Sony VN-CX1 Internet Telephone Mouse

• $149
• Get it at Sony dealers

LEAVE IT TO the Japanese to come up with the idea of combining a mouse with an Internet phone. Sony has done just that, and what you get is the Sony VN-CX-1 Internet Telephone Mouse.

Consider it a clamshell mouse-phone, if you will. When closed, it looks and works just like a regular wired optical mouse complete with a scroll wheel.

But pick it up and flip it open, and it transforms into a Voice-over-Internet Protocol or VoIP phone. You can use it to make and receive voice calls via instant messaging applications such as Skype and Windows Messenger.

When used as a phone, the scroll wheel functions as a volume control and mute button. Ingenious.

The hybrid gadget even functions as a speaker phone. The phone and speakerphone volumes are not very loud even when set at maximum volume for voice calls. However, music played over the speakerphone was somewhat louder.

The device is Skype-certified, but as no CD was provided with the test unit, I could not install the necessary drivers to integrate it with Skype.

The main downside to this mouse phone is that when it is in phone mode, you lose the mouse functions.

This is not an issue if you are using a notebook computer because you can switch to the built-in touchpad to navigate.

However, if you are using the mouse-phone with a desktop PC, and find that you need to use the mouse, say, to open a document to enter some information while you are on the line, then you are out of luck.

- By Tony Lim

FINAL SAY

While it may seem to be a little bit wacky to be talking into your mouse, Sony VN-CX1 Internet Telephone Mouse phone is actually quite handy if you are a traveller who relies a lot on Internet calls to stay in touch.