With the availability of iPhone OS 3.0, MobileMe members can now use Find My iPhone to help recover a lost iPhone or remotely wipe the personal data on it.

To get started, use iTunes to update your iPhone software to iPhone OS 3.0, and then follow these steps:

  • On your iPhone’s Home screen, tap Settings.
  • Tap Mail, Contacts, and Calendars.
  • Make sure Fetch New Data is set to Push.
  • Select your MobileMe account and turn
    on Find My iPhone.
  • Apple also recommends setting up a Passcode Lock on your iPhone, so only you can turn the Find My iPhone feature on and off. Go to Settings and tap General followed by Passcode Lock.

    If your iPhone goes missing you can log into me.com on any computer to access Find My iPhone (under Account) and display your iPhone’s approximate location on a map, write a message to be displayed on its screen, and play a continuous sound for two minutes even if the iPhone is set to silent. Or if you fear the worst, you can initiate a remote wipe to permanently erase your personal data and restore the iPhone to its factory settings. Watch this video to see how it all works.

    [via MobileMe News Feed]