Dear Doc,
I spend the summer working
from Spain and want to offer my
clients a phone number that sounds
as if I am still in Londonwithout
this being pricy for them or me.
Any ideas?
gh, west london
if you have
decent broadband, Skype (
skype.com
)
will give you a
London phone number that you can receive or make unlimited calls on
for £3.44 a month. It works from a
computer, mobile app or landline, if you
buy an adaptor that plugs into your
router. For more features and reliability,
consider Voipfone.co.uk. It will give you
a London number from £2.40 a month
and you can then receive calls for free
or dial landlines for 1.8p a minute.
WORDS
ALEX PELL
.
WE REGRET ALEX CANNOT ANSWER QUESTIONS INDIVIDUALLY AND NO CORRESPONDENCE WILL BE ENTERED INTO
Bike Doctor 2
£2.99;
iOS, Android
If you rely on your bike
to get from A to B, it
pays to know how to
keep it on the road.
This handy step-by-
step guide to fixing
more than 40
common bicycle
problems, from
a puncture to a
fork-sag, has well-
written tutorials and
informative photos –
but it does nag you to
rate it, which grates.
Strava
Free;
iOS, Android
Join the virtual peloton
with Strava, an online
service all about the
social side of cycling
or running. It tracks
your ride data and
compares your
performance to other
local riders, with
leaderboards for
certain routes, which
some find inspiring.
Most features are
free, but £39 (€45) a
year unlocks extras.
Cyclemeter
£2.99;
iOS
Cyclemeter turns an
iPhone into a GPS
bike computer, much
like Strava (
see left
).
Where it differs is that
the data mostly stays
on your phone,
though you can share
your progress via the
usual social outlets. It
offers audio alerts as
you hit targets, which
is safer than glancing
at the screen and you
can import routes.
Bike Hub
Free;
iOS, Android
Bike Hub plans
bicycle-friendly
routes, taking into
account issues such
as gradient. It uses
mapping that has
been optimised for
cyclists in the UK and
Eire, and it’ll show the
location of nearby bike
shops. Maps can be
downloaded and
stored, and you can
opt for, say, the fastest
or quietest route.
Bicycle Gear
Calculator
£2.99;
iOS, Android
If you want to learn to
keep your bike ticking
over smoothly, this
app will show you
how to calculate
gear ratios and basic
maintenance issues
in an extremely
fluid manner. It even
provides a skid-patch
tool so you can set
your bike to minimise
tyre wear. Essential kit
for serious riders.
Hitting the open road
This month, we’ve got tools for cyclists to maximise their two-wheeled journeys
Gadget doctor
B E S T
A P P S
V I E W P O I N T S
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