The Interrupt is a handheld computer with a QWERTY keyboard for thumb typing, a 3.5 inch IPS LCD color display, and a Kali Linux-based operating system. But while you can use it as a general purpose device, it’s really designed as a sort of Flipper Zero-like system for tinkering with nearby wireless devices.
In addition to WiFi 5 and Bluetooth, the handheld has a CG1101 sub 1 GHz radio, NFC and RFID support, and an IR receiver. You can program it to work as a garage door opener, remote control for your TV, keyfob emulator, and much more. Interrupt Tech has launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for the device, and says it could begin shipping to backers by August, 2025.
The “Kickstarter Special” reward level runs $199, but at time of publication the $179 “Early Bird” option is still available.
On the outside the Interrupt looks like a bit like a 3D printed BlackBerry crossed with a Game Boy. But on the inside there’s a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W single-board computer with a 1 GHz Broadcom BCM2835 quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor and 512MB of RAM.
There’s a microSD card slot for up to 256GB of removable storage, a 480 x 320 pixel capacitive touchscreen display, and a 7.4 Wh (2000 mAh, 3.7V) battery) plus a USB-C port for charging and data.
Other hardware includes user-accessible GPIO pins for SPI, UART, I2C, and other functions, a keyboard with alphanumeric keys, and a D-Pad and six buttons that can be used for navigation, games, or other special functions.
Theoretically the Interrupt could have a few advantages over other pocket-sized pentesting devices like the Flipper Zero. It runs an open source, Linux-based operating system and should theoretically be able to support other operating systems that work with Raspberry Pi hardware. The keyboard and larger color display should make input easier. And with Early Bird rewards going for $179, the Interrupt is cheaper than the $199 Flipper Zero (at least for now).
That said, Flipper Zero has been around longer and has a pretty robust developer community already, so any competitor will have to play catch up. Plus, the Interrupt is the first crowdfunding project from a small startup, so there’s some risk involved – there’s no guarantee that the handheld will ship on time or live up to its promise.
