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
When Google unveiled the first Pixel Fold last year, I was shocked that it was actually a halfway decent product, but it still had some fundamental flaws too. Now, Google is following up on that device with the drastically-different Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which learns from virtually every mistake Google made the first time around.
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A little over a year after launching its first foldable, Google is back with a sequel in the drastically-improved Pixel 9 Pro Fold which will be available next month.
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The launch of Google’s Pixel 8 series also came with the announcement that Google would start producing Pixel phones out of India directly. Now, that’s finally started as the first Pixel 8 phones made in India are coming off of the production lines.
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Samsung’s “The Frame” TV is a popular option for a TV that looks better than the average set and, slowly, it’s getting some more competition. Following the launch of Hisense’s Canvas TV earlier this year, TCL has launched the “NXTFRAME” TV, powered by Google TV.
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OnePlus has officially confirmed plans to launch the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 on August 20.
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Google is hosting an event tomorrow to fully unveil the Pixel 9 series and more, but the leaks haven’t stopped just yet. A new post reveals a few more details about Google’s Pixel Buds Pro 2, including the first new form factor for Tensor.
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With the launch of the Google TV Streamer earlier this week, the wildly successful Chromecast was put to rest, with the company confirming the device won’t be made anymore. Google’s reason for doing so makes sense, but does it really align with reality?
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One of the big perks of using a Samsung Galaxy smartphone alongside a Windows laptop is the ability to stream Android apps from your phone to Windows, but it can be a little messy. With One UI 6.1.1, though, Samsung has made a small, but impactful tweak.
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YouTube is testing out a new sleep timer in its mobile app and on desktop that stops playback after a set period of time.
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Samsung is offering a $300 credit alongside the purchase of a Galaxy Z Fold 6 which can be used towards the purchase of a Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Buds, among other accessories.
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Virtually every TV sold today has the ability to run its own apps, and that’s Google’s reasoning for pulling the plug on the Chromecast series. That presents an obvious question. Do you actually use the apps on your TV?
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A widespread outage of YouTube in Russia is preventing users from accessing the world’s largest video platform, and it comes amid rumors that the country intends to block Android and Google services.
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ADT has confirmed a recent hack that exposed the home addresses, emails, and phone numbers of a “small percentage” of the company’s customer base.
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Google’s upcoming Pixel 9 series has already leaked in great detail, but the leaks just keep coming, this time with a reliable source offering a starting price for the Pixel 9 Pro XL as well as a list of specs and features.
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Alongside the launch of its new “Apex Edition,” the OnePlus Open is getting a handful of discounts that include a starting price of $1,299.
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While the new Google TV Streamer is a far more capable device compared to the Chromecast with Google TV it replaces, you can still expand on its storage through an external drive, Google has confirmed.
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The internet is full of misinformation and, to help combat that, YouTube is testing out a new feature that lets users play a part in setting the record straight, and it works just like Community Notes on Twitter/X.
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Google has been working on a new desktop mode for Android for a while, but it seems like it might work beyond just an external monitor, as new evidence suggests it could run directly on a tablet’s own display.
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After missing its initially expected release date, Samsung’s Android 15 update seems to be looking at a much later launch, as sources claim it has been delayed “indefinitely.”
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The Chromecast line is going off into the sunset, with the iconic series now being replaced by the Google TV Streamer. In a post, Google reflects on the 11-year history of the Chromecast lineup.
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The Find My Device network is still in a rough state, but that hasn’t stopped the launch of more new hardware. Motorola recently launched its new Moto Tag, the first UWB tracker for the network, which is also the first Find My Device tracker that asks you to download a separate app.
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Last year’s OnePlus Open was far and away the best foldable in the US market when it launched, and one could argue that that’s still true today. As such, OnePlus is taking a victory lap with the new OnePlus Open “Apex Edition,” a slight revamp in a gorgeous new case.
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Google introduced a handy taskbar to Android devices with big screens back in Android 12L, but it doesn’t work on regular phones. Soon, though, Android phones may also support showing a miniature version of the taskbar.
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The allure of the Nest Learning Thermostat has always been its ability to adjust the temperatures in your home by slowly learning your preferences, and the new model upgrades that drastically, including by using the weather outside, which it can also show on its new display.
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