Apple releases Find my iPhone app

Sounds great, but let's face it. Just how many of us pay the $99.00 a year to have a 'MobileMe' account when you can get a free account from any number of carriers? And how many are going to pay $99.00 just to have this app.?

Too bad Android market based phones had this months ago! I got my G1 (android base) and have used my phone MANY times to find my husband's and vice versa. Its a free application that you can text your secret word to and either set off the ringer OR other secret word and it kicks your location back via text!

after, i think

i know this will seem dificult, so i'll use short words and simple phraseology... how about NOT losing your phone? there, now isn't that simple?

well duh, what am I missing? I have MobileMe and therefore the ability to access the Find my iPhone feature. What advantage is the new app?

Does Apple have any obligation to help local Police with crimes? I mean your phone is stolen. if you paid Apple $80, you could find your phone, otherwise your hosed?? If the police call Apple would Apple tell them where the phone is so they could make an arrest? Could Apple get in trouble for NOT helping, since they do know where the phone is...

Hi there, this is my first time visiting your site and man I love it. This isn’t the kind of blog I normally read but having 2 young children i feel its a brilliant piece of technology as we can check on them to make sure they are where they say they are. I am highly impressed. I will definitely return here again!

This would have been nice to have *last* Friday at this time while we were trying to locate my wife's stolen iPhone 3gS. Trying to use the MobileMe site with mobile Safari was nothing but frustrating!

Tip for those hoping to use the locate feature for best results, find a case that is difficult to remove (or use super glue to make sure it is hard to remove) to prevent SIM removal and rig it to disable the power button. Hitting the power button stops the two minute signal. And, if they turn it off or pop the SIM, you're SOL for tracking.

And, for the more serious trackers, write down your MAC address.

(Disclaimer: Don't go after it yourself, or accept all responsibility for harm that befalls you.)

I can't seem to manage my devices in the new Web App for the iPhone app. My mobile me account has both of my iDevices, and both devices are configured correctly, but MobileMe only has one in the list. Any ideas?

@Roberto: that won't work since you need to configure your iPhone with MobileMe (giving it the account info) in order for Find My iPhone to work. Thus, if you don't sign up for MobileMe until after you've lost your phone, you're out of luck.