The unit arrived just before LP was heading off to Amsterdam for the international broadcast convention giving the perfect opportunity to test out a space saving gadget like a Skype mouse. At its simplest you get an optical mouse with two button design and a central click wheel. This mouse then hinges towards the back (the end nearest you when you operate it) and opens to reveal a functional handset with speaker and microphone that is the right proportions to fit your face.

Set-up is not quite plug and play, while the mouse connects simply as you'd expect by USB there is a driver that requires loading from the supplied CD. This enables both the audio gateway of the mouse to connect to your PC and therefore the VOIP client plus and also for the mouse flip action to trigger Skype to answer and end calls. Our first test calls went very well with it easy to configure Skype to use the mouse but leave the ring tone to use the PC's speakers as they are louder than the mouse ringing. Audio quality is good and audio level is ok perhaps a little quiet even at full level but more than ok, our voice sounded good and strong on a normal landline and a mobile so the Sony mouse doesn't reduce the usability of Skype at all.

With the client installed and tested with Skype and LP on the move the little Skype mouse became our primary method of contact over a four day period. After powering up the laptop when connected to the hotel WiFi or within the RAI centre we quickly attached the mouse to a USB port and set about daily tasks and as calls came in flip open the mouse and chat away.

Of course as everyone pointed out to us when you are on the phone you can't use the mouse, but the pointer and track pad still work on the PC so this was a non issue really. You do get a few strange looks in the middle of a broadcast convention talking into your mouse but then it is less daft than a present mobile phone on a USB cable or a Britney style headset!

A few nice touches that became apparent during our travels are the flashing led on the mouse on incoming call and also a rather useable hands free conference call mode which worked quite well given the small mouse speaker. As a mouse the VN-CX1 is comfortable and a good size for travel, the two button and scroll wheel layout works as you'd expect and build quality is sufficient if not totally convincing.

Perhaps our only negative point is the usual Sony issue, price. Currently it retails when available for a stonking £60 which is steep for a mouse, even one with inbuilt VOIP capability and the Vaio badge, sadly you may not get to make the choice anyway as they are a bit tricky to get hold off.

Overall a true gadget and one that tickled us and yet proved an effective tool, but as normal Sony have over priced it and also set it in short supply, doh!

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