The Busy Bar: A New Tool to Hack Your Attention
Flipper Devices, the company behind the controversial Flipper Zero hacking tool, has launched a new gadget aimed at improving focus and productivity. The Busy Bar is a hardware clock with an LED screen that doubles as a clock and a dedicated timer. By slapping the big button in the middle, the screen displays a bright red “BUSY” sign or custom messages like “GO AWAY” or “GET OUT OF MY ROOM, MOM.” It goes on sale today for $249.
“How do you let people know politely, yet firmly, that you don’t want to be disturbed?” says Callum Tennent, creative writer at Flipper. “We decided the politest way to do it was a massive red light on your desk.”
From Hacking Frequencies to Hacking Attention
Flipper Devices previously built the Flipper Zero, a $200 portable hacking tool that gained viral fame on TikTok in 2022 for using a Tamagotchi-esque dolphin character to detect wireless frequencies and potentially break RFID-controlled locks. That device raised security concerns: Canada proposed a ban out of fear it might enable car thefts, and in 2023, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized Flipper Zero devices before ultimately releasing them. Flipper is currently working on a new model, the Flipper Vela, with even more advanced capabilities. In contrast, the Busy Bar has no hacking ability. “It’s being made by us here at Flipper, but there’s no real connection to them,” Tennent says. “They’re totally disconnected products.”
How the Busy Bar Works
Physical Controls and Integration
The Busy Bar features manual buttons: a switch to swap modes, a dial to set time stretches, and a giant button on top to start or pause sessions. It can replicate the Pomodoro technique using timed intervals. The bar is MQTT-compatible, meaning it can be programmed to work with other smart-home devices, such as controlling smart speakers or triggering color-changing lightbulbs to turn red. It can also work offline, but a wired connection to a phone via cable allows app control. On Zoom calls or recording podcasts, it can automatically indicate ‘busy’ when the microphone is active. It supports remote Wi-Fi control, so it can be mounted on a door or wall. The big LED screen faces away from the user, but a monochrome screen on the back shows remaining timer time.
Philosophy Behind Hardware Focus
Flipper argues that using a hardware button to block distractions is more effective than picking up your phone to silence notifications. “I’m so brainwashed that I will pick up my phone to do that and immediately get distracted by whatever notification is there,” says Tennent. The Busy Bar is open source and easily disassembled for repairs; it already has a teardown guide on iFixit.
Design and Security
The idea came from Flipper founder Pavel Zhovner, who wanted a better way to indicate when he was occupied in the office. (He did not speak with WIRED; he was probably busy.) Flipper’s marketing specialist Aleksandr Semin says, “We were aware that everyone would try to hack us in every possible way. That’s the reason why we really pay a lot of attention to how secure and how reliable the systems are.”
Pricing and Availability
The Flipper Busy Bar is priced at $249 and launches today.