iPhone 3.0 seed shows tethering, recovery in place
updated 09:45 am EDT, Thu March 19, 2009
Find My iPhone in iPhone 3
Two unexpected features are in place within the iPhone 3.0 beta firmware, separate sources have uncovered. In uploading a custom carrier settings file, an Irish programmer has discovered that tethering -- using an phone as a computer's cellular modem -- is already functional in the developer seed of iPhone 3.0. The feature was announced during Apple's Tuesday press event, but at the time was claimed to require carrier participation for support.
Tethering is enabled under Network settings in the iPhone OS, and available through both USB and Bluetooth connections, though the latter has not been tested. When active, an "Internet Tethering" message is displayed on an iPhone; the technology is currently unstable however, potentially triggering phone crashes. Tethering without permission may also incur penalties from wireless carriers.
Within the firmware's MobileMe settings meanwhile, a new feature called Find My iPhone has been noticed. A dialog box indicates that once turned on, the option should let MobileMe subscribers pinpoint the location of a lost or stolen iPhone through me.com. Because the website has not yet been updated with compatibility though, testing of Find My iPhone is currently impossible.
Find My iPhone
03/19, 11:11am (1 reply) reply
Should also be renamed, find my wife or find my kids.
Athens
Addicted to MacNN
Joined: Jan 2003
Re: Find my iphone
03/19, 12:25pm (1 reply) reply
Perfect! Unless the thief/finder turns off the function. Or turns off the phone.
And can you imagine the lawsuit if someone calls the police based on this info, and it is wrong?
Plus, it costs $100 a year (the price of MobileMe).
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
Pessimist
03/19, 01:19pm (1 reply) reply
@testudo - Do you have ever something positive to contribute?
Amundyeus
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Feb 2005
Re: Pessimist
03/19, 03:43pm (2 replies) reply
Sure I do. Just warning you all that there's very little chance that feature lasting once the lawyers get a hold of it.
But I'm real excited about this whole new idea called 'copy and paste'! Sounds like a winner! (Is that too optimistic? I'd hate to start sounding like a fanboy).
Oh, and it's hopeful to see USB tethering (through a standard cable, I hope). Bluetooth tethering is nice and all for short quick connections, but if you want to do anything longer, not wasting the battery on bluetooth, let alone charging while connected, would be a good thing.
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
No, he doesn't...
03/19, 10:13pm reply
testudo claims he has positive things to say, but he doesn't -- he's one of those sad, lonely and fat kids who can't find joy or excitement in anything, and has to take it out on his favorite scapegoat, Apple.
I really sometimes wonder what Apple has 'done' to him to merit his continual hatred, especially considering how much energy he expends daily to make sure he bashes Apple at every opportunity possible.
Or maybe he's just another Rob Enderle or Dworak, who only write inflammatory posts for the attention it gives them...
Either way, a sad example of parenting gone wrong.
ZinkDifferent
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Joined: Jan 2005