After upgrading to Vista a while back I have not been able to use my O2 3G/GPRS card at all. Not really an issue, as I use it rarely. However it’s been niggling at me, so I decided to research it and get it working.

First off, you need to get the drivers for Vista to actually see the card. These where a right royal pain to locate, but I did in the end (download them here), the drivers here are the latest I could find, and work for me, they are from the Vodafone card, but that does not matter.

Pop the card into your laptop, the auto device detect will come up, but not find drivers. After Vista has faffed about just launch device manager, locate the unknown devices and install the driver above (use the Primary and Secondary drivers inf files).

Vista will assign the two modems (GPRS/UMTS) a com port each, mine were 8 and 9, but yours may be different.

Now download the latest MWConn from www.mwconn.com, launch it up and say no (puts it in English), then yes to creating the INI and extra EXE’s.

Now open the INI file up in notepad, and add the com ports into line 08 (mine is 08 COM=COM8;COM9) put your SIM Card pin in 09 (it will be encrypted next run), I left 10 blank, and then put the APN information into 11 (for O2 it’s mobile.o2.co.uk).

Launch the UMTSGPRS.exe file and it should say it needs a connection called Internet, say yes to creating it. Now it should all work nicely.

Not the O2 software (thankfully) but it works just great.

Thanks to Markus Weber for the great app. I highly recommend donating to him.

GrandPrix.com has launched Grand Prix+.

GP+ is a PDF based magazine that can be purchased for £1.99 or £19.99 a year. It’s designed for the screen and comes as a PDF.

The first two issues are free, so pop along and check it out.

It seems that Ford have canned plans for the ‘hot’ replacement for the Escort RS Cosworth. The 4 wheel drive, Rally Inspired Ford Focus RS has apparently been canned due to concerns over CO2 emissions.

The prototype ‘mule’ cars have been running for a while now, in fact since the MK1 Focus, but it was believed that the MkII Focus would be the car to carry the fabled RS moniker.

People were looking forward to the 300Bhp 4 wheel drive monster, or it seems, according to Ford that they weren’t.

The Ford spokesman said that "It’s worth bearing in mind that it’s not the green issue which is driving this decision – cars have to be profitable. While Britain is the home of RS, there’s not enough interest across other markets for us to earn the kind of money that’s going to give the vehicle a green light" So not a CO2 problem, rather a problem that the US and European Ford buyers wont fork out for a properly fast Ford.

There is still hope, apparently if WRC goes well, and the MKIII Focus is liked, that may just get the RS treatment (2010), but for now the hotest Ford on the block is still the ST.

For those that wanted one, but missed out last time I offered, I have some more Joost invites available.

Leave a comment, I’ll set you up.