. But long-time jailbreak community patriarch MuscleNerd speculates that it likely had something to do with money.

Apple posts new ‘Voice Text’ iPhone 6 ad

Apple tonight posted a new commercial to its YouTube channel showcasing the recently-launched iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The ad is entitled ‘Voice Text’ and it highlights the new voice messaging feature found on iOS 8 and of course the new iPhones.

Coming just a few days after the last two spots, the ad once again stars Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake. In similar fashion to recent ads, the pair provide comedic voiceovers as they demonstrate the benefits of voice messaging.

Good deal: name your own price on this awesome Mac software bundle

Good news Mac owners, StackSocial is running another one of its popular “name your own price” software promotions. There are 9 apps in the bundle, and 1 instructional course, which combined normally sell for $543. But, as the headline suggests, you can literally name your own price.

What's the catch? The deal site keeps a running average of what people are paying for the package, which is currently at $4.51. Pay below the average price, and you'll only get 3 of the applications mentioned below, but pay equal to or above the average price, and you'll get the entire package.

Black Friday guide: how to separate the deals from the duds

It's that time of year again. Thanksgiving is tomorrow, which means we are now less than 48 hours away from Black Friday. On this day, thousands of retailers will be hosting flash sales in an effort to lure customers into their stores. Some even plan on starting their promotions tomorrow, and others have already begun.

For many people, the whole thing is execrable—unruly shoppers standing in long lines just to save a measly couple of dollars on useless items—but it doesn't have to be. If you know what to look for, you can actually save good money on good products, and in many cases avoid the crowds.

Good deal: 41% off this remote control mini drone

Folks looking to pick up something different this holiday season for that special someone, or even themselves, may want to check out the SKEYE Nano Drone. The remote control quadcopter is small enough that it can be flown almost anywhere, and right now deal site StackSocial is offering it at a steep discount.

UPDATE: You can get this mini drone for even cheaper from Amazon.

Drones have become increasingly popular in recent years, and are guaranteed to be a hot-ticket item this holiday season. The SKEYE differs itself from the rest of the pack with its size and agility. It measures just 1.57×1.57 inches and utilizes a 6-axis flight control System, making it perfect for performing stunts.

Good deal: 25% off NES-style Bluetooth controller

If you're an iOS gamer, or have one on your holiday shopping list, you might want to check out this deal on this NES-style Bluetooth controller. It's called the NES30, and for a limited time, Stack Social is offering it at 25% off of its regular retail price.

The controller features two additional action buttons, and two shoulder buttons, but other than that it's nearly identical to Nintendo's classic gamepad. It works via both Bluetooth and USB, supports multiplayer, and has a 20+ hour rechargeable battery.