Instead of magnifying objects directly through a viewfinder, Veho's VMS-001 microscope plugs into a computer's USB port allowing users to see the results on screen.

That has many advantages – it allows several people to use the device at once, and allows for the manipulation of images and easy sharing.

It's a small, compact device that comes packed in a plastic tube with the software and a small manual. The software was easy to install and use, if a bit basic, but it picked up the microscope straightaway and allowed us to get straight into viewing.

The microscope has no slide tray for specimens – instead you must position it as close to the subject as the clear plastic lens hood allows. Occasionally this means pushing it right next to the subject, but the array of lights inside the scope mean that it lights up close-by subjects itself so there's no need to worry about light levels.

The 200x magnification is good, but quality is no better than fair because the images are only 1.3 megapixels, smaller than any current digital camera. For that reason, biology students and serious scope users should look at a non-computer lab model (ones with much larger magnifications are available for around £30). But parents of younger children and teachers, who want to show images to the whole class rather than single pupils, will find this a very good learning and teaching toy.