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angelmb · Nov 22, 2010, 10:27 AM

Apple - iOS 4.2 Software Update

Find My iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch — the MobileMe feature that helps you locate your missing device and protect its data — is now free on any iPhone 4, iPad, or fourth-generation iPod touch running iOS 4.2. Once you set it up, you can find your lost device on a map, display a message on its screen, remotely set a passcode lock, and initiate a remote wipe to delete your data. And if you eventually find your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you can restore everything from your last backup.

You can create a free Find My iPhone account on any iPhone 4, iPad, or iPod touch (4th generation) running iOS 4.2. Once you create an account on a qualifying device, use your Apple ID and password to enable Find My iPhone on your other devices running iOS 4.2. Find My iPhone is not available in all countries.

imitchellg5 · Nov 22, 2010, 10:41 AM

And MobileMe is still the same price per year... blarg Apple.

MacinTommy · Nov 22, 2010, 11:43 AM

That's one feature that I've wished was free since they introduced it. That makes 4.2 worth it to me.

Snow-i · Nov 22, 2010, 11:49 AM

Doesn't look like its being pushed for iPhone yet. Mine says 4.1 is the latest.

FireWire · Nov 22, 2010, 11:57 AM

Damn! I had convinced myself to wait before buying the iPhone 4 because my 3G was still perfectly good, but now that's a strong argument! I lost my iPhone once because it fell from my pocket as I was exiting my car - by chance someone honest found it and contacted me - but it could have cost me several hundreds dollars, so this alone is a good reason to upgrade!

turtle777 · Nov 22, 2010, 02:03 PM

Connected my iPad to iTunes, checked for updates. Nothing. It's not showing up.

"This version of the iPad software (3.2.2) is the current version."

WTF ?

-t

turtle777 · Nov 22, 2010, 02:12 PM

Yep, it's there now. Great. Even for the iPhone.

-t

driven · Nov 22, 2010, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Connected my iPad to iTunes, checked for updates. Nothing. It's not showing up.

"This version of the iPad software (3.2.2) is the current version."

WTF ?

-t

I'm getting the same thing, but I'm not on 3.2.2, I'm on a pre-release iOS 4.2.
Does anyone know what the build # is for the release version?

imitchellg5 · Nov 22, 2010, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by FireWire

Damn! I had convinced myself to wait before buying the iPhone 4 because my 3G was still perfectly good, but now that's a strong argument! I lost my iPhone once because it fell from my pocket as I was exiting my car - by chance someone honest found it and contacted me - but it could have cost me several hundreds dollars, so this alone is a good reason to upgrade!

Pretty sure the feature works with the 3G too.

turtle777 · Nov 22, 2010, 02:45 PM

Wow, just played a video via AirPlay from my iPhone to my ATV. Awesome. Works w/o a flaw.

-t

FireWire · Nov 22, 2010, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

Pretty sure the feature works with the 3G too.

From Apple - iOS 4.2 Software Update :

Find My iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch — the MobileMe feature that helps you locate your missing device and protect its data — is now free on any iPhone 4, iPad, or fourth-generation iPod touch running iOS 4.2

I hate Apple.. that feature worked when we had to pay, but now that it's free, it magically requires a newer device.. nice.. really nice...

[Edit] MacNN reports that BOTH 4.2 and 4.2.1 are out??

Brien · Nov 22, 2010, 04:18 PM

Seeing as Find My iPhone is only free for the latest-generation devices, who else here thinks that when the iPhone 5/iPad 2 come out, the iPhone 4/iPad 1 will be booted from the freebie boat?

angelmb · Nov 22, 2010, 04:47 PM

Pretty sure the feature works with the 3G too.

You're right.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4436

Q: I don't have an iPhone 4, iPad, or iPod touch (4th generation). Can I get Find My iPhone?
A: Yes, by signing up for a one-year paid MobileMe subscription.

Seeing as Find My iPhone is only free for the latest-generation devices …

Powered by an Apple designed processor. Maybe that's the pitch. Otherwise, why wouldn't they offer it for the iPhone 3GS, a device you can buy from Apple as we speak.?

MacNN reports that BOTH 4.2 and 4.2.1 are out??

My iPad got 4.2.1

turtle777 · Nov 22, 2010, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by angelmb

My iPad got 4.2.1

Me, too. 4.2.1 (8C148)

In iTunes, it showed up as 4.2 only. Interesting.

-t

Cool_Beanz · Nov 22, 2010, 06:48 PM

Truth be told this iOS 4.2 update too way long to come. And the biggest and newest thing that came from was multi-tasking to the iPad, big deal Android already had that. Just like Apple to make big waves that aren't that great. Also this claim of Find My iPhone/iPad free for everyone is not entirely true as well, its only for iPhone 4 and the latest iPads/iPods.

AKcrab · Nov 22, 2010, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by Cool_Beanz

Also this claim of Find My iPhone/iPad free for everyone is not entirely true as well, its only for iPhone 4 and the latest iPads/iPods.

Sort of.. According to MacRumors:

- Find My iPhone: While there had been initial confusion about which devices are compatible with the new free Find My iPhone service, Apple's setup page does appear to have offered correct information: A current-generation iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch is required for initial setup of the free Find My iPhone service, but once that it accomplished, and [sic] iOS 4.2-compatible device can access it. All users must update to the just-released version of the Find My iPhone iOS application in order to access the service through their devices.

subego · Nov 22, 2010, 08:16 PM

Is it even sort of?

It just looks like you need 4.2, so it'll work on all iPads and all iPhones except for 1G.

AKcrab · Nov 22, 2010, 08:55 PM

Just tried setting it up on my 3g:

This iPhone is not qualified for free MobileMe service.

subego · Nov 22, 2010, 10:29 PM

Wow. What a load.

Bad Apple!

Edit: I wonder if you subscribe to MobileMe do you still retain the service?

turtle777 · Nov 22, 2010, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by subego

Edit: I wonder if you subscribe to MobileMe do you still retain the service?

I don't know what you mean by that.

If you subscribe to MobileMe, "Find My iPhone" works just fine on a 3G.

-t

subego · Nov 23, 2010, 12:31 AM

Somehow, without knowing what I meant, you managed to provide the answer to the question I asked.

OreoCookie · Nov 23, 2010, 04:19 AM

Other than Find My iPhone, are there any other services that come with `free Mobile.Me?'

Big Mac · Nov 23, 2010, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by angelmb

Powered by an Apple designed processor. Maybe that's the pitch. Otherwise, why wouldn't they offer it for the iPhone 3GS, a device you can buy from Apple as we speak.?

Consider that the much ballyhooed Apple A4 processor is fundamentally the same ARM processor that powers the 3GS; the only difference is that there's some additional memory sandwiched on that the 3GS lacks. Either there's some other hardware component that the most recent models have that the 3GS lacks, or Apple is just starting the planned obsolescence campaign against the 3GS that it does still sell as new in stores.

Wiskedjak · Nov 24, 2010, 12:11 AM

Apple? Planned obsolescence? Balderdash!

ort888 · 01:35 AM

Blah, I have a bug.

It used to be that when I hit the videos tab on the iPod app, all of my TV shows would be sorted by show, in a big list. Now my list of shows has turned into one category, labeled "unknown" and it contains all of my shows.

My podcasts are still all sorted by "show" and my ID tags are all pretty thorough.

EDIT: I figured it out... the "artist" field needs to be the name of the show for the iPhone to sort the shows. LAME! It never used to be that way.

EDITx2: ...and now my time machine is currently backing up 90 gigs because I changed one field in the ID tags on my entire TV Show library. Awesome.

Dale Sorel · Nov 24, 2010, 01:41 AM

Originally Posted by Wiskedjak

Apple? Planned obsolescence? Balderdash!

Ha ha ha... maybe that's why I didn't get the ability to search for text in Safari for my 2G touch

AKcrab · Nov 24, 2010, 01:46 AM

The free 'find my phone' is simply a perk for purchasing new hardware. I was indeed able to register my 3g for the service after FIRST enabling it on my new iPhone 4.