How To: Use the newly free Find My iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch service with iOS 4.2

In these days of mobile technology, losing your iPhone or iPod Touch is almost worse than losing your car keys. It becomes one of the most frantic searches you've ever had to endure. But you can relax now, because you can use Apple's Find My iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch service to locate your lost device.

In the past, the Find My iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch service was exclusive to a paid MobileMe membership. Now, it's FREE! Every Apple device owner running the new iOS 4.2.3 firmware can now be at ease knowing their best mobile companion is safe and secure, always. This feature will constantly know where your missing device is and will protect its data.

Anyone with an iPhone 4, iPad, or fourth-generation iPod Touch running iOS 4.2.3 can use this feature. 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.

This video shows you how to set it up and use all of its many features, but most importantly, locating your missing friend using Google Maps.

Once you download iOS 4.2, it's easy to activate this new feature. You do it right on your device. Check out Apple's detailed, step-by-step, written setup instructions for additional help on the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.