Swann PenCam Tests (Webkameras)

Spy pens, bugs and hidden cameras used to have a certain cachet – they were the sort of thing you'd imagine James Bond using, or maybe George Smiley. Now, they're mass-produced in the Far East, rebranded and shipped over in time to be sold as a rather...

With a rather unsubtle and awkward design, the SpyPen’s novelty value soon wears off.

Channel your inner Maxwell Smart, Agent 99 or John Steed with this pen that doubles as a camera. But don't expect to be as undercover as the real deal.

The convenience of a camera, matched with an always-useful ballpoint pen ; The pen is pretty good too ; Novel idea ; Footage is decent if pen is held still enough

Recording light can be visible during filming ; Ability to be used as an actual spy camera is debatable ; Sound quality is terrible

While we're dubious of the actual merit that the PenCam serves as a spying device, it is a lot of fun to be able to pull this out as a party trick. Even if you don't use it as a camera all that much, at least it serves two purposes and you get a very...