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 rolled out a major Pixel Watch update this week that, for Pixel Watch 4 owners, delivers support for new one-handed gestures. They’re super useful already, but do they measure up to the gestures Google introduced a decade ago?
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I think it’s safe to say that Qi2 has been the most meaningful part of upgrading to the Pixel 10, at least for me. I’m finding magnetic accessories invaluable in day-to-day life, and I’m not alone. One of my favorite ways to use Qi2 on the Pixel 10 is with car chargers as it’s probably the most convenient place to use the tech, yet also one of the most frustrating.
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Smart home lighting has become pretty predictable over the years, but Philips Hue has a pretty clever idea in its new Wall Washer light. After using it for a few months, I’m pretty impressed by it, but it doesn’t exactly buck the stereotype for Hue’s pricing.
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Bands have been by far the biggest headache of owning a Pixel Watch, at least for me. Google’s first-party collection is surprisingly expansive, but also pricey. In the third-party space, options are often limited or of low quality, but I recently picked up a super cheap Pixel Watch band that feels just as good as Google’s “Active Sport” band, but at a fraction of the price.
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Smart home cameras are everywhere now, and while there are some great ideas like the ones found in the dual-tracking Baseus X1 Pro, I continue to just wish everything worked better within the Google Home app.
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Google’s Stadia cloud gaming platform has been dead for the better part of 3 years now, but the sole piece of hardware, the Stadia Controller, has lived on. Now, as yet another arbitrary cutoff nears, Steam has quietly improved its support for the Stadia Controller.
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A strange issue has left YouTube and YouTube TV apps inaccessible on the Nvidia Shield TV, but the issue is being addressed as we speak.
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One of the most useful parts of any music streaming service is finding new songs via discovery, and that often comes in the form of playlists. Spotify, with the help of AI, is now launching a new “Prompted Playlists” feature that allows users to better control what appears in their playlists.
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According to a new leak, the upcoming Nothing Phone (4a) series might add some new colors to the lineup, while debuting alongside some more affordable headphones.
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After announcing its US debut earlier this year, Fairphone is releasing an updated version of its Fairbuds XL over-ear headphones.
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After kicking off the rollout a few weeks ago, Google says the Gemini for Home replacement of Assistant on smart speakers is now available within a day of opting in, at least for those in the US who can access it.
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While a camera upgrade will be missing, Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 series is seemingly getting a big upgrade in the form of Qi2 support, and a new leak details the company’s plans for magnetic accessories, but no clever name to go with it.
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According to a new report, Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 series will forgo a long overdue camera upgrade in the name of cutting costs.
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A new version of the Moto Tag is on the horizon, and that news comes as Motorola is pretty heavily discounting the existing version.
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An issue affecting YouTube TV subscribers today is leaving recorded content inaccessible, but YouTube TV has confirmed it is aware of the problem and working to fix it.
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The new Android Auto & CarPlay adapter, AAWireless TWO+, has gone out of stock not long after its launch on Amazon, but the Android Auto-only model is still discounted in the meantime.
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Samsung’s “budget” Galaxy Z Flip FE remains pointless, as a new deal offers a brand-new Galaxy Z Flip 6 for just $550.
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Spotify has announced that it will start showing music videos more widely for users in the US and Canada.
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IKEA has announced over 20 new Matter-connected smart home products coming to market soon.
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Google’s various AI tools have been proving their worth as of late, but a common criticism is how Google has built these tools by scraping the work of publishers and creators across the web without explicit permission or compensation, and now the EU is launching an investigation into the matter.
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Nothing’s latest release is the Phone (3a) Community Edition, a limited release of its excellent budget phone that packs some hardware and software tweaks created by fans, but this is also the first Nothing Phone with frosted glass on the back.
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Google Maps has recently rolled out a change where, at least on iOS, the app will automatically detect that you’ve parked your vehicle and save that location, and it will also now show it with a custom icon.
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Samsung’s One UI 8.5 beta is here and, with it, a look at Samsung’s updated design language. But there are some changes that feel eerily familiar, probably because Samsung is bringing a lot of Liquid Glass-like UI tweaks to Galaxy phones with its next big One UI update.
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Google has today announced a repair program for the Pixel 9 Pro series around display issues, while also giving the Pixel 9 Pro Fold an extended 3-year warranty.
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