Photo: Gizmodo

Who woulda thought it: A Skype phone which also allows you not only to make Skype calls wirelessly, but also to listen to music stored on your PC and check your email, right from the handset. Asus's new Aiguru S2 cordless USB phone, unveiled at CES, shows just how far Skype phones have come since the original Aiguru came out last year.

It builds heavily on the unique feature it's predecessor, the S1 offered, namely being able to both play music stored on your PC straight from the handset, and use the handset to control music playback on your PC. The S2 adds another feature though: the ability to access your email via Windows Vista's neat SideShow technology.

Somehow, all of this extra functionality has been packed into a package which is much thinner than (I think) any Skype phone available. The sleek body also features a full colour screen, and fully backlit keypad. Unlike many Skype phones, the S2 also lets you see the Avatar or photo uploaded by your contacts whenever they phone. Neat.

The updated Aiguru is apparently the world's first USB phone to offer support for Skype, Windows Vista SideShow, and both Apple iTunes and Windows Media Player for wireless music play. Windows Vista SideShow, for those who don't keep their ear on a cup permanently pressed against the side of Microsoft's headquarters building in Redmond, is a cheeky bit of software which allows limited Vista functionality to be offered via a pared-down display, for example on a Skype phone such as the S2, or on a mini-display which could (for example), be embedded on a laptop, like this.

Rumours that when the S3 arrives it will include an ice-cream maker and set of golf clubs are yet to be confirmed. The Aiguru S2 will be available some time in Q1 2007, with prices still to be confirmed, so get saving.

Asus are in South Hall in booth 35166 at CES so if you're around, go and see the S2 for yourself.