[sayam]

With the announcement of iPhone OS 3.0 and iPhone 3GS, MobileMe got a cool new feature - FindMyiPhone - which would help users find their iPhone if they lose it. Though I have not personally tested, as per many claims, it works nicely. The service includes several features like LocateMe using Google Maps, displaying a message remotely on the phone, and even Remote Wipe, if necessary. There's a big loophole in all this - the one who has the iPhone can pop out the SIM and disconnecting the internet access completely thus disabling the service, as pointed out by the emulator port guru Jonathon Zdziarski (via iPhoneAtlas).

There's a magic button on every iPhone a thief can use to disable remote wipe and LocateMe; it's called the SIM eject button.

There's no guarantee that the one who has your phone is kind enough to return or even clever enough to remove the SIM to simply disable the service but Kevin seems to be lucky enough. Kevin is some guy who lost his iPhone at a bar in Chicago while on his trip there for the dorky frickin' awesome LEGO convention.

After tracing the phone for two days and threatening the thief with messages in various languages, he finally tracked down the thief at a bus stop - with the help of his Macbook (ironically connected to a Sprint USB dongle). This seems to be just a lucky case and you might NOT be that lucky to find your phone but you'll be thrilled to read how he found the phone after an initial failure on first day.

The Intermittent Kevin via TUAW

[A.T]

Saw this on on iClarified, I actually enjoyed the story lol.

I could have said First but don't want all these noobs going crazy and angry!!!!

[kwall]

Haha holy ****. Amazing that the current technology could triangulate the phone with such ease. I know using triangulation for finding people calling from cell phones has been used for a while but a phone finding its owner pretty cool.

[M4tt Dam0n]

HAHAHAHAHA everyone should read the story!!! I would only pay for FindmyiPhone if I could pay only when I lost my iPhone. Like a pay as you go service.

One question. There is a mobile me 60 day trial. If I lose the Phone and subscribe, will it work?

[A.T]

^ lol yeh

[iChopPryde]

I like mobileme

[zoolander369]

"while on his trip there for the dorky frickin' awesome LEGO convention.'

LMFAO!

[compnerd88]

That story is truly badass......

(Disregarding the Lego Convention)

I know i would have been all hyped up in a situation like that too

-Compnerd88

[x394]

wow that's a really funny story
its nice to know someone benefited from this

[phatalbert]

Lucky guy. I lost mine last night on my way home from the gym. First thing I did was log into mobileme and tried to track my phone. BUT.....I didnt know that I had to activate the feature on my phone first : ( I hadn't thought much about the feature but for some reason I just thought it would be automatically activated when it was installed with the update.
So this is a heads up for everyone out there: ACTIVATE THE FEATURE ON YOUR PHONE BEFORE YOU LOSE IT!!
You have been warned : )

[MAN717]

Wow.. Good hunt, not sure my cajones would have been big enough for all of that fun

[fluffer]

i have mobileme and the accuracy is pretty vague. in the uk at least, the police will not search 4 or 5 houses in the vicinity of my location. when i use it, it zooms in around 500 metres approx in my house.

i like it as a tool for certain things, but if you lose your phone in the major cities, or it's stolen, you have no chance, unless your the equalizer!

as for AT........why do think noobs think your an idiot?
your a fuc**ing idiot full stop.

[xrated]

3 white dudes pulling up to a puerto rican neighborhood, not knowing whats gonna happen...

o.O

all for an iPhone.

[The Maestro]

gps still works without data, there should be another way like closest wifi to attempt to send

[itaintrite]

He better thank God that the thief isn't some thug who was hanging out with his "gangsta" buddies.

Seriously thought, if I were a thief and found an iPhone 3GS... I'd sell it the same day