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.

Adobe updates Photoshop Express with new design, Instagram sharing and more

Cody Lee ∙ April 30, 2014

Adobe updated their popular Photoshop Express app last night, bringing the iOS photo editor to version 3.3. The update features a number of improvements, including an all-new design for iOS 7, pet-eye (also known as green-eye) correction, and more.

The new release also brings about new sharing options—users can now show off their retouched photos to friends via either SMS or Instagram—as well as auto-save. Forget to save a photo before exiting the app? Don't worry, it'll be there when you return...

Chrome for iOS updated with new feature tour, omnibox improvements

Cody Lee ∙ April 30, 2014

Google rolled out an update for its mobile Chrome browser today, bringing the app to version 34.0.1847.18 (c'mon Google). The update includes a new 'feature tour,' which offers new users an overview of the browser, and other minor enhancements.

Among those enhancements is a tweak to Chrome's omnibox. Autocomplete in the omnibox now supports right-to-left languages, which should appease some international users. There's also the standard cluster of security, stability, and bug fixes...

New photos of alleged iPhone 6 dummy unit show larger, slimmer device

Cody Lee ∙ April 29, 2014

New photos of an alleged 'iPhone 6' dummy unit surfaced this afternoon. The images depict a device that is noticeably larger and thinner than the current iPhone 5s, with rounded corners, and an overall design that matches up with previous information.

There's no word on where the physical mockups came from, and there's obviously no way to determine their validity. But our friends over at Nowhereelse.fr say that the snapshots were published by a long-time member of a well-known Chinese forum...

Apple seeds OS X 10.9.3 build 13D55 to developers

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Apple has seeded another beta for OS X 10.9.3 to registered Mac developers this afternoon. The update comes just one week after the seventh beta was released, which brought about few notable changes.

The new build is available to developers via an update in the Mac App Store or as a download on Apple’s online developer center. It does not, however, appear to be out in Apple's new Beta Seed program yet…

Gameloft offers new details on ‘Modern Combat 5: Blackout’

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

It's been nearly a year since we first saw a preview of Gameloft's Modern Combat 5, and the game has yet to see a release date. In fact, we've heard almost nothing about the title in the past 11 months, leading some folks to believe that the project had either been shelved or canceled.

But today, Gameloft reassured MC fans that the game is still very much alive and coming along nicely. The studio confirmed that the title will be 'Modern Combat 5: Blackout,' and offered up some new details regarding the title including some info about the storyline and gameplay...

iWatch said to be entering production ahead of fall launch

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

According to a new report from the China Times, Apple's manufacturing partners have begun producing the iWatch. Citing supply chain sources, the outlet says that the company's highly anticipated smartwatch has entered production in small quantities ahead of an expected fall launch.

The report echoes previous chatter, which has mostly pointed to a fall iWatch release up to this point. It also lines up with predictions from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this month, claiming that the wearable will be built using system-in-package modules, instead of PCBs...

Apple launches updated MacBook Airs with faster processors for $100 less

Cody Lee ∙ April 29, 2014

As expected, Apple launched refreshed MacBook Air models this morning. There aren't any major changes, but the new laptops feature faster versions of Intel's Haswell processors and are priced at $100 less than their predecessors.

The updated models are currently available worldwide. Unsurprisingly, there's no sign of the rumored 12-inch MacBook Air with Retina display...

Samsung profits fall in Q1 on slowing high-end smartphone sales

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Samsung said profit fell for a second straight quarter as sales in its smartphone division continued to dip. The South Korean electronics giant announced its earnings for Q1 2014 this morning, and its operating profits for the period fell 3.3% from the year-ago-quarter.

Investors are particularly concerned with the growing trend of slumping handset sales—Samsung's mobile division is also down 1.2% year-over-year. The just-released Galaxy S5 is expected to give its Q2 numbers a boost, but the future beyond that is less than certain...

ComiXology launches new read-only app following Amazon acquisition

Cody Lee ∙ April 26, 2014

ComiXology, the leading digital comics platform, has launched a new application for iOS today. The company sent out an email to customers this morning announcing that the old app is being retired, and a new one is now available. The biggest difference between the two, it seems, is that the new app does't allow in-app purchases.

The change is noteworthy, as the ComiXology app has long been one of the top-grossing iPad titles in the App Store, and it comes shortly after Amazon acquired the comics platform. It's not surprising though, as it's the same strategy the e-commerce giant takes with its Kindle iOS app, in an effort to circumvent Apple's 30% cut...

Case maker’s iPhone 6 renderings show thin design, rear antenna cutouts

Cody Lee ∙ April 26, 2014

A new set of alleged 'iPhone 6' renderings surfaced online yesterday. The images come from Ukrainian website UkrainianiPhone, and the device depicted in them matches up with most everything we've seen thus far on the handset, including its relocated Sleep/Week button and circular iSight flash.

There is one noticeable difference, though, between this iPhone 6 model and the ones that we've seen in the past, and it has to do with the rear shell. Up until now, all of the renderings we've seen have shown a solid back cover. But these new shots suggest that Apple is leaving breaks for the antenna...

New iOS 8 concept shows what Healthbook and other rumored features may look like

Cody Lee ∙ April 25, 2014

Tech site Tech Radar is out with a new iOS 8 concept video this afternoon, depicting what it thinks the new firmware could look like. We actually know, or think we know, quite a bit about Apple's next mobile OS thanks to a number of reports, and this clip helps visualize all of that information.

The video covers most of everything we've heard thus far. It shows a revamped Notification Center, with a new easy-to-read layout, and the oft-rumored Healthbook app connecting to an iWatch. It also suggests how Siri could use Shazam's tech, and how CarPlay could help keep drivers safe...

Apple launches replacement program for iPhone 5 Sleep/Wake button

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Apple announced a new replacement program today for folks having issues with the Sleep/Wake button on their iPhone 5. The program allows for the replacement of the button on select iPhone 5 models where it has either stopped working completely, or only works intermittently.

The Cupertino firm says that it will offer the service free of charge to iPhone 5 customers with models that exhibit this issue, and have a qualifying serial number. It has set up a website with all of the details on the program for the 'small percentage' of people that have been affected...