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.

Viber announces new ‘Viber Out’ feature for making low-cost outgoing calls

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Popular VoIP and messaging service Viber announced today the release of version 4.1 of its mobile app for Android and iPhone. The update includes the full global launch of Viber Out, a new feature that allows users to make low-cost calls to any mobile or landline phone number.

The service uses credit that can be purchased through in-app purchases, or via credit card, and the minutes can be used on Android, iOS or your desktop. It's actually a lot like how Skype works, except it looks like Viber's rates are much lower and it won't charge connection fees...

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Apple expands iTunes Match to Finland, Norway and other countries

Cody Lee ∙ December 10, 2013

Apple has expanded its iTunes Match service to several new European countries this week. Users in Finland, Denmark, Sweden and other areas are reporting that they have been granted access to the music-mirroring service.

First introduced in late 2011, iTunes Match allows users to match songs from their iTunes libraries to tracks in Apple's cloud. This way they can access their music from any device, without having to spend hours uploading it...

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Apple updates ’12 Days of Gifts’ app for 2013 holiday season, opens it to US users

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 16, 2018

You know it's getting close to Christmas time when outlets start publishing gift guides, and Apple updates its '12 Days of Gifts' application. The 2013 version of Apple's free-download-a-day app went live this evening, ahead of its December 26 kickoff.

Folks in European countries have become accustom to this yearly ritual, but it's never been available to those of us here in the US. I'm happy to announce, though, that this year, Apple has finally opened up the program to iOS users in the United States...

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iDB holiday gift guide 2013: Cody’s picks

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

Still having trouble picking out a special gift for that special someone? Don't worry, iDB is here to help with our second annual holiday gift guide. Just like last year, we've each compiled a list of our top picks for holiday gift ideas, and I've elected to go first.

Below you'll find a list of products that I'm either giving as a gift, hoping to receive as a gift, or are just known for being awesome. The items range from tablets to sunglasses, and everything in between, and come in at various price points. So let's get started...

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Post-Apple, Scott Forstall said to be traveling abroad, advising startups

Cody Lee ∙ December 9, 2013

Ex-Wall Street Journal tech reporter Jessica Lessin recently launched a new technology news site called The Information. The site promises to provide the inside scoop on technology news and trends, and thus far it's made good on that.

Today the site is out with a report that helps answer the frequently-asked question: "what has Scott Forstall been up to since he was ousted from Apple last fall?" The former iOS Chief has been extremely quiet since he left the company...

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Square introduces new card reader developed by Apple’s Lightning plug designer

Cody Lee ∙ December 9, 2013

Square unveiled a new version of its Square Reader accessory today, which is used to input credit and debit cards into the Square app. It says the new Reader is roughly 45% thinner than its predecessor, and is more accurate at reading cards thanks to its new design.

But what makes the new device really interesting is who designed it. According to a report from Wired, Square's new ultra-thin card reader was developed by a team led by Jesse Dorogusker—a former Director of Engineering at Apple and developer of the Lightning plug...

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Time Warner Cable app could finally land on Apple TV this week

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Time Warner Cable's Rob Marcus announced this morning that the company plans to add another platform to the list of those that can access the TWC TV app this week. The app enables TWC subscribers to stream live channels and watch videos on demand.

Now, he didn't say which platform it is exactly, but given that the app is already available on Roku, Xbox 360, and various smart TVs and mobile devices, there aren't many options left. And this of course has led to speculation that it's finally coming to Apple TV...

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New slide-on case gives your iPhone a BlackBerry-style keyboard

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Apple gave physical keyboards the finger (literally) when it introduced the all-touchscreen iPhone back in 2007. Skeptics were quick to dismiss the device, saying a touchscreen could never replace a physical keyboard, but it has since become the norm.

But for the folks who still long for a physical keyboard, there are several options to choose from that allow you to keep your iPhone. And today we're adding a new one to the stack for all of you BlackBerry fans: the Typo Keyboard case for the iPhone 5/5s...

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Apple Stores to host ‘Hour of Code’ class this week

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Interested in learning how to code? Then you may want to stop by your local Apple Store. Apple has joined the likes of Google and Microsoft in participating in the Hour of Code program, and will be hosting free one-hour classes at its stores this week.

The Hour of Code project aims to demystify computer science for students and show them that anyone can learn the basics of programming. And it does this by offering up introductory tutorials that can be completed online, a smartphone or unplugged...

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Good deal: 91% off Mac software bundle

Cody Lee ∙ Updated July 14, 2017

Whether you're planning on getting a new Mac for the holidays, or you're just looking for some new apps to increase productivity on your current one, you'll want to check out this big Mac software bundle from Stack Social.

The deal site is currently offering a suite of 10 Apple computer applications, which includes AfterShot Pro, Vitamin-R, skEdit and Compartments, at a steep discount. More details and a full rundown of the apps after the fold...

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T-Mobile using MetroPCS spectrum to bolster its LTE network

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

Good news this weekend for T-Mobile customers. The carrier is finally taking advantage of its recent MetroPCS merger, and has begun rolling out higher-speed LTE service by tapping the airwaves it acquired as part of the acquisition.

According to a report from AllThingsD, T-Mobile quietly turned on the faster service in parts of North Dallas just before Thanksgiving. The higher speeds come by combining the spectrum from both T-Mobile’s and MetroPCS' networks...

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