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.

Hackers Develop Method to Add Custom Siri Commands

Siri hasn't even been around a month yet, and she's already the talk of the town. At first everyone was obsessed with asking her quirky questions, and now folks seem to have turned their attention to the status of her iPhone 4 port.

But it doesn't look like Siri's 15 minutes of fame are up just yet. It seems that hackers have figured out a way to create custom voice commands for the personal assistant, and they've even managed to get Siri to respond to them...

How Apple Has Changed Under New CEO Tim Cook

When Steve Jobs stepped down as Apple's CEO this past August, investors panicked. How could the Cupertino company continue its run of greatness without the man that started it all? Two words: Tim Cook.

The Wall Street Journal published an interesting article yesterday that looks at Cook's impact at Apple during his first two months as the company's Chief Executive Officer. And it sounds like he's off to a good start...

61% of Mobile Devices Accessing the Web Run iOS

When it comes to mobile platforms, there are tons of ways to measure success. Android leads in market share, iOS leads in customer satisfaction, and Windows Phone, well Windows Phone isn't posing any major threats yet, but it has potential.

Perhaps one of the most precise ways of measuring the real-world impact of a platform is to gauge how many users are actually using it. And what better way to do that than by tracking which mobile OS accesses the web the most?

A Concept Design of What an Apple TV Set Could Look Like

Over the past couple of weeks, speculation around an Apple-flavored TV set has dramatically amplified. Between Steve Jobs' "I cracked it" comment and a TV market that seems ripe for the picking, the time feels right for Apple to move in.

Word on the street is that the company is so serious about entering the television space that it already has a working prototype of a TV set. Obviously we won't get to see the product until it's finished, but we can look at this gorgeous concept...

Apple Misses End of October Launch Date for iTunes Match

As the developer edition of the iTunes 10.5.1 beta expires, everyone is wondering the same thing: where is iTunes Match? Apple's projected "end of October" launch date for the music mirroring service has come and gone.

Apple has been catching a lot of heat lately, and rightly so. Between the countless bugs in iOS 5, and its ongoing battery problems, Apple has been rather sloppy in recent weeks. Now, about iTunes Match...

Was Google’s Gamble on Android Really Worth It?

When the original iPhone launched in 2007, Google and Apple actually had a good relationship. Google was set to be the iPhone's default search engine, and Google was also going to power the handset's Maps application. Everything was wonderful. And then came Android.

The Android operating system was born in Palo Alto, California in 2003. Two years later, the company was acquired by—you guessed it—Google. The deal was worth an estimated $50 million, but the Android OS could end up costing Google much more than that...

Google Reportedly Finishing Up Native Gmail App for iOS

If you're an iPhone owner and also happen to be a Gmail user, you may want to pay attention. Word on the street is that Google is putting the finishing touches on a native Gmail application for the iOS platform.

MG Siegler, an Apple columnist for TechCrunch, made the announcement last night. The tech writer has learned that Google is nearly finished with an iOS-flavored native Gmail app, and it's headed for the App Store...

Apple Gearing Up for a $40 Billion Dollar Holiday Season

With the holiday season just around the corner, handset manufacturers are counting on a strong finish to the 2011 sales year. And with smartphones and other mobile gadgets likely topping millions of wish lists this December, it's a fairly feasible expectation.

But of all of the tech companies in the mobile market, Apple likely has the most riding on a successful fourth quarter; considering it forecasted nearly $40 billion dollars ($10 billion higher than any previous quarter) in revenue for the three month period...

Apple Stores Looking to Enable Self-Checkouts Via iOS App

Apple Stores are already considered trendsetters in the retail space. From their awe-inspiring architecture to their product-focused environments, the Cupertino company's world-wide chain has other retailers turning green with envy.

Now it seems like the Mac-makers are looking to start another fad: self-checkout. No, we're not talking about those big machines at your local Walmart. We're talking about customers paying for items using their iPhones without the help of a sales clerk...

Apple Purchases Another 3D Mapping Company

Aside from small additions like displaying alternate routes and the Show Traffic option, the Maps application received little attention from Apple during the recent iOS update. Some pundits expected the app to at least receive turn-by-turn directions.

But a revamped Maps app might still be in Apple's plans. 9to5Mac is reporting that Apple has just quietly acquired "mind-blowing 3D mapping company" C3 Technologies, and that the Cupertino company is looking to take iOS maps to the next level...

Siri Dictation Key Actually Doubles as a Space Bar

Apple has built its brand on attention to detail. The company has been known to spend months going over the tiniest components of a product to ensure perfection. Why do you think its devices come so terrifically packaged?

Apple's obsession with the tiny details even spills over into iOS, and the folks over at iPhoneinCanada have found a perfect example. Have you ever noticed how the dictation button changes color when you add another keyboard?

Apple Engineers Contacting iPhone 4S Users About Battery Issues

If you've been experiencing issues with the battery on your new iPhone 4S, you're not alone. The problem has spawned a thread in Apple's Support forums that has seen over 100,000 visitors in the last two weeks.

Even with all of the evidence, Apple has yet to officially comment on the issue, but they're very much aware of it. According to a report by The Next Web, Apple's engineers have started contacting customers regarding the complaint...