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.

No iOS 4.3 Update Until Tomorrow?

Cody Lee ∙ March 8, 2011

We reported earlier today that Apple's iOS 4.3 would be available for download at 10:00 A.M. PST. Well that time has come and gone and MacRumors is reporting that the early release will actually occur tomorrow. They've posted a screen shot (see above) from one of their MacRumors readers, chatting with an Apple representative.

The screen shot confirms what LoopInsight reported this morning: there is to be no iOS 4.3 release today. But the speculation of iOS coming early still seems to be solid, it's just been off by a day. We will definitely let you know as soon as the download goes live, or if anything else breaks in this story...

Get Your Gmail Contacts and Calendars in Sync on Your iPhone

Cody Lee ∙ March 8, 2011

This little trick has been around for quite some time. But if you are a new iPhone user, or plan on becoming a new iPad user soon, listen up! If you are using Google's email service, then there's a good chance you are using Google's calendar and their contact management system. This holds especially true for you, former Android users, who are forced to use the previously mentioned services by design.

Now I know you're thinking, "Cody, I already have my Gmail setup on my iPhone," and you're probably right. But if you set it up as an actual Gmail account and not under the 'Exchange' account profile, you might be missing out on some cool features. Setup as an Exchange account, your Gmail can automatically sync your contacts, your calendars, and even push your email! The best part is, it's so easy, let me show you how...

CallerID Faker for iPhone Has All the Cool Features for Free

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 3, 2018

Ok Cody, caller id applications have been around for ages, what's so special about this one? CallerID faker, in the Cydia Store, isn't a new concept or a new application. But it can be a hidden gem to those whom aren't aware of its existence.

Perhaps you've already played with CallerId Faker, or an application like it. SpoofApp was nice in its time, but after a five minute demo call, the app requests you purchase SpoofCards. This app, however, allows you to make an unlimited amount of free calls, with a few restrictions...

AT&T iPhone Beats Verizon’s in Data Speed Tests

Cody Lee ∙ March 7, 2011

Verizon might win the coverage war, but AT&T takes the crown for the fastest data download speeds. That is, of course, according to Metrico Wireless. An independent mobile device performance evaluation company out of Maryland, Metrico has been advising companies on launch readiness of their wireless products and services for years.

According to their latest report, which includes thousands of field tests between 5 U.S. cities, AT&T clearly has the faster data. Metrico ran more than 10,000 web page downloads in Dallas, New York City, Seattle, Chicago, and Baltimore. They also ran more than 2,000 data download and upload tests, as well as over 4,000 voice calls...

iPhone 64GB in the Works?

Cody Lee ∙ March 7, 2011

What would the rumor mill do without the overseas "black" and "grey" markets? They seem to be the place to find leaked Apple products and prototypes that may otherwise have been lost in the abyss. The latest find seems to be an iPhone 4 prototype with a reported 64GB hard drive on board.

According to Unwire.hk, this unconfirmed Apple iPhone 64GB model can be purchased from Sin Tak, the largest grey market in Hong Kong. The sellers claim these are actual engineered models, and available in small quantity.

Warning! Jailbreakers Should Hold off on March 11 iOS 4.3 Update

Cody Lee ∙ March 7, 2011

BigBoss posted on his blog yesterday that if you enjoy using jailbroken tweaks such as winterboard and sbsettings, hold off on the big March 11th update. It's always a cardinal rule to wait for the new jailbreak before updating to Apple's new firmware, this time he says, use extra precaution.

Apple will be using ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization) in its new iOS , which BigBoss says will damage the way mobile substrate works. It looks like the 4.3 jailbreak is going to need a patched mobile substrate file. Mobile substrate is just a few dynamic libraries of code in your iPhone's OS (like windows .dll files)...

Don’t Hold Your iPhone Too Close to Your Head, Apple Says So

Cody Lee ∙ March 7, 2011

I'm sure we have all, at some point, heard about the possible dangers of extensive cell phone use. But if you're like me, you have continuously brushed off the claims, with an I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it mentality. Well, maybe it's time we paid attention.

In your iPhone 4 booklet, about 5 pages in, is a warning about Exposure to Radio Frequency Energy. Well, it's just your standard legal disclaimer in case a freak accident happens, right? Wrong. If you continue to read on, the user manual actually requests you hold your iPhone 5/8 inch away from your body...

J.D. Power Names Verizon Top Carrier in the Nation for Call Quality

Cody Lee ∙ March 7, 2011

Love 'em or hate 'em, if there's one thing Verizon has going for them, it's coverage. The network that brags that it is the "nation's largest and most reliable", once again proves it has the test scores to back it up. J.D. Power has just released its latest study on customer satisfaction among the nation's top 4 carriers, and the results shouldn't surprise you.

The study addressed such things as frequency of dropped calls, voice distortion, static, and delays in messaging. In testing done between July and December of last year, Verizon had the best or tied for the best satisfaction ratings in five of the six studied areas. AT&T and Sprint went back and forth in the second place spot , while T-Mobile received the worst scores out of the four...

How to Jailbreak iPhone 4.3 GM with PwnageTool Bundles

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 5, 2018

Apple's new iOS 4.3 software will launch officially March 11th. For App Store developers iOS 4.3 GM edition (final) is available now. This tutorial will show you step by step how to jailbreak your iPhone 4.3 GM Edition with PwnageTool Bundles. Unlike the plug and play ease of GreenPoison, this method will require a few extra steps, but nothing too difficult.

These instructions are for mac OS X users only, but a windows jailbreak shouldn't be too far off. This is also a tethered jailbreak, meaning that every time you restart your iPhone, you will need to be plugged into your computer. It's also important to note that although this is the final beta release, it is still a beta, so please proceed accordingly. Now on to the tutorial!

Verizon iPhone gets Carrier Update via Apple

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 25, 2017

Attention Verizon Wireless iPhone users: welcome to iOS! TiPb Forums are buzzing with iPhone users, on the big red network, finding a carrier update in their settings app. There doesn't seem to be any information available on the reason behind the update, but users are reporting it to be quick and painless.

To me that's typical Apple. Well not always quick (depending on your connection), but compared to some of the nightmare stories you hear about OTA software updates for Google's Android OS, definitely painless...

Pulse News Mini for iPhone: the News at Your Fingertips

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 5, 2018

If you have been looking for an RSS reader, that doesn't look like an RSS reader, then you need look no further. Now, Pulse News Mini for the iPhone and iPod touch is nothing new. Maybe you have experienced its older sibling 'Pulse' on your iPad. But this little gem from Alphonso Labs Inc. is definitely worth mention. If you are like me and enjoy the benefits of an RSS feed reader, but find the typical app in this category boring and redundant, you have to check this out.

So why would you want an RSS reader in the first place? Well, like the expanded name 'Really Simple Syndication' suggests, RSS feeds are news headlines and articles pushed out by websites. This allows its readers access to information quickly. An RSS reader application on your iPhone would allow you to get news from 100's of different websites. Typically, you browse headlines and a snippet of the article in text format, like an email inbox, and can choose whether to read further into the article or not...

What in the World is Yobongo?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 5, 2018

No, Yobongo is not a way of life or a youthful catch phrase, yet. Yobongo is a new location-based chat application that is definitely turning some heads in the tech industry. What makes them different than all the other group chat and messaging applications already available for iOS devices? Reality.

"Be Authentic," is the 3rd and final rule in Yobongo's chat guidelines. "The world is full of places to be someone you're not, this isn't one of them. We value authenticity and honesty."

The folks over at Yobongo, Inc. might really be on to something...