If you’ve not come across the Kickstarter website before, it’s a brilliant concept.  Anybody with a great idea for a product but simple need backing and promotion can set themselves up and use Kickstart to do just that.

People pledge money towards the project and when it hits its goal amount people will be charged and the project will go ahead. If it doesn’t reach its goal nobody gets charged.

Over the last few months I’ve seen a number of projects that I’ve tempted to invest in. Today I succumbed.

Scanbox is a simple collapsable box that, when assembled, allows you to take quick and easy scans via your smartphone. You place your phone on top at a designated location – the box has been specifically designed to give as much light as possible – put your item to scan inside (it can be a document or a 3D object) and take a snap. Incredibly simple but absolutely genius. And once done the box folds flat.

It costs $15 for the standard model and $25 for a “plus” version with built in LED lighting. Postage to the UK is an additional $10.

All-in-all the plus model, with postage, cost me about £22 and delivery is due sometime next month. It will be ideal for small product photography for this site.