Close Menu
NCIJ Network NCIJ Network
    What's Hot

    UNDP’s Alexander De Croo on Building Infrastructure in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Gaza

    October 2, 2026

    Government wrong to claim over 14.5 million children used free bus scheme – Full Fact

    October 2, 2026

    How the Banco Master scandal injected chaos into Brazil’s presidential race | Elections News

    October 2, 2026
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • UNDP’s Alexander De Croo on Building Infrastructure in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Gaza
    • Government wrong to claim over 14.5 million children used free bus scheme – Full Fact
    • How the Banco Master scandal injected chaos into Brazil’s presidential race | Elections News
    • Burnham to pass law scrapping pension triple lock before next election | Andy Burnham
    • The Green party’s anti-Zionism motion is yet another attempt to tell Jews how we should think | Jonathan Freedland
    • Nacon’s new PS5 controller can mix audio from your phone and console
    • In Other News: $15K iCloud Spoofing Bugs, AI Policy Experts Phished, Adblocker Spies on AI Chats
    • Morning Minute: NEAR Intents Hacked for $3.8M – Was It A Bullish Hack?
    • About
      • Our Team
      • Editorial Policy
      • Editorial Independence
      • International Support
    • Trust & Standards
      • AI Usage Policy
      • Conflict of Interest Policy
      • Corrections Policy
      • Ethics Policy
      • Fact-Checking Policy
      • Source Protection
    • Get Involved
      • Guide for Sources
      • Support Independent Journalism
    • Legal
      • Cookie Policy
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    NCIJ Network NCIJ Network
    Friday, October 2
    • Home
    • World
    • Ai
    • Business
    • Politics
    • Health
    • Crypto
    • Science
    • Technology
    • Cybersecurity
    • Defense & Security
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Europe
    • More
      • Fact Check
      • Investigations
      • Opinion & Analysis
      • Environment
    NCIJ Network NCIJ Network
    Home»Technology

    This pocket-sized gadget helped cut down our editor’s screen time – and it’s on sale

    NCIJ NETWNCIJ NETWORKBy NCIJ NETWNCIJ NETWORKAugust 11, 2026 Technology No Comments4 Mins Read
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Nina Raemont/ZDNET

    Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.


    Save up to 25%: During Brick’s back-to-school sale, you can save up to 25% off on Brick bundles. Get one Brick for $50 (15% off), two for $94 (20% off), and three for $133 (25% off). 

    Stuck doom-scrolling? There’s a tool to help with that, whether you need to focus more on work or school, or just want to take back some of your time. Right now, the Brick, our editor’s favorite device to help manage screen time, is on sale for up to 25% off. 

    Also: Bloom Card vs. Brick: My verdict after trying both gadgets to cut screen time

    The Brick device is a magnetic square with a compatible app. Upon downloading the app, you select the apps you want to disable once your phone is bricked. Brick uses NFC to enable or disable app use. Tapping your phone on the brick, or “bricking,” prevents these apps from running until the phone is tapped again and “unbricked.”

    Also: I bricked my iPhone to prevent doomscrolling – how life has been after six months of use 

    You can set up schedules to block apps at specific times of day and modes to block certain types of apps. Brick gives you five free “unbricks” you can use in an emergency, when you aren’t near the physical Brick. 

    Brick app

    The Brick app on the iPhone. 

    Nina Raemont/ZDNET

    During her testing, ZDNET health and wearables editor Nina Raemont reduced her screen time by 7% in just the first week of use. Raemont still swears by the Brick for more focused work, even after months of use. 

    “As someone who tests products for a living, there are many devices I have tested and forgotten about. Not Brick. I began using it in November and, to this very day, have continued to do so. It’s simple but effective at dimming distractions and doing so with the physical tap of the device. It helps me work undisturbed and wind down at the end of the night, so I can actually read more and scroll less before bed,” Raemont says.

    How I rated this deal 

    Since the Brick rarely sees sale prices, we’ve given this deal a 4/5 Editor’s deal rating. 

    When will this deal expire?

    Deals are subject to sell out or expire anytime, though ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best product deals for you to score the best savings. Since this is a back-to-school offer, it’s likely that it won’t last much longer. Our team of experts regularly checks in on the deals we share to ensure they are still live and obtainable. We’re sorry if you’ve missed out on this deal, but don’t fret — we’re constantly finding new chances to save and sharing them with you at ZDNET.com. 

    How do we rate deals at ZDNET?

    We aim to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. ZDNET offers 33 years of experience, 30 hands-on product reviewers, and 10,000 square feet of lab space to ensure we bring you the best of tech. 

    In 2025, we refined our approach to deals, developing a measurable system for sharing savings with readers like you. Our editor’s deal rating badges are affixed to most of our deal content, making it easy to interpret our expertise to help you make the best purchase decision.

    At the core of this approach is a percentage-off system to classify savings on top-tech products, combined with a sliding-scale system based on our team members’ expertise and several factors, such as frequency, brand, and product recognition. The result? Hand-crafted deals chosen specifically for ZDNET readers like you, fully backed by our experts. 

    Also: How we rate deals at ZDNET in 2026

    cut editors gadget helped pocketsized Sale Screen time
    NCIJ NETWNCIJ NETWORK
    • Website

    Keep Reading

    Nacon’s new PS5 controller can mix audio from your phone and console

    Laytr’s new app lets you save anything you find online, not just articles to read

    Amazon Says It’s No Longer Using NDAs for Data Centers

    Tesla sustains its EV sales momentum despite US troubles

    If a data center is camouflaged in the woods, will anyone hate it?

    Election Deniers Think the GOP’s Terrible Midterm Polling Is a ‘Psyop’

    Add A Comment
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Editors Picks

    UNDP’s Alexander De Croo on Building Infrastructure in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Gaza

    October 2, 2026

    Government wrong to claim over 14.5 million children used free bus scheme – Full Fact

    October 2, 2026

    How the Banco Master scandal injected chaos into Brazil’s presidential race | Elections News

    October 2, 2026

    Burnham to pass law scrapping pension triple lock before next election | Andy Burnham

    October 2, 2026
    Latest Posts

    Lime bikes hurtling around the city: is this the revenge of a priced-out generation? | Andy Beckett

    August 8, 2026

    Clarity Act Delayed Until September, Trump Praises Bitcoin

    August 8, 2026

    North Carolina Ports confirms cyberattack disrupting operations

    August 8, 2026

    Subscribe to News

    Get the latest sports news from NewsSite about world, sports and politics.

    NCIJ Network is an independent digital news platform delivering trusted investigative journalism, European and global news, in-depth analysis, and fact-based reporting with accuracy, transparency, and integrity.

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube

    UNDP’s Alexander De Croo on Building Infrastructure in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Gaza

    October 2, 2026

    Government wrong to claim over 14.5 million children used free bus scheme – Full Fact

    October 2, 2026

    How the Banco Master scandal injected chaos into Brazil’s presidential race | Elections News

    October 2, 2026

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.