Brick, a $59 device that blocks smartphone apps via NFC, has become a viral wellness trend in 2024 as users seek relief from excessive screen time and digital dependency. The gadget pairs with an app to restrict social media and games, requiring users to physically tap their phone against the device to unlock blocked apps, creating friction that helps combat compulsive usage and FOMO.
Scientists at HHMI Janelia Research and Google Research mapped all 166,000 neurons and 25.6 million connections in an adult fruit fly's brain, then released the data online on September 3. Researchers have since used the digitized neural network to power various experiments, including a chess engine that defeated Claude Opus 5 in 11 moves, trading bots, games, and robots.
Lachlan Collyer camped outside Sydney's Apple Store to be first in line for the iPhone 18 Pro launch, but a line-jumper rushed past him claiming to be the world's first owner. Despite the chaos, Collyer was recognized as the genuine first customer and praised Apple's new 2-nanometer chip and camera upgrades under CEO John Ternus.