GPS may break in 2010

High in orbit around the Earth is a family of satellites forming the GPS network - if you've got yourself a sat-nav device such as a TomTom, this network of satellites supply your navigation device with the vital positioning information. A report just out shows that unless things change PDQ, your GPS navigation device might hit a snag from 2010...

A report handed to the US Government states that the plans to replace the aging GPS satellite network is slipping, due to technical problems, and the launch of the first replacement satellite is now over 2 years late. The project is also seriously over budget.

The onus is on the US Air Force to ensure that the GPS system stays up and running, and there's now an increasing risk of data inaccuracy, and blackouts if the existing system starts to fail and isn't replaced.

Worrying times for those of us who've lost the ability to read a map...

Free mobile calls forever, so say 3

UK network operator 3 is making a big thing of their "Free Calls Forever" offer, so we thought we'd give you the low-down.

The offer relates to the use of Skype, the voice-over-Internet service. There are currently over 400 million Skype users worldwide, and 3 is now offering free calls and instant messages from many of their handsets. The offer is available for contract users as well as Pay-As-You-Go users (without the need to top up).

Free Skype-to-Skype is available on twenty phones in the the 3 portfolio, including the Nokia 6120, the Skypephone S2, the INQ1, the SonyEricsson G502, the SonyEricsson C510, the Samsung Tocco Ultra, Samsung i8510, the Nokia E71, E63 and the N96.

Full details at www.three.co.uk/skype

Vodafone zaps European roaming charges

Good news for anyone travelling to Europe this June, July and August... Vodafone UK is dropping International roaming charges for over 35 countries.

From 1 June to 31 August 2009, all customers who opt into Vodafone Passport can take their UK home rates for calls, texts and picture messaging abroad with them at no extra cost. This includes any inclusive calls, text and picture messages sent back to the UK and within the Vodafone Passport country they are visiting. Sadly, data roaming charges aren't included.

Countries included are as follows: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Channel Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroes, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Isle of Man, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madeira, Malta, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and Vatican City. Australia and New Zealand are also included.

To get free roaming for this three month period, you'll need to opt-in to Vodafone Passport (which is free). The offer is available to Vodafone subscribers on either contract, or Pay-as-you-Go.

Full details at vodafone.co.uk/roaming

TomTom FM is back on air

TomTom's released a new version of software, v8.35, for their TomTom GO x20 and GO x30 range of handheld sat nav devices.

So what, you may ask? Well this version re-instates a feature dropped in a previous version.

Newer TomTom Go devices come with an FM transmitter that broadcast the "after 200 yards, turn left" instructions, as well as music and audiobooks in MP3 format. recently, TomTom was forced to disable the voice instructions over FM, due to EU legislation that devices with transmitters couldn't broadcast silence for more than a minute. TomTom's voice instructions aren't overly frequent on long stretches of road, so to comply with the law, the feature was dropped.

Now it's back - voice instructions can be heard on FM again - but only if you're playing an MP3. If you're playing music from the MP3 folder, the music's paused when TomTom needs to direct you, and resumes straight after.

Canny TomTom fans have been quick to publish the workaround... record a blank 30 seconds of audio, save it as an MP3 file, stick it in your MP3 folder, and play it on a loop from TomTom's Jukebox. Problem solved.

More on TomTom devices

Tiscali UK bought by Carphone Warehouse

Troubled Internet provider Tiscali has found a buyer. The Carphone Warehouse has stepped up and acquired Tiscali's UK operation for £236 million, making them the second largest broadband provider in the UK.

What does the Tiscali buy-out mean for existing Tiscali customers? It seems that the Tiscali name is set to vanish, but Carphone Warehouse has assured users that Tiscali emails won't be vanishing. No news on lineone.net email addresses (Lineone was acquired by Tiscali on 2001).

It's also worth noting that CPW's TalkTalk is one of the top three to be associated with Phorm's controversial surfing monitoring service, whilst Tiscali stated intentions not to sign with Phorm.

Podcast: FrequencyCast 39 out now

Show 39 of FrequencyCast, our UK's TV and Tech podcast, is online now.

In FrequencyCast Show 39, Carl and Pete look at ways to improve your Freeview channel line-up, get hands-on with a home monitoring system, play with the Nintendo DSi, and look at a new iPhone add-on. We also answer your tech and TV questions in "interaction".

You can download Show 39 direct to your MP3 player or listen online at http://www.frequencycast.co.uk/latest.html.

You can also get us via iTunes.