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.

You can now send money via text message for free with Square Cash

Cody Lee ∙ August 26, 2014

Square has released a big update for its Cash app this afternoon, bringing it to version 2.0. The app, first released in October of last year, facilitates the quick transfer of money from one user to another via e-mail, and today's update makes the process even faster.

The UI for sending and contact screens has been optimized in Square Cash 2.0, making it easier to send money, and you can also now add notes to your payments. But perhaps the biggest addition in today's update is the ability to send cash to anyone via text message.

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Bloomberg: Apple preparing 12.9-inch iPad for early 2015

Cody Lee ∙ August 26, 2014

Bloomberg is reporting this afternoon that Apple is preparing a larger 12.9-inch iPad for early next year. Citing people with "knowledge of the matter," the outlet says that the company's suppliers are gearing up now, with production of the tablet scheduled to begin by the first quarter of next year.

The report revives a theory that has been bouncing around the rumor mill for more than a year now. Apple was originally expected to launch the 13-inch "iPad Pro" this fall, but is believed to have pushed back the project due to resources being used on the so-called 'iWatch,' and the new iPhone 6.

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California governor signs smartphone kill switch bill into law

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

A bill that requires all smartphones manufactured after July 1st of next year, and sold in California, to include a remote kill switch was signed into law this afternoon. Introduced in February of this year, the bill hopes to make mobile devices less attractive to criminals, as smartphone thefts have grown exponentially in recent years, in several major US cities.

Specifically, the new law requires that each handset prompt an authorized user during initial setup to enable a "technological solution" that, once initiated, can render the essential features of the device inoperable to an unauthorized user. The solution must be reversible, must be able to withstand a hard reset, and may consist of software, hardware, or both.

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DotEmu discounts ‘Double Dragon Trilogy’ and other titles to $0.99 in summer sale

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Great news this afternoon for retro gaming fans. DotEmu has discounted 'Double Dragon Trilogy,' and several other hit iOS titles from its library down to $0.99. That's good for a savings of up to 80%, and all of the games support iPhone and iPad.

There appears to be a total of 7 DotEmu games on sale at the $1 mark, covering a wide range of genres. Double Dragon is perhaps the most recognizable, having seen dozens of releases, across several platforms, since 1987. We have the full list below.

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Apple in talks with major insurance companies regarding HealthKit partnerships

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Bloomberg is out with a new report this afternoon on rising medical costs and the growing number of partnerships between insurance providers, corporations, and fitness device makers. And in the report, the outlet notes that Apple has been speaking with insurance companies regarding potential HealthKit partnerships.

Not many specifics on the meetings were provided, but Apple has been very active in promoting its new HealthKit initiative. Earlier this month, it was reported that the company was in talks with healthcare providers at Mount Sinai, Cleveland Clinic, John Hopkins and others about its plans for the healthcare market...

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T-Mobile offering free year of unlimited LTE data for referrals and switchers

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Now that the T-Mobile-Sprint merger is off, it looks like the race is on for the definitive third place spot in the ranks of US carriers. Sprint fired the first shot with its new 'Family Share Pack' plan, and today, T-Mobile responded.

The magenta carrier announced today a new promotion that will benefit both current and new customers. Starting next week, the company will start giving away one free year of unlimited LTE data for referrals and switchers...

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Walmart discounts 16GB iPhone 5c to $0.97, 5s to $79 for limited time

Cody Lee ∙ August 21, 2014

Folks looking to score a new iPhone, who aren't interested in waiting for the new one to be unveiled next month, may want to head to their local Walmart. It seems the retailer is offering some staggering discounts on current models of the handset.

According to a new report from Engadget, Walmart is hosting a fire sale over the next three months on select iPhone 5c and 5s models. With the promotion, you'll be able to pick up a 16GB iPhone 5c for as little as $0.97 (with a two-year agreement)...

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New game from Flappy Bird developer ‘Swing Copters’ now available

Cody Lee ∙ August 20, 2014

As promised, 'Swing Copters,' the latest game from Flappy Bird developer Dong Nguyen is now available in the App Store. It's free, with a single $1.29 in-app purchase to remove ads, and it supports both the iPhone and iPad.

The premise of the game is actually quite similar to Flappy Bird—navigate your character through obstacles as you scroll through a level. You're going upward this time, instead of side to side, but you're still furiously tapping...

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WatchESPN Apple TV channel gains SEC and Longhorn Network programming

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

College football fans will be happy to hear that WatchESPN has expanded its NCAA coverage on Apple TV. The sports-focused streaming video channel now features programming from the SEC Network and The Longhorn Network.

The SEC Network is a joint venture between the Southeastern Conference and ESPN, and it will cover over 1000 live sporting events per year. And of course, The Longhorn Network is centered around the University of Texas athletics...

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Photos show possible rear shell for 5.5-inch iPhone 6

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

New photos have surfaced this afternoon, of what is said to be the rear shell of the 5.5-inch version of the upcoming iPhone 6 (referred to as the iPhone 6L by some). The part is positioned next to the shell of its 4.7-inch counterpart, giving us an idea of scale.

While component leaks for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 have been plentiful, leaks for the larger 5.5-inch model have been fairly scarce So, if they're legit, these photos could be placed in just a small stack of evidence we've seen thus far that a 5.5-inch iPhone exists...

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Samsung, Barnes & Noble team up to create ‘Galaxy Tab 4 NOOK’ tablet

Cody Lee ∙ August 20, 2014

About a year ago,  Barnes & Noble announced that it was going to put an end to most of its Nook tablet offerings. Acknowledging that the battle with Apple, Google and Amazon was too tough to fight alone, it said it would be interested in taking on a partner to share the work.

Apparently it found that partner in Samsung. The two companies jointly announced a new device today dubbed the 'Galaxy Tab 4 NOOK.' The pair say the 7-inch tablet combines Samsung’s leading technology and NOOK’s content to create an extraordinary reading experience...

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