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.

iControlPad Finally Available, Brings Physical Controls to iOS Gaming

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 11, 2023

We've been hearing about the infamous iControlPad for nearly three years now. We first reported on the accessory back in 2008, when it was still in early stages of production. Then we didn't hear a peep about the product until the Summer of this year.

The iControlPad was soft-launched back in July, but it still had some major hurdles to overcome. The inventors didn't have any major distribution partners, and third party compatibility was non-existent. But that has all changed with ThinkGeek's support...

Apple Seeds iOS 5.0.1 Beta 2 to Developers

Cody Lee ∙ November 4, 2011

Well, here's something we didn't expect. Apple has just seeded a second beta of iOS 5.0.1 to developers. It's hard to recall a time when the Cupertino company released a beta version of any incremental iOS update, but a second is almost unheard of.

The first iteration of iOS 5.0.1 was released just two days ago. The update brought about all kinds of maintenance, including patches for the infamous battery bug and the Smart Cover issue. We haven't noticed any changes in beta 2 as of yet...

CBS CEO Claims Apple Approached Him Over Apple TV Deal

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 3, 2018

Over the last few years there has been ongoing speculation that Apple was looking to start a TV subscription service. The content would be available on Apple's wide range of devices, and would rival that of Netflix and similar services.

Despite the rumors, we've never actually seen anything materialize. But CBS CEO Les Moonves rekindled the gossip yesterday afternoon with some comments he made on the company's quarterly earnings call regarding the Apple TV...

Case-Mate’s Tank is the Toughest iPhone Case You’ve Ever Seen

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 26, 2017

Apple has been highly criticized for the glass panels it uses on the front and back of its smartphone. The design was introduced in 2010 with the iPhone 4, and has obviously stuck around with the unchanged iPhone 4S.

The glass casing means that the handset isn't very durable. Luckily, cases can help protect it from drops and other accidents. In fact, Case-Mate makes one that will protect the iPhone from being run over by a large SUV...

iPhone 4S Users Reporting Nationwide Siri Outage

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 3, 2018

Apple has been struggling over the past few weeks with software issues. The recent iOS 5 update was found to be littered with problems, including the now infamous battery bug. And then there is the delayed iTunes Match launch.

But none of that compares to the latest fiasco. VentureBeat is reporting that Siri has gone down across the US for a number of iPhone 4S customers. Not only does that mean that Siri is inaccessible, but Dictation isn't working either...

Apple Isn’t Worried About Amazon’s Tablet

Cody Lee ∙ November 3, 2011

Apple has dominated the tablet market the last two years with its iPad line. Since it reinvented the category in 2010, competitors have struggled to keep up with Apple's high-powered, low-cost slate.

But with Amazon's Kindle Fire coming November 15th, that could all change very quickly. The tablet undercuts the iPad's cost by $200, and has already seen a lot of popularity during pre-order. Should Apple be worried?

This Theme Turns Your iPhone into a Kindle Fire

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

A little over a month ago, Amazon jumped head-first into the tablet market with its 7-inch Kindle Fire. The $199 slate runs a low-level version of Android, but you'd never know that from its well thought-out user interface.

In fact, Amazon's tablet has already received a fair amount of praise. It's sharp, eye-popping, and gives users quick access to media content. And even better, it's coming to the iPhone with this jailbreak theme...

iOS 5.0.1 Patches iPad 2 Smart Cover Security Flaw

Cody Lee ∙ November 3, 2011

A few weeks ago we told you about a security bug involving iOS 5 and Smart Covers. The folks over at 9to5Mac discovered that if you left your iPad 2 on the Power Screen, anyone with a Smart Cover could gain access to your tablet.

As serious as the issue was, we figured that a fix would come from Apple within a few days. But more than a week passed by without word. Then, yesterday, the Cupertino company released iOS 5.0.1 beta, and it contains a patch for the Smart Cover bug...

Apple Confirms iOS 5 Battery Issues, Releases iOS 5.0.1 to Developers With Fix

Cody Lee ∙ November 2, 2011

Since Apple released iOS 5 and its latest handset with the new software pre-installed to the public, customers have been complaining about poor battery life. It appears that something in the iOS update has directly affected battery performance.

Other than a few rumors of its engineers contacting customers regarding their complaints, Apple has been relatively silent on the matter... until now. AllThingsD has just received an official statement from the company confirming the problem...

Why the iPhone’s Speaker is on the Bottom of the Handset

Cody Lee ∙ November 2, 2011

Have you ever wondered why Apple chose to place the iPhone's speaker at the bottom of the handset? It's a minor detail really, but the minor details is what Apple prides itself in most. The company has been known to really focus on the small things.

But Apple doesn't do things without a specific purpose in mind either, and the iPhone's speaker-placement is a perfect example of that. Designer Dustin Curtis found this out the hard way when he switched from his iPhone 4 to a Samsung Galaxy S II...

Apple Wins Two High-Profile Multi-Touch Patents

Cody Lee ∙ November 2, 2011

According to PatentlyApple, Apple was awarded another 14 patents yesterday from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Out of the 14 recognized inventions, two of them really stood out.

The two patents are related to multi-touch technology, and could come in handy in the ongoing patent war between Apple and Android partners. In fact, one of the filings relates to the touch-screen tech found in the original iPhone...

Apple’s New In-Store Self-Checkout Plan Revealed

Cody Lee ∙ November 2, 2011

A few days ago, MacRumors reported that Apple was going to be unveiling a new version of its iOS retail app in the very near future. The update is expected to bring multiple new features, including an in-store self-checkout option for accessories.

As crazy as the idea sounds, it's starting to seem more and more legitimate. Now, BGR is claiming that it can confirm that an Apple Store app update is indeed on the way. And it has even obtained details of how the new services will work...