Learn Turkish: Akıllı telefonlar, konfor sağlamakla birlikte bizi gerçeklikten uzaklaştırır. - Smart phones distance us from reality, along with providing comfort.

It combines the infinitive sağlamak (to provide) with the instrumental suffix -la (with) and the word birlikte (together). Literally meaning "together with providing," it's a formal way to express "along with doing [X]" or "while doing [X]." In this sentence, it connects the idea of smartphones providing comfort with the simultaneous action of distancing us from reality.

Would the meaning change if I used beraber instead of birlikte?

No, the meaning would be exactly the same. The structures -mAklA birlikte and -mAklA beraber are completely interchangeable. Both are used to express actions happening concurrently, or to introduce a mild contrast similar to saying "while [X] is true, [Y] is also true."

Can you break down the suffixes in the verb uzaklaştırır?

It builds upon the adjective uzak (far). The suffix -laş turns it into the verb uzaklaşmak (to move away / become distant). Next, the causative suffix -tır changes it to uzaklaştırmak (to make someone/something move away, or to distance). Finally, -ır is the aorist (broad/simple present) tense suffix, used here because the sentence states a general, timeless fact about smartphones.

Why does gerçeklik (reality) take the ablative suffix -ten in this sentence?