Squeakerphone™ Sony UK has introduced an optical mouse that doubles up as a VoIP handset. The VN-CX1 is kitted out in Vaio styling and colours - black, blue and silver - though its angular edges suggest it's not the most comfortable controller around. There's an LED on top, next to the scrollwheel, that flashes when someone's trying to get in touch. It rings too.

And - at the press of a button - mouse becomes clamshell handset. Inside, it's a fairly basic affair: earpiece at the top, microphone at the bottom. Clearly, Sony expects you to do all your dialling using you favourite VoIP app. That said, the scrollwheel works as a volume control when the mouse is in handset mode.

The mouse weighs 67g and measures 8.9 x 4.6 x 2.4cm. It's got a 1.1m tail. Sony said it will go on sale in the UK next month for £55. ®

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