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
OpenAI’s ChatGPT app is adding support for a new Quick Settings shortcut on Android with a useful new UI that can be opened from any app.
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Foldable smartphones are pretty commonplace now, but they’re still very expensive. Case in point is Samsung’s $1,800 Galaxy Z Fold 5, but according to a new report, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 will debut alongside a more affordable “entry-level” device.
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OnePlus has long focused on making its phones feel smooth and stay fast, and the OnePlus 12 introduces a new feature that can make any game run at 120fps.
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Satellite connectivity has turned out to be a bit of a tough issue for Android, but now Google is throwing some weight behind the effort with an investment in “AST SpaceMobile.”
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Samsung’s next big update, One UI 6.1, is already confirmed to be coming to some of the company’s newest smartphones, but beyond that, things are mostly a mystery. However, Samsung is now saying that the Galaxy S22 series and Galaxy S21 series are next in line for the update.
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While they’re not as “Pro” as we once thought, the new OnePlus Buds 3 have just been announced as a middle-ground option with some “pro” features, but a price of just $99.
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After launching in China late last year, the OnePlus 12 is now hitting the global scene and launching in the US soon for a slightly higher price than the previous model. Here’s what you should know.
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Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra has a new display and new cover glass too, and one aspect of the new display that didn’t get as much attention as it deserved is that the new display setup is anti-reflective and, in our use so far, it’s been a major step up.
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OSOM, the company that was previously reviving the Essential Phone, has just released an updated version of its neat “Privacy Cable” that should prove a lot more useful as it now connects over USB-A.
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As Google continues to roll out more AI features, Gmail for Android appears to be close to releasing a neat option that uses voice input and AI to help you draft an email.
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Lenovo has big plans for Motorola’s future in the smartphone industry, with its eyes on a spot among Samsung and Apple in the top three, and a big part of that will come down to foldables, like the 2024 Motorola Razr which has leaked.
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Following up on its release for the Pixel 7 series last year, Carved has now released its “Live Edge” cases made from real wood for the Google Pixel 8 Pro.
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Ford is going all-in on Google’s Android Automotive, with the Detroit automaker today unveiling its new “Ford and Lincoln Digital Experience” today which starts rolling out to new vehicles starting this month.
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It’s only been a couple of weeks, but AI is absolutely the big buzzword of 2024, and Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series is betting big on the tech. And, somewhat shockingly, the Galaxy AI suite is really quite good, but the problem I’m facing so far is that the Samsung apps they’re tied to are not ones I want to use.
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AI is a powerful tool for good, but it can easily be used for bad, too. As AI duplicates of articles continue to flood Google News, the company has reiterated that it doesn’t care if an article is AI-generated, as long as it still has “quality.”
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ADT is giving away a free Nest Doorbell when you purchase its Google-integrated DIY security system, but only for a limited time.
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After debuting internationally late last year, Samsung has launched the Galaxy A25 and Galaxy A15 in the United States this week starting at $199.
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As we start a new year of Samsung products, leaks are starting to reveal upcoming plans on the company’s next smartwatch. Apparently, the Galaxy Watch 7 will see a minor upgrade to its Exynos chip this year.
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As AI changes up the voice assistant business, Amazon is reportedly looking to start charging a paid fee for Alexa as soon as this Summer.
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The original OnePlus Watch was almost impressively not-good, but it seems the company is admitting it was wrong with a new Wear OS watch coming right around the corner.
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Samsung’s new Galaxy S24 series skipped support for the new Qi2 standard, and it seems you might run into issues using MagSafe-style cases on the Galaxy S24 Ultra as well, at least at launch.
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AI is the big selling point of the new Samsung Galaxy S24 series, and one of the features is support for AI-generated wallpapers. But an annoying little watermark takes away from those wallpapers just a bit.
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When Google brought gesture navigation to Android, it kept a “gesture hint” in place as a little bar that sits at the bottom of the screen. Some brands, including Samsung, have offered the ability to remove the gesture navigation bar from view or use an entirely different form of gestures, but both are being removed with the Galaxy S24 series.
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YouTube TV seems to be rolling out some tweaks to its app which include fixing quirks with the live guide as well as maybe removing the previous channel shortcut that just debuted a few weeks ago.
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