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How one writer used the Brick to win the war against her phone

The Brick is a physical device that turns off apps on an iPhone to eliminate distractions.

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong speaks with writer Rachel Khong about her experience using the Brick and how it helped her quit apps she found addictive, like Instagram, and turn off others when she didn’t need them.

Khong is a novelist who teaches writing with a collective group called The Dreamside. She has a book of stories called “My Dear You” coming out in April. She wrote “How I Won the War Against My Phone — Thanks to the Brick” in New York Magazine.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2025 WBUR

Here & Now Newsroom

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