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.

Synaptics acquiring iPhone display chipmaker Renesas SP Drivers for $475 million

Cody Lee ∙ June 11, 2014

As expected, touchscreen chipmaker has announced that it will be buying Renesas SP Drivers, the sole supplier of display chips for the iPhone. The deal is said to be worth $475 million—around the same price Apple was rumored to bid for the company earlier this year.

For those unfamiliar with Renesas, it's a joint venture between Powerchip and Sharp that specializes in building LCD drivers for small and mid-sized LCD panels. These chips determine a display's quality, and typically account for around 10% of a device's battery usage...

Sony unveils Apple TV competitor ‘PlayStation TV’

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

During its high profile E3 keynote yesterday, Sony unveiled the PlayStation TV, a rebranded version of the PS Vita TV it showed off last fall. The device is small enough to fit in your hand and costs just $99, making it a direct competitor to the Apple TV.

Like the Apple TV, the PlayStation TV will support a variety of streaming services including Hulu, Netflix, and of course Sony's own content. But unlike Apple's set-top box, it'll have a heavy focus on gaming, supporting some 1000 popular titles at launch...

Costco preparing to begin selling iPhones and iPads

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

According to a new report from MacRumors, Costco has reached a new agreement with Apple that will see it eventually carrying iPhones, iPads and other products. The warehouse club chain used to sell iPods, but quit offering them in late 2010 when it and Apple parted ways.

The news comes by way of an internal email sent to employees of Costco's Wireless Advocates division, informing them of the new partnership. The memo only mentions iPhones and cellular iPads, but Wi-Fi only iPad Air and iPod models have popped up in stores' inventories...

Report says iPhone 6 will feature NFC, wireless charging and more

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

It seems like we have a pretty good idea of what to expect, in terms of appearance, for the iPhone 6. Several reports have pointed to the handset having a larger display and a new iPad-like design, and most of the leaked cases and components we've seen thus far match up with that.

But when it comes to features and functionality of the new iPhone, things aren't so clear. The latest of a number of scattershot reports comes from VentureBeat, which cites sources saying that the device will have built-in support for NFC tech, wireless charging capabilities, and more...

Hidden icons in iOS 8 show Apple’s working on car-finding feature

Cody Lee ∙ June 10, 2014

Last fall it was reported that Apple was working on a new feature for its Maps application that could assist users in finding their car. Using the iPhone's M7 chip, it was said the app could register the location of a parked vehicle, and then help its owner return to that spot at a later time.

The expectation was that this car-finding feature would turn up in iOS 8, but WWDC came and went with no mention of the functionality. It still could make its way into the public release of the software though, as new evidence shows Apple has indeed been working on such a feature...

Target offering 16GB Wi-Fi iPad mini for $199

Cody Lee ∙ June 9, 2014

Target is holding a significant sale right now in the run-up to Father's Day, and is discounting a number of its products. Among the deals, the retailer is offering the 16GB Wi-Fi model of the first generation iPad mini for $199.

That's a solid $100 off of the tablet's original price tag, and even beats out the ‘Special Limited Time’ pricing offered in the refurbished section of Apple's web store. We've got the full details on the short-term promotion below...

Facebook’s Snapchat competitor ‘Slingshot’ briefly appears in the App Store

Cody Lee ∙ June 9, 2014

Last month, word got out that Facebook was working on a Snapchat competitor called Slingshot. Despite the company's recent $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp, it's still very interested in the video and ephemeral messaging space that's popular among teens.

Today, we got a sneak peek at the app when it prematurely surfaced in the App Store this afternoon. From what we've seen so far, it is beautifully designed and offers both familiar features, such as annotation, and non-familiar features like unlock-able content...

Upcoming Dance Party game promises multiplayer fun on Apple TV

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

I've long thought that the Apple TV could make for a full-blown video game console. Between the set-top box, AirPlay, and Apple's line of iOS devices with built-in motion sensors, you basically have a Nintendo Wii—you just need developers to take advantage of it.

And nobody understands this better than the folks at Rolocule Games. The India-based app-maker released a game called 'Motion Tennis' last summer, and this year they're back with another innovative, motion-based game for iOS and Apple TV called Dance Party...

New photos of alleged iPhone 6 shell surface

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

A new set of photos has appeared online this weekend, showing off an alleged iPhone 6 shell. We've seen 1 or 2 similar components in the past, but these images give us—by far—the best look at the part, and the best indication of what the device could look like.

In terms of design, this shell appears to match the one we saw back in May almost detail for detail. Note the thick antenna breaks towards the top and bottom of the part, as well as the cutouts for the iSight camera, the round flash, and the rear-facing Apple logo...

Should you give up your jailbreak to upgrade to iOS 8 beta?

Cody Lee ∙ June 8, 2014

Since Apple seeded the inaugural beta of iOS 8 last week, we've been asked seemingly hundreds of times if the upgrade is worth giving up a jailbreak. As we all know, once you update past iOS 7.0.6 you lose the ability to jailbreak, and there's no way to downgrade.

Now, we already touched on this subject during last week's episode of Let's Talk Jailbreak, but given how popular the topic has been, we wanted to cover it in a post. It's not exactly the easiest question to answer, but I'm going to do my best to break down your options...

The best yoga apps

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

No more excuses. It’s time to get in shape both mentally and physically. One way to attack mind and body at once is through regular yoga sessions. If you think you are too tough for the balancing exercise, think again. Yoga has been known to kick the butts of even the strongest athletes.

You know you want to try it, even if it is in the privacy of your own home, so we've compiled a list of apps to help you get started.

WSJ profile describes Dr. Dre as a perfectionist, compares him to Steve Jobs

Cody Lee ∙ June 7, 2014

The Wall Street Journal has written a profile on Beats co-founder Dr. Dre titled "Apple's New Beat: What Steve Jobs and Dr. Dre have in Common." That headline may sound blasphemous to die-hard Apple fans, but the comparisons they draw are interesting.

Though Jimmy Iovine has done most of the talking since Apple acquired his Beats Electronics last month, Dr. Dre played an equally important role in the company's success. He's a workaholic and a perfectionist, with a disdain for deadlines and marketing research...