A Suitcase That Will Also Charge Your Phone and Double Up as a Desk

Our Kickstarter of the Week column checks out what's new on Kickstarter to find the most innovative and interesting new projects on the crowdfunding websites. That's because in the last couple of years, some of the most exciting developments in technology, like the Pebble smartwatch and the Oculus Rift have come, not from the established players but from small teams with big dreams. We're watching out for what comes next.

Of course, the project you back might not get funded, and even if it does, it might not ship. With that caveat in place, we're still fans of the concept, and that's because it has led to so many interesting new gadgets.

Sometimes though, the coolest things are the ones which won't make a big difference in the world, but could seriously help make your life a little bit more convenient. That's where the McChi luggage comes into the picture.

The Kickstarter started on April 1, but this is no joke - the McChi is a really simple idea that should've been invented a lot sooner.

Essentially, it's a tough-looking suitcase, whose lid can be raised to create a table whenever you need it. So the next time you're at the airport and there's a huge crowd of people at the tiny table filling in their immigration and customs forms, you can just avoid the hassle and make your own table.

There are zipper compartments under the table top, so when you lift the lid, you also reveal all these compartments, which look like a great place to keep your charger cables and other small pieces of gear that normally get lost amongst the other things.

The best part though, is that you can get the McChi with a 20,000mAh power bank and 2 USB ports - that should charge most phones at least 7-8 times. There is also a digital battery readout, so you always know how when it's time to top up the battery.

You can see the project's video here:

The McChi will be accepting funding until May 1, and the smallest size with USB will set you back by $224 (nearly Rs. 14,000). The medium size USB version is $244 (just over Rs. 15,000), and the large size USB version costs $499 (just over Rs. 31,000). That sounds a little expensive, but it's made using ABS plastic - other cabin bags we found made online with the same material cost around Rs. 10,000, and this bag also has an aluminium frame and steel corners, so it's not actually unreasonable.

The project has a $7,500 goal (approximately Rs. 4,67,500) and 29 days to hit the target. If it meets this goal, the estimated delivery is for July 2015, around in the world.

To see more from the world of crowdfunding, see our previous Kickstarter of the Week stories.