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.

iPad 2 Coming to Radio Shack Tomorrow?

Cody Lee ∙ March 28, 2011

Still looking for an iPad 2? If you weren't one of the lucky peeps to snag one on launch day, pay attention. We have some breaking news that consumer electronics chain RadioShack may be getting a late shipment of iPad 2s in.

While Radio Shack has previously carried Apple products, it has yet to carry the iPad 2. That could all change as of tomorrow as MacRumors is reporting that one of their readers emailed them the above image.

Perhaps more important to note, is the fact that iPad 2s have been out of stock at many other retail locations since launch day. How could Apple possibly have the stock on hand to launch an additional retailer?

Your guess is as good as mine, but MacRumors is not only showing off this image, they have confirmation from multiple RadioShack locations that they indeed have iPad 2's. Time of availability as well as stock on hand is still currently unknown.

Is anyone still looking for an iPad 2? Have you checked with your local Radio Shack? Tell us below!

Apple Could Sell 100 Million iPhone 5 if Trends Continue

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 3, 2018

Apple's products couldn't be hotter right now. Almost 3 weeks into selling the iPad 2, and the lines can still be seen outside of marquee Apple stores around the country. Even their rumored iPhone 5, which has yet to be made official, garners up to 1.5 million results from your favorite search engine.

What does all this mean? Apple had a record breaking 4Q last year; the holidays were very good to the Cupertino giant. Even 2011 Q1 results were impressive, and Apple doesn't show any signs of slowing down. In fact, if this report by asymco gives us any indication, it's quite the opposite...

Apple Patched Comex’s Exploit in iOS 4.3.1

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 6, 2016

The cat and mouse game between Apple and jailbreakers is getting intense. Apple got real serious when they added ASLR to iOS 4.3 and forced iDevice hackers back to their drawing boards. But members of the jailbreak community responded, and a tethered jailbreak was quickly made available with a patched mobile substrate file.

The latest move from Apple seems to be a big one. Comex tweeted about an hour ago that his kernel exploit was fixed in Apple's latest version of the firmware, iOS 4.3.1. It was public knowledge that i0n1c and other jailbreakers were specifically waiting for iOS 4.3.1 to be released to prevent something like this from happening...

Is the iPad 2 Competition Heating Up?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 24, 2017

Almost a full month after the announcement of the iPad 2, rumors about competitor offerings continue to swirl. Blackberry is making headlines with its PlayBook tablet because it will run applications built for Google's popular Android OS.

Samsung was also trying to garner some attention from CTIA attendees last week by taking shots at Apple's tablet. Remember the Samsung executives that sent TAB designers back to the drawing board after seeing Apple's latest version of the iPad?

Well they were back, with a new and improved Galaxy Tab 10.1. So new in fact that Fritz Nelson of InformationWeek reports Samsung wouldn't let them turn it on. This could be because it was a non working prototype.

The interesting thing is that Samsung was marketing the new Galaxy Tab 10.1 as being thinner than the iPad 2 at 8.6 mm thin. But this picture taken by InformationWeek seems to suggest otherwise. When Samsung was questioned about the photos depicting a slimmer iPad 2, the spokesman just repeated the public Galaxy 10.1 specifications.

Finally there is the Motorola Xoom. It has garnered some attention from current Verizon subscribers, but outside of that sales are faint. The Xoom's spec sheet and possibility of 4G are impressive, but the tablet is more expensive than the iPad 2 and it has almost no dedicated applications.

With an HP tablet, carrying Palm's Web OS set to join the other suitable opponents, you could say that competition is heating up for the iPad 2. But as companies cram dual processors and high resolution cameras into their tablets, can they possibly achieve the success that Apple has seen? Doubtful. With lines still wrapped around the globe for their latest product, Apple is clearly still king of the tablets.

Does anyone think Apple has some good competition for their iPad 2? Tell us below!

Steve Jobs Named Best CEO Once Again

Cody Lee ∙ March 28, 2011

There are very few men in our country, better yet the world, that have the kind of following Steve Jobs has. I'm not talking about paparazzi or Twitter faithful, I'm talking about Apple fans. Fascination with Apple's innovations and the man behind them reaches far beyond the tech world these days.

Everyone from Wall Street to blog dwellers are constantly looking to see what the Cupertino CEO will come up with next. He has been elevated to a Willy Wonka-type status. We all wait for the day that we see smoke coming from his top secret factory and hope that he appears in his signature black turtle neck to show off his latest invention...

Voice Brief: Turn Your iPhone Into Your Very Own Personal Assistant

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 5, 2018

If you have been looking for an application that will read content to you handsfree, check this out. Voice Brief will read you your local weather, your Facebook and Twitter updates, and will even tell you how your stocks are doing.

I find the app most useful in the morning as my iPhone sits in a speaker dock next to my bed. As I wake up, I reach over and start up Voice Brief and it instantly begins to rattle off my customized content. "That's pretty cool Cody, but how difficult is it to set up?"

PhotoProtect Makes Sure You Don’t Delete Your iPhone Photos by Accident

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 2, 2018

iPad 2 Can Output 1080p Video With Dual Displays

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

There has been a lot of talk about the horsepower Apple has packed into the new iPad 2. It's running the new dual-core A5 chip and is showing graphic rendering speeds of up to 9 times faster than the original iPad.

Benchmark testers have already proven that the iPad 2 is nearly twice as fast as its competitors, even the ones that have dual processors themselves. But just how powerful is Apple's latest tablet?

iOS game developer Firemint is determined to find out. TouchArcade is showing a video of a beta version of Firemint's Real Racing 2 HD for the iPad 2. While I've seen video out from an iPad many times before, I've never seen it look this good.

The new HDMI cable Apple released with the iPad 2 translates game play from your iPad to the big screen effortlessly. It will play in full 1080p on any compatible HDTV, with no black borders or scaling.

Since you will be watching the gameplay on your big TV, Firemint didn't want the screen on your iPad to go to waste. While you twist and turn your iPad to steer your race car, glance down at it every so often to see a map and race statistics.

I'm excited to see what app makers continue to come up with for the iPad 2. Its power obviously leaves more room for innovation by developers. I'd like to see game play move over to AirPlay and ditch the HDMI cable al together, but that's just me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALKm0Leuc7c

Does anyone play any games using the video out feature? Tell us below!

Pulse News for iPhone Receives Major Update

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 5, 2018

I'm a technology news junky. From Apple rumors to new gadgets, I just can't get enough. But there are so many websites that pump out information, how do you keep track of it all?

Well it's no secret around iDB that I am a Pulse Mini fan. As far as RSS readers go, it's amazing. Everything is graphic oriented, so no more sifting through lines and lines of RSS text feeds. Now after a significant update, my favorite RSS app just got better...

Tutorial: How to Use Skype for Your iPhone as a Home Security Camera Monitor

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 5, 2018

If you have a small child that is watched by a baby sitter in your house, or just want to know what your really weird roommate does when you aren't home, listen up! If you have a desktop computer or laptop with a webcam, then you already have a security camera.

Now all you need is an iPad 3G or iPhone that is compatible with Skype's iOS app to act as the monitor. This way you will be able to see what is going on in your home using your iDevice, from anywhere that you can get 3G service...

Apple TV to Turn into More Than Just a Hobby?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 30, 2016

When questioned about the Apple TV's lackluster sales, Apple's Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said that Apple TV was "just a hobby." That might have been the case at last years annual Goldman Sachs' technology conference in San Francisco when delegates asked Apple's COO the question, but not anymore.

Apple's second release of the Apple TV came in the form of a trimmed down black case and a low price of $99. With NetFlix and MLB integration, Apple TV2 seemed much more appealing than the original.

With the introduction of AirPlay in iOS 4.3, Apple made your HDTV you already had start interacting with the iDevices you already carried.

Fast forward to yesterday, March 25 2011. AppleInsider is reporting that Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty sent a note to investors yesterday that read "checks in Asia suggest Apple is working on a Smart TV prototype." The news has been traveling through the tech blogs like wildfire as everyone is intrigued to see what Apple will come up with next.

Are the folks that brought us the mouse and the click wheel ready to invade our living rooms for real this time? It's possible. Huberty speculated that a Smart TV would be an opportunity for Apple to consolidate innovative hardware with their iTunes software and other technologies.

An Apple TV set would bring the iTunes Goliath media library into homes that weren't using it before on other products. It could also bring technologies like FaceTime into the homes of the not-so-tech-savvy. If given access to Apple's current App Store, an Apple HDTV would immediately turn into a gaming hub, compatible with all of your current iDevices.

Only time will tell what Apple has planned for the future. I think it's very likely we start seeing Apple branded products outside of their current scope. And if the previous success of Apple's previous products are any indication, whatever it is, they'll probably sell millions.

Phil Schiller Says No iPad 2 Keyboard Dock in the Works

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 30, 2016

If you were one of the people lucky enough to grab an iPad 2 while they were still available, you might be looking for an alternative to the iPad's built in soft keyboard. With the original iPad, Apple released a keyboard dock that would connect an Apple keyboard to your iPad and charge it at the same time.

If you are searching for a similar accessory from Apple for the iPad 2, keep looking. 9to5mac is reporting that one of their readers emailed Apple Senior Vice President of Marketing Phil Schiller on this very topic.

From what I've heard, the Apple keyboard dock is not made for the iPad 2. Is there an ipad 2 version that I can't find on your online store - or is it coming soon?

It seems Schiller's reply to the email doesn't necessarily answer the question, but definitely gives you the idea that Apple will not be making an iPad 2 keyboard dock.

People prefer to use the iPad's built in soft keyboard most all of the time, it works very well. Those that do choose to use an external keyboard most often choose to use Apple's bluetooth wireless keyboard for the convenience it provides.

It's not surprising that Schiller is indirect with his response. But 3 weeks after the iPad 2 launch and no announcement, the answer is no. So it looks we'll just have to buy Smart Covers to use as stands and Apple bluetooth keyboards for our external input.

Good news though, for those of you who already owned an original iPad keyboard dock, 9to5mac is claiming it works with the iPad 2.

What do you use for an external keyboard for your iPad or iPad 2? Tell us below!