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.

Google+ for iOS Updated with Hangouts and Other Improvements

Cody Lee ∙ September 24, 2011

Well, that didn't take long. Just three days after we reported that the Google+ app was going to be getting an update, the new software dropped. And just as we expected, the update brings Hangout support as well as a host of other enhancements.

Now that the social networking service is open to the public, and has a well-rounded mobile application, it'll be interesting to see how it stacks up against the competition. Hit the jump for a full rundown of all of the app's new features and improvements...

Google Looking to Take On Wireless Carriers?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 10, 2018

Although Google originally started off as just a search engine, it hasn't been afraid to try its hand in other markets. We've seen the Mountain View company produce desktop and cell phone software, and seemingly everything in between.

Well it appears like software wasn't enough to satisfy the mighty search giant, as now the company is looking into the cell phone carrier market. BGR passes on a report from cellular-news that claims Google is testing an MVNO service in Spain...

Android and iOS are Still Dominating the Mobile OS Market

Cody Lee ∙ September 23, 2011

The debate between Apple's iOS and Android can get heated pretty quickly. I (in some cases) would rank someone's mobile OS preference right up there with their political views. It can get that serious.

But whether you prefer Google's open platform, or Apple's more fenced-off approach, you have to agree with one thing: Both OSes are killing it. The proof is in the numbers, as 9to5Mac points out in Millennial Media's Mobile Mix report...

iTattoo Cases Make Your iPhone’s Apple Logo Stand Out

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

We've seen some pretty odd iPhone cases over the years here at iDB. There was the lego case, and the one shaped like a hand. There was even one that allowed you to store your um, smoking equipment.

But we've also seen our fair share of cool cases as well, and this next one certainly falls in that category. Cult of Mac points to an interesting line of see-through snap-on iPhone cases called the iTattoo...

Apple Working With Quad-Core Processors for Next-Generation iDevices?

Cody Lee ∙ September 23, 2011

Even with all of the confusion surrounding Apple's iPhone announcement this year, there are two things we know for certain. The device is going to include a faster processor (presumably the A5 found in the iPad 2), and a better camera.

While we don't know much about the camera just yet, we do have a pretty good idea of what the A5 is capable of. It wouldn't surprise me to see Apple tout the next iPhone as the fastest in the industry. And they're already working on making it faster....

iPad Vending Machines Coming to a Macy’s Near You

Cody Lee ∙ September 22, 2011

The first vending machine, according to Wikipedia, was invented by Hero of Alexandria. The Greek engineer's machine would dispense holy water upon coin deposits. Obviously, it's come a long way since then.

Nowadays vending machines carry everything from drinks to candy. And in some places, (mostly airports) you can even score a digital camera and other small electronics from these digital kiosks. So, where do these things go from here?

Apple Program Donates Used iPads to American Teacher Organization

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 10, 2018

When you went in to your local Apple Store to buy your shiny new iPad 2 this year, did you see a place to donate your old iPad? While most of us would rather sell off our old gadgets instead of giving them away for free, it was definitely for a good cause.

TechCrunch spotlights the cool Apple project that allows users to give their old iPads to the Teach for America organization. The program takes used iPads, refurbishes them, and then distributes them to teachers of the TFA foundation...

Did the Target App Just Leak the iOS 5 Speech-to-Text Dictation Feature?

Cody Lee ∙ September 22, 2011

At Apple's WWDC event back in June, Scott Forstall promised us that we would see a public release of iOS 5 "this Fall." And seeing as how Fall officially starts tomorrow, we can't be too far away from an announcement.

While we've got a pretty good idea of what to expect from the new software, there still are a couple of unknowns. For example, we know Apple is working on a secret voice-to-text feature, but we haven't seen it in action. Enter the new Target app...

iPhone 4S Cases Already Arriving at AT&T Retail Stores [Updated]

Cody Lee ∙ September 22, 2011

BGR is reporting that they have obtained images of some next-generation iPhone cases. But these aren't the same iPhone 5 cases we've seen popping up all over Asia for the past month. They are actually for the iPhone 4S.

The tech blog received the images from a source within AT&T's retail chain. The tipster claims they are starting to see accessories come in for the Apple's new smartphone. The proof is in the pictures, as the new cases don't appear to be for the current model...

Great Deal: Snapseed Photo Editor is Free for a Limited Time

Cody Lee ∙ Updated November 13, 2017

What's better than an expensive app going on sale? An expensive app going free. That's exactly what has happened with the popular photo editing app Snapseed. The utility is normally $4.99, but is now currently available for free.

The app, made by Nik Software, was named iTunes App of the Week last month, and has a rating of 4.5 stars out of nearly 700 ratings. Want to see what Snapseed can do? Hit the jump to find out more about the app...

Steve Jobs Ranked as 39th Richest American

Cody Lee ∙ September 21, 2011

It's that time of year again. Forbes Magazine has released its annual list of who's who in the world of money hoarding. This particular list ranks the top 400 richest men in America, according to net worth.

The usual suspects are all present. Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, remains at number one with $59 billion dollars. Warren Buffet comes in second with $39 billion. So, where does Steve Jobs rank on the list?

Analyst Claims We Will Only See One iPhone this Fall

Cody Lee ∙ September 21, 2011

Going against The New York Times and nearly every other rumor we've heard in the last few months, Wedge Partners told investors today that there is only one iPhone coming this Fall.

Like the rest of us, analyst Brian Blair believes that Apple will hold a special event between September 28 and October 5 to unveil several new products to the world. Except he thinks that only one of those products will be an iPhone...