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
OnePlus has just launched its first Open Beta program for Android 14, with OnePlus 11 owners now able to easily test the update ahead of its supposedly imminent release.
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In recent weeks, Beeper, the app that lets you connect all of your chat apps in one place, has picked up some added functionality with support for Google Messages RCS alongside Apple’s iMessage. But, the app is still invite-only. This week, though, we’ll be giving away a bunch of Beeper invites – here’s how to you can get them.
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Last week, we reported that Android 14 contains hints of a new Chromecast with Google TV, and while that device doesn’t appear to be coming imminently, it’s still an exciting prospect. What would you want from a new version?
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Just a couple of years after its debut, the original Microsoft Surface Duo is dead, as the company has ended updates for the foldable alternative.
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Traditional TV has undergone a series of increases in costs which has often led to streaming platforms either raising prices, or removing channels. This evening, Spectrum has opted to black out all ESPN and Disney channels for subscribers amid a dispute with the “House of Mouse” which has led to YouTube TV getting a moment in the spotlight.
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NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube has arrived and its one of the best ways to catch all of your team’s games, but it’s also pretty pricey. Currently, though, Google Play is giving away free access to NFL Sunday Ticket through its Google Play Points system.
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Meta continues to work on its Twitter/X clone, Threads, and in recent updates the platform is improving on key features and, as a nice tweak for Android users, supporting themed icons.
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Upcoming regulations in the EU will require major chat apps to offer a level of interoperability and while some services, like Apple’s iMessage, are trying to weasel their way out of the rule, WhatsApp is currently setting up future support for messages that come from other, third-party chat apps.
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Smartphones have, over the past several years, gotten more than a little boring. While the Google Pixel 6 series was a big deal, its sequel wasn’t really anything special. Soon, though, the Pixel 8 series will make its debut, and really, there’s quite a bit to get excited about.
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It’s still crazy to me that Google has made a foldable smartphone and, after using it for the past couple of months, I’m even more surprised that the Google Pixel Fold is as good as it is.
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If you’ve spent any time on YouTube over the past couple of years, you’re probably well aware of how often creators ask your to subscribe to their channels – and rightly so, given the amount of time that often goes into creating content for the platform. Now, in a new test, YouTube is emphasizing creator’s statements with a new feature that makes the actual “Subscribe” button glow in line with the request.
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Foldable smartphones are notoriously expensive, but there is one option that’s rather affordable in the Tecno Phantom V Fold which launched earlier this year. And, now, Tecno is teasing the launch of a flip phone that will likely inherent the same trademark value.
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IFA 2023 last week saw a bunch of new announcements, including the arrival of the Qi2 standard in actual products. The new wireless charging standard and its MagSafe support are genuinely exciting, but the biggest question about Qi2 so far is where all of the phones are.
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Google TV’s takeover of Android TV OS is largely complete, but for the millions of Android TV devices already out there, the Google TV-like homescreen redesign appears to finally be available to everyone.
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The Chromecast with Google TV we know today has been available since 2020 and is due for an update. As we’ve reported, that might be on the way, and it seems the Android TV 14 Beta is revealing what might be a new Chromecast remote for Google TV.
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The Pixel Watch 2 was officially announced (partially, at least) by Google today, roughly a month ahead of the launch event where we’ll see the smartwatch sequel fully announced. One early detail about Pixel Watch 2 that’s already come out, though, is that the watch may have higher requirements for its connected Android phone.
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The launch of NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube and YouTube TV is just days away, and ahead of the launch, Google has finally announced that a free trial will be made available to customers to give the service a chance before committing to its hefty costs.
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Major OS updates aren’t as common as they should be on Android TV, but every once in a while we see a major update roll out. This week, Xiaomi has opened up Android TV 12 to an older version of the Mi Box S streaming box, but users may want to take caution in installing it.
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Google appears to be working on a new Gmail feature that would let users react to their inbox with emoji through at least the Android and iOS mobile apps.
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Google Pixel phones have long been lauded in part for their speedy updates, but the length of support is becoming increasingly less of an attraction. After Samsung beat Google Pixel’s update policy a couple of years ago, Xiaomi is also now upping its support timeline on at least one device.
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The OnePlus 12 is set to make its debut later this year in what’s expected to be a familiar overall design, but new renders suggest that the camera module could look even more similar to the brand’s previous releases.
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Google is toying around with some nice quality-of-life tweaks on ChromeOS, including some launcher updates and the overdue ability to hide profile pictures on the lockscreen.
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Google’s Pixel 8 series is set to launch in just under a month and if new leaks are to be believed, they could arrive with a considerable price hike.
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Google’s Gboard is a great keyboard option for Android, and there are a lot of new features based on generative AI in the pipeline. As of today, Gboard is starting to roll out a “Proofread” option for beta users.
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