Skype doesn’t need to be big and scary for all the technophobes in the audience. In fact, the whole Internet telephony phenomenon can be a lot more powerful than a conventional landline, as evidenced by the Philips Skypte Starter Kit. Inside the box, you’ll find a handy webcam that can beam video at 30fps, as well as a headset complete with microphone boom.

I had to the chance to take this kit out for a whirl and have provided by initial hands-on impressions in the video below. The webcam seems to be quite solidly built. There are quick launch buttons on either side, and the lens itself can be adjusted quite easily. I found the picture quality to be less than impressive however.

The headset isn’t anything particularly special either. I found the microphone to have a good level of sensitivity and the sound level through the mono speaker was just fine. Expect a full review in the days and weeks to come.