The only thing Flipper’s new product is hacking is your relationship with your coworkers. The company that’s mostly known for the Flipper Zero, a kind of signal hacking multitool that’s as good for opening garage doors as well as NFC-locked office doors, is now making a “fuck off” button for your desktop. The Busy Bar is a focus timer that’s akin to an alarm clock for your desk. This may work as a means of keeping your work on track, or it could tell nosy deskmates to come back when you’re not in the middle of something.
Flipper describes the $250 Busy Bar as a modern take on a Pomodoro timer, which is using any kind of physical timer to break up work into near-30 minute intervals while taking breaks in between. If you face the pixel LED display toward you, you can see how much time you have in each work session. When your timer is done, you can set it to give you a rest period where you do anything else but stare at your screen. The device will also interact with either PC or Mac as well as iOS and Android to end any annoying notification or popups during your work sessions.
If you face it away from you, the Busy Bar acts as a blaring stop sign for anybody getting near that you . For example, Flipper shows how it could work as an ad-hoc “Recording” sign to hang from your door when you’re streaming on Twitch and you don’t need anybody interrupting your flow. The device includes a WiFi 6 module to connect to the upcoming Busy App on a computer or smart phone, which you can set to automatically turn on the BUSY bar if, for example, you need to take a call.
© FlipperThe Busy Bar has three main controls. The most-prominent of those is the Start/Pause button you can slam down if your coworkers are making you feel ornery. There’s a separate dial that helps you set a timer for how long you’ll remain “busy.” The on/off switch can also be usedto interface with your phone through a separate app if you want to turn off all notifications on either iOS or Android. There’s an additional second screen on the rear part of the device that will let you control the device when it’s facing away from you.
The bar is accessible via PC or Mac via Bluetooth or a USB-C port on the bottom of the device. Flipper also said it will connect with Matter-enabled smart home devices, including those that work with Apple Home or Google Home. This could allow users to connect with any smart lights or speakers to set mood as the need arises. The internal battery should last for two weeks in standby, but you’ll get close to 8 hours of active use.
© FlipperThere’s something physically visceral about slamming down on that big flat plate button when you feel the need to focus. The Flipper Zero and extra modules were special because of its easy-to-use, clicky buttons—not to mention its versatility and cutesy nature of the dolphin mascot. Flipper described the Busy Bar as “open-source,” but that just means the software is open for customization for what you may need.
The device is going up on Kickstarter, and Flipper said the device should go for $250. As per usual, we don’t suggest you dive into any Kickstarter on hype alone, though at least Flipper has a proven track record of making good on promises with the crowdfunding campaign of its Flipper Zero. Still, it’s a good chunk of money for what can be accomplished with some tape, a printer, and an image of Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2: Judgement Day saying “fuck you, asshole.” Then again, a desktop device makes it seem a little less confrontational. “It’s not me, it’s the Busy Bar.”
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