Skype Asus Eee Videophone AiGuru SV1 April 2009
Make wireless Skype video calls
No computer required for Skyping with the new Asus Eee videophone. A 7-inch screen, built-in webcam and Wi-Fi connectivity make Skype video calls simple. And with a rechargeable battery, you can Skype wherever there's a wireless network – in the garden, kitchen or wherever you take your SV1.
Skype Asus Videophone SV1
Which? takes a first look at the Skype Asus Videophone AiGuru SV1 – the first standalone portable videophone that's compatible with the Skype service.
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Skype Asus Eee Videophone
First impressions of the Skype Asus AiGuru SV1
Out of the box, the Asus SV1 feels solidly built. It comes with a 12-volt power supply, network cable, CD-Rom and printed instruction manual. Though there are only 10 pages of instructions in English, they were easy to follow, but made no mention of the supplied rechargeable battery which needs to be inserted underneath a hard-to-remove cover on the underside.
On the front of the Skype videophone are the webcam, microphone, speaker and a green LED which lights up when the webcam is activated – a useful safety feature if you're prone to unscheduled Skype calls whilst in a state of partial undress.
Buttons on the front panel beneath the clear, bright 7-inch screen are well-spaced and of a good size. The menu key is illuminated when you first switch on the SV1, and there are also call and end buttons, volume controls, and buttons for menu navigation and selection.
Around the rear are the main power button and socket for the 12-volt power supply, together with jacks for external microphone and headphones (not supplied). In terms of connections to other devices and networks, there are an RJ-45 ethernet port and a USB socket.
The angle of the Asus SV1 is adjustable as it pivots on its base – photos in the gallery above show the SV1 fully upright and leaning back. This should make it comfortable for use in a wide variety of situations – from sitting on a desktop, worktop or shelf, to being handheld.
Setting up the Skype Asus AiGuru SV1
When you switch the SV1 on for the first time, you're asked to select a language for the menus, and accept the Skype terms and conditions of service. The SV1 also warns you that it's not suitable for making emergency calls. It then scans for available wireless networks, connects to a wired network via your router, or you can connect manually by typing in the name of your network using an on-screen keyboard.
The keyboard felt slightly unintuitive to use, as it's tempting to assume that it can be controlled by touching the screen rather than manually entering characters using the navigation and select buttons. This is only a small problem, however, as you should only need to use the keyboard during setup, rather than when making and receiving calls.
As the Skype software is built in, there's no need to download any software as you would on a PC or Mac, so to connect to the Skype service, simply enter your Skype name and password, or if you haven't registered and used Skype before, you can do this directly using the Asus SV1.
More Skype information
If you need more information about Skype, read our advice on using Skype for free online calls, making video calls, and how to set up a webcam.
Or if you're looking for hardware and software to use to make video calls, read Which? expert reviews of laptops, webcams, mobile broadband and Voip services.
Skype Asus AiGuru SV1 features and menus
Pressing the menu button brings up the main horizontal-scrolling menu, that gives access to all the SV1's features, as shown in the image gallery above.
- Settings Control device and network settings
- Search Search for Skype users
- Add contact Search for and add contacts
- Call phones Call landlines and mobiles using SkypeOut
- Contacts Browse contacts, view their profiles, and call them
- History View incoming, outgoing and missed calls, plus voicemail
- Status Set your Skype status so your contacts know whether you're available
- See myself Previews the video pictures from your webcam, and lets you take snapshot images
- Account Set up and modify account settings and passwords for SkypeOut, SkypeIn and voicemail
The Skype Asus SV1 weighs a not inconsiderable 1.6kg with the lithium battery installed and the power supply removed. In terms of portability, this means that you won't want to be carrying it back and forth between rooms on a regular basis. In addition, according to Asus, the battery life when making calls is a mere 20 minutes, so the SV1 should be considered primarily a mains-powered device, with the option to use it as a portable videophone for short periods.
The Skype Asus SV1 lets you access all Skype services, including Skype-to-Skype calls (audio and video), SkypeOut (calling fixed lines and mobiles), SkypeIn (receiving incoming calls via an online number), call forwarding, Skype voicemail, and conference calls (as a guest only). As with all methods of using Skype, the SkypeOut and SkypeIn services are chargeable, either via pay-as-you-go or pay-monthly plans. Our reviews of Skype Voip services and tariffs have more details.
Sound and video quality on the Skype Asus AiGuru SV1
Making calls demonstrates the advantages of the simple user interface. Simply scroll to your contacts, choose one to call, select whether you want a voice or video call, and dial. We found sound quality perfectly acceptable through the speaker and microphone, though, as is often the case with video calling, there was a noticeable delay.
Picture quality was slightly disappointing, as the 640x480 resolution of the built-in 0.3Mp webcam was a little low compared with the 1.3Mp resolution of our top-scoring Best Buy webcams. There are plenty of options to tweak the picture, however, including brightness and contrast. When using the Skype Asus SV1 for a video-to-video Skype call, the other caller's video fills the full screen, with an inset 'picture-in-picture' shot at the bottom right showing what they are seeing from your webcam.
First look verdict: Skype Asus AiGuru SV1
Overall, the Skype Asus SV1 is an attractively designed device, offering a simple way to make a video call or conventional Skype voice calls over Wi-Fi or ethernet networks. If you already have a computer which is switched on and connected to broadband for most of the time, plus a good quality webcam, microphone and speakers, then the only advantages that the Skype Asus SV1 offer are portability and simplicity.
It's an appealing product, but for regular Skyping, and in particular Skype video calling, you may be better off buying a smaller, lighter mobile phone with Skype capabilities, or compromising on ease-of-use and price by buying a Best Buy laptop or netbook with a built-in or standalone webcam.
The Skype Asus SV1 is available now for under £210 through Which? Compare, our price comparison site.
Pros: Simple to setup and use, no need for a computer, versatile
Cons: Short battery life, low resolution, expensive
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