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
Google launched the Android Find My Device network earlier this month and finally released the hold Apple had on AirTag-like trackers for Android. But if you’re eagerly awaiting one of those Find My Device trackers for your Android phone, keep in mind you’ll probably be waiting a while.
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As we quickly approach the launch of Pixel 8a, another set of new leaks have revealed that the mid-range smartphone will be getting the same long update lifespan as its siblings, as well as many of the same AI features.
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The Nvidia Shield TV is way overdue for a refresh and while we don’t know anything about one coming, what would you even want from it?
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Glance has been working to add additional features to the Android lockscreen for a long time and, now, it’s officially coming to the US. However, while Glance splashes ads, games, and more on phones internationally, its US “pilot” is a much more tame intrusion on the Android lockscreen.
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An account security loophole in Android TV OS can allow an unsupervised user to be able to access your Gmail inbox if given access to the television, but Google is working to fix it.
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Google brought its AI experience Gemini to Android devices earlier this year, but it only launched with support for Android 12 and higher. Now, Google has quietly expanded Gemini to support Android 10 and Android 11 as well.
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Samsung is gearing up for a pretty big Summer launch event, with a new report pinpointing the next Galaxy Unpacked event for July 10.
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Google is preparing to “relaunch” the Pixel Tablet without a dock and add an official keyboard and stylus to the mix, and now a new leak is revealing prices too.
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While Samsung’s latest Galaxy S24 series has fantastic battery life, no smartphone owner can avoid the occasional situation where they’re running out of juice on the go. For that, Samsung has just launched a pair of new official battery banks which pack USB-C and speedy charging into a nice design.
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Earlier this month, YouTube started testing out a new redesign for its desktop website which was met with overwhelming backlash from those who saw it. Now, YouTube has apparently reverted that new design.
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HMD Global revived the Nokia brand for smartphones a few years back and, now, it’s using its own brand for a duo of new Android phones that will go on sale starting next month.
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An update to Google Calendar on Android is rolling out, which makes it significantly easier to scroll through months.
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After a very brief trial period, Microsoft is bringing ads to the Start Menu for all Windows 11 users.
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Android Auto is finally giving its settings menu an overhaul, with a redesign now rolling out to users. Here’s what’s new.
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Google’s Gemini AI models are constantly advancing, so it comes as no surprise that a new report claims Google will have a “version 2” of Gemini Nano available by the time the Galaxy S25 launches next year.
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Live Activities are a super useful feature of Apple’s latest iPhones, but also one that goes underused. Google Maps has been overdue to support the feature for years now and while it’s still not live yet, Google is testing Live Activities with some iPhone users.
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While it’s still yet to debut, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite is looking like a big deal for ARM-powered Windows machines and, now, it’s getting a more affordable cousin in the Snapdragon X Plus.
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The Chromecast with Google TV is getting a sequel, and it sounds like one of the changes will be a new remote. So, what does a new Chromecast remote look like? Let’s discuss.
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The Android lockscreen is very simple, but that depends on what phone you have, and where you buy it. In some regions, “Glance” has become commonplace as a supercharged Android lockscreen with recommendations, information, and ads. Now, that’s coming to the US.
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The dream of smart glasses has never died, but it’s also never truly succeeded. With its Ray-Ban smart glasses, though, Meta seems to have cracked the code, and it’s now bringing new AI features, video calling, and more to its smart glasses built in partnership with Ray-Ban.
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The Galaxy Note 9 is an iconic device, in part because it marked the end of the “true” Galaxy Note. Now, the Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy S9 are about to get access to Samsung’s new AI features via a custom ROM.
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Earlier this month Fitbit started rolling out a big redesign to the sleep page and, now that it’s widely available, it seems like everyone hates it. So, what do you think?
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After launching last week, Nothing has started shipping Ear and Ear (a) to buyers, as well as having extended sales to Amazon.
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After leaking recently, the OnePlus Watch 2 is now available in a gorgeous “Nordic Blue” color variant, though it’s not for sale everywhere.
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