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.

New in iOS 7: use Siri to access app settings

Apple has not only made Siri more intelligent and capable in iOS 7, but it's also stopped referring to it as being in 'beta.' We've noted a number of the digital assistant's improvements over the past few months, but here's a cool little trick that was just pointed out to us...

Apple airs new iPhone 5c ad ‘Greetings’

Apple posted a new commercial to its YouTube channel earlier this evening. It's called 'Greetings,' and it depicts a number of people from various walks of life using the just-released iPhone 5c.

The ad is a major departure from Apple's marketing strategy in its first two 5c spots, which featured no dialogue, catchy music, and a focus on the plastic handset. This one is all about the users...

NYPD encouraging iPhone and iPad users to update to iOS 7

The above image was posted to Twitter yesterday by World Bank's Jim Rosenberg, with the caption: the New York Police Department has a message for you iPhone and iPad folks.

Apparently, the NYPD has been handing out fliers at subway exits and in front of Apple Stores, encouraging people to upgrade to iOS 7 for its new ‘Activation Lock’ security feature...

iPhone 5s shipping times fall to October

Shortly after the iPhone 5s became available for online order here in the US Friday morning, initial inventory for the gold colorway sold out. Within an hour of launch, shipping times for handset configurations including the new color option began slipping to October.

And the rest of the models caught up with it this weekend. Less than 72 hours after launch, it appears that Apple has sold out of all of its initial iPhone 5s supplies, with shipping estimates for all configurations in the US slipping from 7–10 days to the vague date of 'October.'

Apple pulls ATV 6.0 update following user complaints

I was met with disappointment yesterday, when I turned on my Apple TV to download and install the new 6.0 update. The set-top box, which is still running ATV software version 5.3, told me that my firmware was already up-to-date.

And apparently, I'm not the only one experiencing this issue. I guess in addition to support for iTunes Radio, AirPlay from iCloud, and iTunes music purchases, the software also included several bugs. Because Apple just pulled it...

BlackBerry halts BBM for iPhone rollout after Android version leaks

Last week, BlackBerry confirmed via its Twitter account that it would be launching BBM for iPhone this weekend—today in fact, September 22. But as you've probably noticed, it's nowhere to be found.

So what happened? Well the app actually landed in the New Zealand App Store, and a handful of other countries yesterday. But it appears that a leaked version of the Android app halted the rollout...

Good deal: 50% off Spigen iPhone 5/5s case and GLAS.t bundle

Looking for a way to protect that shiny new iPhone 5s you just purchased? What about your iPhone 5? Either way, if the answer is yes, you should definitely check out this new Spigen promotional bundle from Stack Social.

For a limited time, the deal site is offering the Tough Armor Case, the GLAS.t SLIM—which we reviewed back in March, and loved—and the Ultra Crystal Screen Protector at a significant discount. More details after the fold...

Good deal: 30% off Touchfire Keyboard for iPad

If you're in the market for a keyboard accessory to help you type more efficiently on your iPad, you might want to check out the Touchfire. It's a silicon insert that fits over your iPad's display, offering tactile feedback as you type.

And right now, the folks over at Stack Social are running a promotion on the Touchfire KeyBoard, enabling you to pick one up at a nice discount. For a limited time, the deal site is knocking 30% off the accessory's retail price tag...

Apple no longer signing iOS 6.1.3/4

Bad news this evening for anyone hoping to downgrade from iOS 7 to a lower firmware. It appears that Apple is no longer signing iOS 6.1.3 and 6.1.4 for a majority of its devices, effectively terminating their ability to downgrade.

This is significant for a few reasons. For one, folks who upgraded to iOS 7 and don't like the redesigned UI are now essentially stuck with it for the foreseeable future. And more importantly, word is a 6.1.3/4 jailbreak is coming...

You can now order your iPhone 5s

Ok folks, the time has arrived. Those in one of the 9 initial launch countries can now order your iPhone 5s handset. Just as promised, the Cupertino company began accepting online orders for its new flagship smartphone right around midnight this morning.

It appears that some users are still seeing Apple’s ‘We’ll be back’ poster on Apple.com, but the Apple Store app is up and running. Remember that carriers are also accepting online orders, so it’s worth checking out their websites if you have trouble getting in…

Apple takes US store offline ahead of iPhone 5s launch

Apple has taken its US web store down as it prepares to begin selling the iPhone 5s. The handset will be available for online order starting at 12:01 am Pacific Standard Time tomorrow morning, and in stores at 8 am.

AT&T also seems to have taken a majority of its site down, and replaced it with a countdown splash page. Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile sites seem to be working fine though, and they will all be selling the 5s online...