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
If you’ve been wanting a tracker for Android’s Find My Device network, Pebblebee is offering one of the first discounts we’ve seen with a few dollars off of the Pebblebee Clip.
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Following its launch in China last month, Honor has officially confirmed plans to launch the Magic V3 globally on September 5.
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Google’s switch to Tensor chips in the Pixel lineup has been overall pretty good, despite plenty of hiccups, but one of the loudest complaints has been how Google’s chips simply don’t compare when put through a benchmark. That’s not changing with Tensor G4 because Google said it developed the Pixel 9 chip with real-world improvements in mind.
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This week’s debut of the Pixel 9 series brought some big upgrades to the lineup, but have also taken another step into making Google’s Pixel lineup incredibly confusing when looking at what’s available and the different prices.
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Google has added a new UI for Assistant on Android Auto that appears during voice interactions, and it looks suspiciously similar to Apple’s Siri.
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Just a few days after its release, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is fully out of stock at the Google Store, but still available, for now, at some other retailers.
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Google stopped selling the original Pixel Fold earlier this week alongside the debut of its sequel, but the company apparently isn’t done with its first foldable just yet.
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After a rocky launch for Android’s Find My Device network, Chipolo is finally shipping its trackers for the network as you order them, eliminating any added wait time.
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With the launch of the Epic Games Store on Android, it’s been announced that Rocket League Sideswipe will be removed from the Play Store globally and will be exclusively available via sideloading.
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After it was announced earlier this year, Google has opened access to Imagen 3, its new latent diffusion model used for generating images from text prompts.
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Following an expansion to other regions, Google is now testing the ability for AI Overviews to show up for users who aren’t signed into a Google account while using Search.
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The hit game Fall Guys is making its way to mobile, with the game arriving on Android today through the all-new Epic Games Store.
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Despite killing the lineup off follow the launch of the Google TV Streamer, Google has confirmed it still has plans to bring Android 14 to the Chromecast.
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One of the big new features of the Google Pixel 9 series is Satellite SOS, a feature that will be available at launch, but might not work exactly how you think.
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For some Verizon customers, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is available completely for free thanks to an offer.
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A new report reveals that many Google Pixel phones sold over the past few years have a “Showcase” app installed that leaves open a worrying security hole, but it will be fixed soon.
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For the new Nest Learning Thermostat, the Google Home app is launching a revamped page to control the temperature and other settings. And, as it turns out, that’s coming to older models as well.
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Bellroy is one of the longest-running Made for Google brands, and the company is gearing up for the launch of the Pixel 9 series with a new set of cases that includes a built-in magnet ring.
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Pre-orders are open now for Google’s new Pixel phones, and trade-in values are better than ever. If you’re looking to upgrade to Pixel 9 Pro XL, you can possibly get it for free with trade-ins of select Samsung Galaxy and iPhone models at Best Buy.
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One of the biggest pushes on Google TV right now is the availability of free channels, and now they’re getting a new name. Google TV “Freeplay.”
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Google’s new Pixel 9 series has arrived and, with it, an exciting first for the series. Both the base Pixel 9 and the Pixel 9 Pro can use the same cases interchangeably.
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The Google Store has a bunch of new accessories to go with the Pixel 9 series, including a couple of magnetic wallets that don’t actually work with the new phones unless you also buy a case.
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Arguably the most-anticipated new device in Google’s Pixel 9 series is the smaller Pixel 9 Pro, and it seems initial demand reflects that, with shipping times for the new option already slipping.
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The Google TV Streamer is also bringing some new additions to Google TV, most notably including the new Google Home panel. While the device, and this new feature, won’t be available for a few more weeks, we’ve had a chance to check it out in action.
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