Filed under: Cool tools, Tips and tricks, Odds and ends, Security, iPhone
Find my iPhone: How to set it up
With all the excitement about iPhone version 3.0, there isn't a lot of help on how to set up one of the most unique features of the upgrade, Find my iPhone.If you're having trouble, here are the steps. First, the service has to be turned on. You do that in your iPhone settings. Under email accounts, select your MobileMe info. You'll get to a page that has an on/off switch for Find my iPhone. Turn it on.
After that, you must be in your MobileMe web page. Sign in. At first glance, you won't see anything. You have to click on the accounts icon, and you should see a Find my iPhone icon at the bottom of the account settings. You can then decide to find your iPhone on a map, send it a message, or remote wipe it. I found the map pretty accurate, as I have a metal roof on the house that plays hell with GPS and cell signals. I sent a test message. That worked fine, and I received an email confirmation that the message was sent to the phone. I didn't try the remote wipe. I've spent enough time today downloading and uploading iPhone software and data.
Note: Apple MobileMe servers are a bit spotty today. It took me a couple of tries to get into my account options.
Find my iPhone is a powerful new feature. I hope I never need to use it.
Here's what the icon looks like on the MobileMe page:
Gallery: Find my iPhone
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Simonmark said 6:36PM on 6-17-2009
Find my iPhone is a great idea, but sadly lost on us ipod touch users. I f I want to get a message to the dirty crim who stole my ipod, they need to be on wifi. My ipod won't get on wifi from behind my p/w lock, so should i disable it?
At present, the best use for it is to send messages to ones self. Not riverting, but momentarily amusing: http://twitpic.com/7nrds
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CHRiS said 6:52PM on 6-17-2009
at best, you can use it to locate your phone when its stuck in the sofa cushions.
CHRiS said 6:52PM on 6-17-2009
*locate your iPod, not phone.
Anonymous said 7:38PM on 6-17-2009
Actually, find my iPhone works great on iPod touch, for me at least. Tested message, locate, even remote wipe works okay. Just no alert sound for first gen.
Cash said 6:47PM on 6-17-2009
Next up on TUAW tutorials: Find My Ass: Use Both Hands
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KKT said 6:55PM on 6-17-2009
Video... pretty please.
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KKT said 6:58PM on 6-17-2009
"Under email accounts, select your MobileMe info. You'll get to a page that has an on/off switch for Find my iPhone. Turn it on. "
Mine immediately switches back off. Anyone else see that?
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Bob in PDX said 3:16PM on 6-21-2009
Mine does the same thing. I'm investigating whether it might be because my phone is unlocked and on T-Mobile, or that I'm still using a mac.com email address.
BTW, on the MobileMe "Find my iPhone" page, it shows that I have no phone registered, although I've been buying apps through the App Store for almost a year now, and have had an iTunes account since day one.
iPhone 2G, 3.0 OS with push turned on and everything...
Sam Weiss said 7:19PM on 6-17-2009
The problem with Find My Iphone is that is requires a mobile me account. I'd only use it for Find My Iphone. That's not worth $99/year.
Do they plan on having a "light" version of mobile me that is free?
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Jagger said 8:26AM on 6-18-2009
As far as I know, Apple doesn't accomodate cheap people.
Scott said 7:25PM on 6-17-2009
Why is everyone so hooked on recommending HULU on the AppleTV using Boxee? It's a miserable viewing experience. Shouldn't we be encouraging better quality, not jittery, lo-res video from commercial television?
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guru said 10:45AM on 6-18-2009
The Apple TV Boxee doesn't really work well... it craps out and locks up my ATV...
Scott said 7:29PM on 6-17-2009
Well, there's a reason not to use 1Password on TUAW's site. It autofills the last post submitted along with username and password, and then auto-submits. D'oh! Sorry.
Warning about testing the remote wipe. I tried it with my first gen iPhone, and while it says it takes up to 2 hours, mine has not completed after over 4. So at the moment I have nothing but a brick with an apple logo if I press either button...
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Darren said 7:32PM on 6-17-2009
Note - you need to have PUSH enabled in order for this to work. If push is not enabled, your phone will not show up in the 'Find My' page.
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Tassia said 7:34PM on 6-17-2009
Thanks for this. I hadn't realized that it needed to be turned on.
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CaptSaltyJack said 7:36PM on 6-17-2009
Cool feature. Till someone finds your iPhone after you lose it, and they just turn the option off. ;)
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macserv said 12:00AM on 6-18-2009
Turn on the "unlock code" option. That solution does kind of bug me, though... I'd much rather leave the overall password off for convenience, and have Apple move the "Find My iPhone" switch to the security area of prefs that is, by itself, protected by your code.
NBAworm said 7:45PM on 6-17-2009
So, what happens if my iphone and my wife's iphone are both synched to one mobile me account? We share the same calendar and contacts, but which phone will it find, or is there an option to select the one you're looking for?
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Dorv said 8:12PM on 6-17-2009
I'm curious too, as I'd to be able to put in other members of my family.
mckinleytabor said 8:29PM on 6-17-2009
For what it is worth, I beleive I have documented "Find My iPhone" working on iPhone OS 2.2.1, and that my iPhone was sending my location data to Apple prior to the OS 3.0 update. (and without my knowledge)
http://tinyurl.com/lskqte
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