Brick Uses $59 NFC Gadget to Cut Screen Time and Improve Sleep
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Jun 24
Brick Uses $59 NFC Gadget to Cut Screen Time and Improve Sleep
3 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Jun 24
Summary
$59 Brick adds a physical hurdle to phone use by requiring an NFC tap on a matchbox-sized device to disable app limits, succeeding where software prompts often fail.
Sleep mode can block nearly all apps from 10:30 p.m., forcing users to get out of bed to unlock distractions while still allowing essentials like messaging and audio apps.
Co-founders Zach Nasgowitz and TJ Driver say the product works by adding friction—turning app access into an intentional action instead of an automatic reflex—and includes limited emergency overrides.
Brick is pitched as a middle ground between unrestricted smartphones and full 'dumb phones,' aiming to preserve tools like payments, tickets and authentication apps while giving users tighter control.