Flipper Devices launches Busy Bar productivity gadget

London-based Flipper Devices, known for its Flipper Zero gadget used by hackers and tinkerers, is launching the Busy Bar, a productivity-focused gadget. The company announced the device last year, and is now putting it on open sale next month. The first 3,000 users will be able to purchase the device at $199, while all other users will have to pay $249. Shipping and sales will begin on July 14 to the U.S., EU, U.K., and Canada.

The device features a physical design resembling a table clock with knobs and buttons. Its hardware specifications include:

• Display: A 72×16 LED matrix display supporting 16 million colors, with up to 400 nits of brightness and an automatic brightness adjustment sensor.
• Secondary Screen: A monochrome screen on the back to display status, timer, battery, and connectivity indicators.
• Audio: A small side speaker for playing custom sounds and notifications.
• Controls: A top-mounted mode selector switch, a start/stop button, an indicator, and a scroll wheel to navigate menus and set the time.
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB connection options.
• Power: A 3250 mAh battery offering up to eight hours of active status time and up to two weeks of standby time.
• Charging: Fully charges in an hour when using a 15W adapter.

Designed for productivity, the Busy Bar supports Pomodoro-style timers—a time management technique for structuring work—and allows users to block specific apps. The device is intended to let users set messages to indicate to others when they are working, which is useful in work-from-home setups. Flipper Devices is releasing companion apps for iOS, Android, and macOS, with a Windows app planned. Users can block select apps with different types of timers on iOS and Android, while macOS integration allows the device to show an “on call” status and mute notifications during meetings.

The Busy Bar is also Matter-certified, which is the smart home connectivity standard. This certification allows it to work with existing smart home setups across Amazon, Apple, and Google-based ecosystems, meaning users can trigger smart home automations based on the bar’s status. For developers, the company has made the device customizable with open firmware, allowing them to use an open HTTP API, MQTT, and official Python and TypeScript libraries to build widgets.

Why it matters

The Busy Bar bridges the gap between physical productivity tools and smart home connectivity, allowing users to manage focus and home automation through a single, Matter-certified interface.