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.

Mario Look-A-Like Visits the App Store

Cody Lee ∙ April 29, 2011

Most people agree that if something looks like a duck, smells like a duck, and tastes like a duck, then it's a duck. That cliche saying doesn't seem to fit so well in this situation. Monino looks like Mario, sounds and acts like Mario, but he sure isn't Mario.

The application some how snuck into the App Store and has been making noise around the internet ever since. It isn't garnering attention for its amazing game play, but for the amazing amount of copyright and trademark laws it seems to be breaking. How long do you think it'll survive in the App Store?

Foxconn Employees Arrested for Leaking iPad 2 Information

Cody Lee ∙ April 28, 2011

Have you ever wondered how case designers and analysts always seem to know information about Apple products before they hit masses? It seems like every solid piece of evidence we get about upcoming devices are from accessory makers or market analysts that have sources inside Apple's supply chain.

Being one of these "tipsters" could make for a really good side job, as long as you are compensated well and you don't get caught. Well, it looks like a couple of Foxconn employees missed the memo, as they were recently arrested on related charges.

For those who don't know, Foxconn manufactures electronics and components for many large tech companies including HP, Sony, and obviously, Apple. Many of the company's iDevices are constructed at Foxconn's factory in Shenzhen, China. You may recall all the negative attention the plant received last year after a string of work-related employee suicides.

Digitimes has translated a report from Chinese-langague sznews.com that tells the latest story. Apparently several online retailers in China had iPad 2 protective cases available to sell, well before the device was announced. This led Foxconn to believe that there were employees leaking information on Apple's latest tablet, and they reported it to the police.

After a brief investigation, local law enforcement arrested three suspects on December 26th of last year. Since then, the police have gathered enough evidence to officially charge the three former Foxconn employees for violating the company's trade secrets. The charges were filed at the end of last month, and the three defendants are currently awaiting trial.

Since Apple thrives on the secrecy of upcoming products, I can assume they are looking to prosecute to the full extent of the law. The fact that a Foxconn employee reportedly committed suicide 2 years ago after losing an iPhone, suggests that most folks would rather not cross the Cupertino company.

What do you think?

Developers Receive Crash Reports From a Device Running iOS 5

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 17, 2018

While we haven't seen a major iOS update in almost a year, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Apple has announced that it will be introducing the world to iOS 5 in June.

Their exact words were, "Join us for a preview of the future of iOS and Mac OS X." This leads us to believe that the software won't be available exactly at that time. So, how long are we going to have to wait for the next major firmware release?

Apple Now Collecting Traffic Data, Future Maps Makeover?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 26, 2017

Ok ok, we get it. The secret location file that came to light last week is a glitch, and is being fixed. This article isn't about the potential dangers that are involved with this location information, but the possibilities it brings for future iOS features.

Apple posted a Q&A article this morning to set the record straight about the controversial tracking file. One of the questions was, "What other location data is Apple collecting on the iPhone besides crowd-sourced Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data?"

The iPad 2 Jailbreak Situation [Updated]

Cody Lee ∙ April 27, 2011

Yesterday we reported that an unknown hacker by the name of d0nfyxn announced via Twitter that he was almost finished with an iPad 2 jailbreak solution. This was fairly significant because well known iDevice hackers like Comex and p0sixninja have been having problems with Apple's new tablet.

The French hacker announced yesterday that he would be releasing beta software today that could jailbreak your iPad 2. Obviously there were a lot of skeptics, calling the videos and photos that were uploaded as proof of the jailbreak, completely fake. Most people were calling his bluff that he would release anything.

Even MuscleNerd chimed in last night, saying that the only iPad 2 jailbreak available to date is the one discovered by Comex. While Comex was the first to post pictures of a jailbroken iPad 2, he has since announced that he is no longer working on the project.

Well, to everyone's surprise, d0nfyxn actually posted a link a few minutes ago that he claims is an alpha release of his iPad 2 jailbreak software. He notes that it covers all versions of 4.3 firmware, and is only available to Windows users. Is it legit?

While we only have Mac computers here, we more than likely wouldn't attempt to download this file anyways. The file size seems too small to be an application. Known iDevice expert, MuscleNerd, warned the Twitter world that d0nfyxn is a known fraudster and that the download could possibly contain a malicious payload.

We definitely recommend waiting on an official release to come from the Dev Team or at least somebody more reputable than an unknown Twitter user. We'll keep you updated as this situation continues to develop.

Did anyone try downloading the mysterious jailbreak? What were the results?

UPDATE: Once again it's MuscleNerd to the rescue. It looks like he did some investigating and just tweeted a few moments ago that the mysterious file from d0nfyxn is indeed fake. Apparently the tiny app was written to display a message box that says "Failed to connect the device, please try again."

Possible iPad 2 Jailbreak in the Next Few Days?

Cody Lee ∙ April 26, 2011

iPad 2 owners, hoping to jailbreak, have had a rough go of it. Initially, we thought the exploit for Apple's latest tablet would be available soon after launch. Now, 2 months after its release, the latest Apple tablet has yet to have a stable solution.

If you haven't been keeping up with the iPad 2 jailbreak situation, let me quickly fill you in.

Comex posted a picture of his iPad 2 jailbroken last month, but he has since quit working on the exploit. With Comex out, all eyes turned to p0sixninja, who tweeted that he and the Chronic Dev team were working on the exploit. However, he has since commented that the iPad 2 jailbreak has been progressing extremely slowly.

Enter d0nfyxn, an unknown hacker with no previous history of jailbreak-related work. Over the last few days he's been uploading videos and pictures of his iPad 2 running Cydia and Installous, which are well known jailbroken applications.

He's not just bragging about his exploit either, he's promising an alpha release by tomorrow. Only time will tell if he's for real or not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iraAK5yS2qg

I'm definitely marking this down as a rumor until I see it working for my own eyes, it wouldn't be too difficult to fake something like this. The fact that this guy came out of no where, and has only been a Twitter user for a few days, also makes the whole story pretty sketchy.

We'll keep you posted on how this all unfolds, and let you know as soon as a stable jailbreak is ready.

Is anyone excited about the possibility of an iPad 2 jailbreak?

ScreenSaver Gives Your iPhone… Well… You Get the Idea

Cody Lee ∙ April 26, 2011

It's not real hard to figure out what an app called ScreenSaver does. The Cydia application has been making some noise around the web the last few days, so we figured we should mention it on iDB.

For those who don't know, ScreenSaver takes .mov files stored in its Library folder and automatically plays them when the iPhone auto-locks itself. It sounds pretty cool, but does it really work as advertised?

White iPhone 4 Prototype For Sale on eBay?

Cody Lee ∙ April 26, 2011

Either there are some really good counterfeits out there, or Apple is having serious problems holding onto their prototypes. In the past few weeks we've seen multiple snapshots of different unreleased iPhone models in the wild.

We saw the video of one running an unreleased version of iOS from Vietnam and then a gallery of snapshots of another on BGR. Now, 9to5Mac has discovered another prototype making its way around the internet. This time, the source is eBay, and their not just offering leaked photos, their offering the whole phone...

New iPad App Promises Courier-Like Functionality

Cody Lee ∙ April 25, 2011

We've covered some cool products and innovations involving Apple's tablet before, but this application could take the cake.

Does anyone remember that tablet concept from Microsoft that garnered so much attention last year? Well if you don't, let me give you a quick refresher.

The dual-screened device, dubbed the Courier, was an extremely interesting take on a tablet device. Resembling a notebook, the Courier allowed you to use your fingers or a pen-like device for input.

Although the concept received a lot of positive feedback, the project was eventually shelved by Microsoft. Lead designer, J. Allard, reportedly left Microsoft in wake of the scrubbing of the tablet project. The reason for the Courier's cancellation and Allard's departure are unknown.

Well it looks like a couple of software engineers liked the Courier's functionality so much that they didn't want it to go to waste. They have been working on an upcoming iPad app called Tapose, and hope to capture the essence of the Microsoft concept in their software.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTjRhANBQL4

If they do it correctly, this would be one of the most unique applications to land on the iOS platform. They are promising Courier-like features such as integration with native apps like Mail and Safari. Imagine dragging a photo from Safari, directly to an email to send off.

Unlike other Kickstarter projects we've mentioned, these guys don't need your help. They've already met their $10,000 goal. However, they are still taking donations, and any pledge of $10 or higher buys you a copy of Tapose when it gets released.

What do you think?

Leaked Photos of iPhone 4S, Could Have Bigger Screen

Cody Lee ∙ April 25, 2011

As we get closer to WWDC this year, expect next generation iPhone 5 rumors to really pick up (as if they haven't already). Apple's annual developers conference is set for June 6th and promises to unveil iOS 5 and hopefully provide information on the next iPhone.

Although there has been no official announcement from Apple, there has been some interesting evidence floating around the web over the last few weeks regarding the next iPhone. The latest comes from MIC Gadget, who posted some pictures this morning of the proposed iPhone 4S...

Another Patent Hints at Apple-Branded T.V. Set

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 6, 2016

It seems like every other day we are hearing rumors of the iPhone 5 and what it'll look like, but not a peep on an impending refresh of the ATV2.

I guess that's understandable considering the iPhone sold nearly 20 million units last quarter and the Apple TV is believed to have sold just under a million.

But with all the evidence mounting that Apple is looking to enter the television market, how can you not be curious as to what the folks in Cupertino are up to? They gave the mp3 player and mobile phone market a booster shot, why couldn't they do the same for T.V. sets?

The latest patent filing uncovered by Patently Apple seems to point to an innovation to improve picture quality in LED Displays. The document describes a method of reducing color shift, a problem plaguing current LED systems.

It does this by reducing chromacity variations that cause color shifting, making the LED display brighter and clearer than ever. The patent mentions that the technology could provide superior FaceTime conferencing experiences, as well as improve photo clarity on larger displays.

The filing also notes that the innovation could be used in television sets. While the mention of a T.V. set could just be to emphasize the many possible applications of the technology, it still makes one wonder. What are those Apple engineers cooking up?

Although patents are more likely to wind up in a court room these days than consumer's hands, it's not hard to gather that we are going to see Apple refresh its TV line at some point. The real question is, when?

We know we are going to hear some more things about iOS 5 in June, and possible get some information on the next iPhone. Will Apple unveil a new Apple TV then , or wait until the September iPod event?

What do you think?