Ben Schoon is a Senior Editor at 9to5Google, working for the publication as one of its primary news writers since 2016.
In 2013, Ben helped start an independent tech publication where he learned the skills used at 9to5Google including writing, product photography, and videography. He is located in the city of Winston-Salem in North Carolina where he lives with his wife Melissa. Ben is an avid disc golf player.
He primarily covers Android products, including Google Pixel devices, Samsung Galaxy smartphones, as well as devices from OnePlus, Oppo, Motorola, and more. Beyond just covering news about these products, Ben also spends time using these products himself, speaking from experience with the articles he writes. Some of Ben’s most recent hands-on reviews include; Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel Watch 2, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, Motorola Razr+, HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook, and more.
Ben is also a leading source for information about Google’s Android TV, diving deeply into important parts of the platform including its powerful Operator Tier, explaining future changes to the platform, and reviewing its products such as Chromecast with Google TV, Nvidia Shield TV, and more.
In 2019, Ben leaked one of the first in-person photos of the Pixel 4 before later revealing the Recorder and Pixel Themes apps months ahead of launch. In 2020, Ben also reported on multiple upcoming Pixel devices including Pixel 5a and the first report of Google working on a foldable Pixel smartphone. That same month, he was also the first to correctly report the $49 price point of what became the Chromecast with Google TV.
Ben Schoon is active on Twitter, @nexusben, but can also be found on Instagram and LinkedIn. For questions or tips, you can email him directly, and his portfolio is also available online.
Email: schoon@9to5mac.com | Encrypted Email: benschoon@protonmail.com
Microsoft has just made a host of big Copilot announcements including new AI features for Windows, updated branding and designs, and more.
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Following render leaks that showed off the design yesterday, another Pixel 9a leak reveals the dimensions of Google’s upcoming mid-range device as well as the four colors it might come in.
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Most trackers for the Android Find My Device network and the Apple Find My network are locked in to a single network, but Pebblebee wants to solve that with new “Universal” trackers that work with both.
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After a patent dispute between Oppo and Nokia (affecting OnePlus) was resolved earlier this year, OnePlus will be forced to stop selling smartphones in Germany yet again following a second patent dispute.
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One of the best, if not the best adapter for wireless Android Auto has been the original, AAWireless. Now, it’s getting a sequel in AAWireless “TWO,” which launches on October 20.
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Google Maps makes navigating to your destination easy, and Android Auto makes that even easier while you’re behind the wheel. But if you’re trying to look ahead, there’s a handy little trick that lets you see upcoming directions while en route.
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Google Flights has started showing “trains to consider” alongside flights in a new partnership with Amtrak.
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If you’ve just picked up a Google TV Streamer and found that the remote is not pairing correctly, it’s because the set-top box might have instead taken over another random remote in your house. Here’s how to fix it.
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Google’s Pixel 9a is changing things up in the design department, as new renders have just leaked with a flat camera module that ditches a now-iconic part of Google’s smartphone designs.
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Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Epic Games has opened a lawsuit over the difficulty of sideloading apps on Android, this time against both Samsung and Google over a new feature in One UI that adds another layer to blocking sideloading.
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There are a lot of Android features that go unused because they’re difficult to access, but there are often handy shortcuts that you simply don’t know about. One of those on Google Pixel devices is a shortcut for notification history that’s quickly become my favorite trick.
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The Google Home Panel coming to Google TV devices is an excited and overdue addition to the platform, but we’ve noticed that it’s rather limited in functionality.
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After years of us calling for the feature to be added and over two months after it was announced, Google Maps is finally rolling out support for incident reporting on Android Auto.
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Smart TVs can often be a mixed bag, with “cheap” options suffering in performance while the pricey options are great across the board, but also expensive. Hisense, with its lineup of Google TV options, has found a pretty excellent middle-ground with its ongoing U7 series, and this year’s model is no exception.
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Samsung has been putting out pretty solid earbuds for years now, but took a new approach with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro – shamelessly copying the competition. And, you know what? It totally works.
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The Google Meet app for Android TV and Google TV probably isn’t something that’s widely used, but it is rather handy. However, it’s looking like Google is preparing to shut down the app soon.
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If you’ve picked up a new Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, you might have to go without a case for a little while as many options are currently not available through the Google Store.
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The fun little backgrounds seen in Google Calendar events are apparently getting an expansion, as Google is preparing some new “flairs.”
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Recent updates to Google Maps on Android Auto have made it easier to use and edit your home and work addresses, including helping to surface those presets if you’ve not used them before.
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The Nvidia Shield is easily the most beloved streaming device in the Android space, but without an update over the past five years and without one on the horizon, should you be looking at the Google TV Streamer as a replacement? Here’s what you should know.
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In an unexpected change, Google TV seems to now be blocking the ability to take a screenshot locally on the device with a remapped remote button.
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If you’ve got a pair of Nothing earbuds that you use with something that’s not a smartphone, you might find a new web app that can control the earbuds useful.
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Earlier this year Google added the Fitbit Ace LTE to its wearables lineup as a Wear OS-powered smartwatch aimed at kids. Right now, though, the usually $230 smartwatch is available for just $170.
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Qualcomm is set to unveil its next chipset soon and, with it being a major update, the company is apparently updating its branding with the new chip to be called “Snapdragon 8 Elite.”
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