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
Since its debut over the summer, Google has put a lot of weight behind marketing the Pixel Fold as “the thinnest foldable of all.” The upcoming OnePlus Open, though, may crush that campaign, as it is said to be thinner.
Expand Expanding Close
Motorola is breaking new ground with the most affordable foldable smartphone in the US with its new Razr (2023), which is now available for pre-order.
Expand Expanding Close
Foldable phones are getting better, especially when you look at the brands based in China. Today, Honor is announcing another foldable in the Magic Vs2, which seems to exist for… reasons.
Expand Expanding Close
Support for multiple SIM cards (or eSIM) is a useful feature in Android, especially when traveling, but it takes a while to switch back and forth. Soon, Android may make this process much easier.
Expand Expanding Close
With the launch of Pixel Watch 2, Google has shuffled up its watch band offerings, but that has resulted in the removal of a few options including the only first-party brown leather band in the company’s collection.
Expand Expanding Close
Smartphones cases are often a necessary evil. They make your phone a little bulkier, and hide the design, but in exchange they can protect your device from damage in the very likely scenario of a drop. With Google’s updated official cases for the Pixel 8 series and the Pixel Fold, though, Google is turning something good into something back, and just making me long for the days of old.
Expand Expanding Close
Google was recently accused of running a misleading ad campaign for YouTube TV that positioned the service as being hundreds of dollars cheaper than cable, but the company has now agreed to end the campaign.
Expand Expanding Close
Google is launching new a “Pixel Troubleshooting” app for its phones and tablets which is designed to help users find their way through common problems, such as an overly warm device.
Expand Expanding Close
The Pixel Watch can’t be repaired, which is a shame given the display wasn’t hard to scratch or break. With Pixel Watch 2, Google claims that glass is “more durable,” but it in, in fact, the same glass.
Expand Expanding Close
After teasing it earlier this year, Sony has confirmed that PS5 games are coming to cloud gaming later this month but only on consoles for the time being.
Expand Expanding Close
After nearly a decade, Google is removing the “Photo Sphere” mode from Pixel phones, starting with the Pixel 8 series.
Expand Expanding Close
The Pixel Watch was, in my eyes, better than I expected it to be. But, ultimately, it was still far from being as good as the competition. With the Pixel Watch 2, Google hasn’t gone back to the drawing board, but a collection of small tweaks add up to a much better overall product.
Expand Expanding Close
Google has been making its own smartphones since 2016, but it’s really never felt as though the company has really hit the nail on the head. Each model has had some random dealbreaker or quirk that left it just short of really getting it all right. After the Pixel 7 Pro showed that Google was finally pointing itself in the right direction, the Pixel 8 Pro feels like it is the device that brings everything together.
Expand Expanding Close
Google is rolling out the latest version of Android Auto, version 10.6, and the app is also testing out a new “disconnect” option to help quickly terminate a wireless session.
Expand Expanding Close
The Peloton app arrived on Wear OS earlier this year with support for tracking workouts and syncing the watch with exercise gear and, now, it’s also adding support for watch faces.
Expand Expanding Close
The Nothing Phone (2) is preparing its Android 14 update, which is now in beta as Nothing OS 2.5.
Expand Expanding Close
Back in 2020, Bandai-Namco teamed up with Google for the launch of Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle, a game that would remain exclusive to Stadia right up until the platform shut down earlier this year. Now, the game is finally seeing a launch on other platforms.
Expand Expanding Close
It’s another round of deal days this week, and as a part of that, we’re seeing the first-generation Google Pixel Watch drop down to $209 right as the sequel is about to hit the market. Is that actually still a good deal? In short – yes.
Expand Expanding Close
Foldable flip phones have been popping up left and right, and the Motorola Razr+ was one of our favorites to date. Now, Motorola is launching the standard Razr (2023) with a smaller cover screen but also a starting price of just $599.
Expand Expanding Close
Earlier this year Motorola launched the latest generation of the Edge+, a surprisingly great device that served as a sort of underdog in the US smartphone market this year. Now, the Motorola Edge (2023) is on its way, and, well, it’s not the Edge+.
Expand Expanding Close
We’ve seen a lot about the OnePlus Open over the past couple of weeks, with the brand’s first foldable looking rather compelling. Now, we’re getting our first idea of the price of the OnePlus Open.
Expand Expanding Close
Last week, Google unveiled the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and Pixel Watch 2. With shipping set to begin later this week, and our reviews forthcoming, what do you still want to know about Google’s latest devices?
Expand Expanding Close
After showing up unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago, new renders of the Google Pixel 8a help clear up the size of the device and more.
Expand Expanding Close
The OnePlus Open is the brand’s first foldable, and it’s supposedly coming in just a matter of days. Ahead of the official launch, a new video of the Oppo Find N3 shows us what to expect from the display crease, and the rest of the hardware, on the OnePlus Open.
Expand Expanding Close