ASUS AiGuru SV1 Videophone Reviewed: Expensive Way To Skype Simply

Tin-foil jumpsuits, freeze-dried food and standalone videophones.  Thankfully only one of these has generally come to be a part of the 21st century (though what you get up to at the weekend is your own business), and with the AiGuru SV1 standalone Skype videophone ASUS are obviously hoping to make a splash.  Pocket-lint have been taking a look at the battery-powered device.

The good news is that it's as simple as a standalone Skype phone should be: turn on, enter your login details with the on-screen keyboard and D-pad, and then start chatting.  Video quality from the 0.3-megapixel webcam isn't going to be mistaken for HD, but audio performance is loud and clear.  Unfortunately the battery – which takes 2hrs to charge – only lasts for around 20 minutes of chatting, and you can only store one set of user login details.

In the end, though, the Pocket-lint team came to the same conclusions we did when we wrote about the AiGuru SV1 back in December: for the money, you could easily pick up a new netbook with equal (or better) specifications and far more functionality.  Because of that, the standalone Skype webcam only really appeals if you're a true tech novice.  The ASUS AiGuru SC1 is available now, priced at around $299 in the US or £215 in the UK.