{
  "id": 11463364,
  "title": "“This is the kind of gadget every household needs” — I tested the Brick smartphone blocker and here's what happened",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/this-is-the-kind-of-gadget-every-household-needs-i-tested-the-brick",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-02T14:45:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Tom's Guide",
    "slug": "tom-s-guide",
    "url": "https://www.tomsguide.com/phones/brick-review"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "This journalist tried out the Brick smartphone blocker and was surprised by the results. Initially skeptical due to heavy marketing, they purchased the device and discovered it effectively reduced their phone usage. The Brick offers customizable modes for various lifestyles and can be used on multiple devices. The small, magnetic device sticks to a surface and blocks selected apps through an NFC chip. Users must physically retrieve the Brick to unblock apps, which the journalist found frustrating. The Brick app is free and allows users to set specific modes and restrictions, making it a useful parental control tool as well.",
  "summary": "I’m convinced that Brick is the solution to a crippling phone and social media usage problem, and here’s why.",
  "key_points": [
    "Journalist purchased Brick smartphone blocker despite skepticism",
    "Brick device blocks selected apps via NFC chip",
    "Brick app enables customizable modes and parental controls"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}