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 Photos is launching one of its first big updates in a while, with a new redesigned navigation bar and revamped “Memories” rolling out starting today.
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Earlier this year, Tecno launched the Phantom V Fold, one of the most affordable foldable phones to date, and it seems the company has another option in the pipeline. The upcoming Tecno Phantom V Flip has leaked with a neat circular outer display.
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Streaming was once a cost-effective way to ditch cable, but as time has gone on, we’ve seen the costs go up drastically. So, as a ton of different services strain your wallet, what’s the one streaming service you won’t give up?
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Generally speaking, the best Android smartphones run on top of the latest chipsets from Qualcomm, but that may see a change as the cost of the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 could push 2024 Android phones to use older chips or rival options.
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Touchscreens haven’t changed much in a while, and that’s because they’re largely quite good. One of the few remaining flaws, though, is that they don’t function quite right when wet, such as when you get caught in the rain. On one of its new devices, though, OnePlus is trying out a new screen that handles touch input when the device is wet.
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Telegram is one of our favorite messaging apps, and today it’s celebrating its 10th anniversary with a big update that officially launches Stories, no subscription required.
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Over a year ago we spotted that Google Keep was laying the foundation for text formatting support, but in the time since the feature hasn’t appeared. Now, finally, it seems some progress is being made, as a new video shows Google Keep’s formatting options in action.
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Google seems to have a few new features in the pipeline for ChromeOS, which includes a brand new settings menu with Material You as well as Google Tasks integration in the quick settings tray.
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Foldable phones have come a long way in just a few years, but the best innovations have not come to the US and other major markets, instead being exclusive to China. Now, the Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 has been announced with a super-thin design, impressive specs and hardware, and a great price, but it won’t be coming to the US either.
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Emoji were once just a fun little addition to text messages, but at this point, they’re a very important part of how most of us communicate with one another. That’s why it needs to be said that, even after the latest update, Samsung’s emoji are just bad.
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Foldable flip phones are seeing their biggest year yet, with launches such as the Motorola Razr+ and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. And now, it’s looking like the Oppo Find N3 Flip is right around the corner with a new camera design but the same outer display.
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Samsung today announced One UI 6.0 (after two false starts), its take on Android 14 for Galaxy smartphones which will be available first on the Galaxy S23 series. Unlike One UI 5, it actually brings quite a bit that’s new. Here’s the full changelog.
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Samsung has been the main face for foldables over the past few years, but in the face of growing competition, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 feels rather tame in its attempts to improve. But, really, this is a foldable that knows what it wants to be and is about as good as this foldable can be.
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As Google continues to try to appeal to iPhone users and build on Android’s features, the company appears to now be working on a new “Link Your Devices” feature which will better share features between Android phones, tablets, and more.
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Samsung is today launching seven new devices in the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Fold 5, Galaxy Tab S9 series, and the Galaxy Watch 6 series, and we’ve got a full breakdown of the best deals available on launch day.
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One of Android 14’s big new features is the ability to customize the clock on your lockscreen, but in the Beta 5 release, Google has removed one of those options.
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Through a new partnership with Microsoft, the Motorola ThinkPhone is now able to stream an entire Windows PC to your phone when it’s plugged into a monitor.
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YouTube Shorts has earned its place as one of the best short-form video offerings – aka TikTok clones – partially because it gets a lot of things right. One of the handy parts of YouTube Shorts both for creators and viewers was the ability to share links, but that’s ending because of spam.
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Spatial Audio made its debut last year as a way of making audio from music and videos more immersive, by Google’s description, but it has always required headphones. The Google Pixel Fold, though, supports Spatial Audio through its built-in speakers, and it’s the only Pixel that can do it.
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Nvidia GeForce Now has held the crown for cloud gaming performance for a while now, and it’s just getting better. After launching its new “Ultimate” tier based on the RTX 4080 earlier this year, Nvidia says the best GeForce Now has to offer is available to everyone.
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After a false start earlier this week, Samsung has officially announced its Android 14 update, One UI 6, with a beta program now open for the Galaxy S23 series.
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Dark mode is pretty much an expected feature of modern mobile apps, but Snapchat on Android has locked it behind a monthly subscription for a while now. But, finally, that’s changing as the feature has gone free.
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One of the biggest criticisms of foldable smartphones from Samsung and others over the past couple of years has been durability, as stories of spontaneously broken displays have made their way through the web. More torture tests of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5, though, continue to show that Samsung’s devices are more durable than they’re given credit for.
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Some OnePlus users have been dealing with a strange “green line” issue with their screens, and as a result, the brand will now offer a lifetime screen warranty.
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