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.

Facebook mobile user stats: 192M on Android, 147M on iPhone

A few months ago, we passed along a report that Facebook was urging its employees to swap out their iPhones for Android devices. It knows Google's mobile OS has continued to be an afterthought to iOS, and it's looking to change that.

Well according to some newly-released data, that's probably a smart move. Enders analyst Benedict Evans has just published Facebook's mobile app user stats, and, as of November last year, Android users vastly outnumber those on iOS...

Belkin unveils the Thunderstorm, a handheld home theater for your iPad

CES starts today, meaning you can expect to see several new product and accessory announcements over the next 5 days. Earlier today we told you about the Cookoo smart watch, and now it's Belkin's time to shine.

Known for Apple accessories like USB cables and keyboard cases, Belkin doesn't have much of a track record in the audio space. That changes, though, with the Thunderstorm, a new iPad case with built-in speakers...

Consumer Reports places iPhone 5 among the worst of top smartphones

Consumer reports is an American Magazine (and web resource) that has been bringing its readers reviews and comparisons of consumer products and services for nearly 80 years now. So needless to say, their opinions are highly regarded but many.

But I know a few iPhone 5 owners that aren't going to agree with its latest report regarding flagship smartphones. In its February 2013 issue, the magazine ranks Apple's handset as one of the worst high-end devices available on the larger US carriers...

Weird bug adds ‘praises the iPad’ at the end of Google queries

The rivalry between Apple and Google is arguably one of the biggest in the tech world, maybe even the world in general. The two companies are constantly fighting each other for smartphone and tablet marketshare, and they both have legions of loyal fans.

That's what makes this next story so amusing. A new bug has been discovered in the Google Now and Translate apps that show Apple a bit more love than you'd expect from a rival. Enter the right queries, and both apps will, oddly enough, "praise the iPad."

iHome to debut new Lightning audio docks at CES

As most of you know, iDB will be at The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week. And though Apple itself won't be there, there will be tons of iOS-flavored products and peripherals worth reading about. Take these new Lightning-compatible audio docks from iHome, for example...

Burglary at Microsoft research campus, only iPads taken

Here's a funny little story for your Saturday morning. A report popped up yesterday that Microsoft communicated to police earlier this week that there had been a burglary in one of the buildings on its campus in Mountain View, California.

The thief, or thieves, broke into 3 offices in Building 5 on the campus between December 19 and 26, when most folks were gone for the holidays. And — here's the funny part — despite all of the gadgets laying around, only iPads were taken...

Despite workarounds, Apple still paid $6 billion in U.S. taxes last year

Earlier this year, The New York Times wrote a piece on the different methods Apple uses to sidestep "billions in corporate taxes." Like other articles in the publication's iEconomy series, it painted the Cupertino company in a not-so-favorable light.

But despite the workarounds, Apple says it still pays a significant amount in income taxes. According to a recent statement, it paid over $6 billion in US taxes during its fiscal 2012, accounting for $1 out of every $40 collected from corporations...

Gorgeous iPhone 6 concept based on new iPod nano design

Though Apple is believed to have sold in upwards of 50 million iPhones last quarter, there are still many critics out there that believe both the handset, and the software it runs, are getting a bit long in the tooth.

This is why we continue to see concepts for new iPhones and iOS features with refreshed designs. In fact, a new one popped up yesterday that gives the smartphone an all new look à la the 7th gen iPod nano...

FTC drops Google antitrust inquiry as it agrees to license essential patents

Good news out of Washington this week. The FTC has announced that it's reached a settlement with Google regarding its antitrust investigation. The Federal Trade Commission was going after the search giant for several reasons, including patent abuse.

But not anymore. Google has agreed, among other things, to license several of its standard-essential patents — many of which it picked up in its recent acquisition of Motorola — to its competitors under FRAND (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) terms...

Pod2g calls for Apple to open up iOS for tweaks and themes

Well known iOS hacker pod2g went on a bit of a rant on Twitter today regarding the current state of iOS. The security expert says that he's seeing a lot of his 'geek friends' migrate from iOS to Android, and he wants to see Apple open up its mobile platform to help stop the bleeding.

He points out that there are no technical issues preventing Apple from allowing developers to submit tweaks or themes — it would just need to enlarge its API/SDK. And it would be able to review them just like they do with App Store submissions before approving them for iOS...

Corning announces Gorilla Glass 3 ahead of CES

With just a few days left until the Consumer Electronics Show kicks off in Las Vegas, Corning, a Kentucky-based glass-maker, has announced the third iteration of its popular Gorilla Glass line.

As most of you know, Gorilla Glass is a high-strength, thin sheet of glass used as a protective cover in many touch screen devices, including Apple products. And version 3 is a lot more durable...