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
Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series is, in part, so good because of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip found under the hood. Now, a spec breakdown of Samsung’s upcoming flagship tablet, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, seemingly confirms that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy will be powering the show.
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One of the concerns about generative AI is the easy, hard-to-keep-in-check spread of misinformation. It’s one area many hoped Google Bard would step up above existing options, and while Bard is better at debunking known conspiracy theories than ChatGPT, it’s still not all that good at it.
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Android TV OS has been a popular pick for Pay TV providers for a few years now, and it seems DirecTV is planning to adopt Google’s platform for a new streaming device.
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Peloton today announced a new integration with Wear OS that would allow Samsung Galaxy Watch devices to pair with Peloton machines to show your heart rate. But apparently, that integration works on other smartwatches too.
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Generative AI is making an impact, and with OpenAI’s recent expansion of GPT-4 with plugins, it’s now starting to appear within other products. This week Expedia started showing off GPT-4 integration for travel planning, and Walmart also confirmed it is building on the same platform.
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Samsung’s smartwatches haven’t changed a whole lot in terms of design over the past few years, with only iterative upgrades here and there, and of course, the Wear OS revamp under the hood on the latest models. But for the Galaxy Watch 6, it seems Samsung is planning to lessen the size of the display bezel.
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It doesn’t seem like much time goes by without YouTube TV running into issues on Apple TV, and the latest update is wreaking havoc yet again, as users report crashing issues with both YouTube TV and YouTube.
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Following the debut of the Peloton app on Wear OS earlier this year, Samsung and Peloton are announcing support for connecting the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 to Peloton products via the Wear OS app.
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Motorola has just announced its latest flagship for Europe, the Motorola Edge 40 Pro. Here’s what you need to know.
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Google Drive is a useful place to store files in the cloud, but a new restriction has come to light that might be a problem for some users. Google Drive is enforcing a new file limit for the total number of files you can create on your Drive.
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After years of waiting, ADT and Google finally announced their Nest-integrated security system, but with a hefty subscription for monitoring features. Thankfully, you’ll be able to forgo those fees if you want and use existing hardware too.
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Samsung is rumored to have a new tablet in the pipeline for later this year, and today new information is coming out, including renders of the Galaxy Tab S9+.
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One of the bigger complaints of early foldable phones was the weight involved. Often, these devices would weigh drastically more than a typical smartphone, to the point where it was a bit cumbersome. Samsung has made strides over time, and with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 the company is rumors to be getting close to matching the weight of its normal flagship.
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One of the tools that I’ve always been a little envious of from Apple’s ecosystem has been AirDrop. While it’s not something I want to use constantly, being able to throw a file from my phone to my computer or vice versa is compelling. Now, that’s finally possible on Android and Windows, as Google has released Nearby Share for the Microsoft-owned platform, and it’s wonderful.
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Last week it came out that Oppo and OnePlus were planning a departure from much of Europe, and while Oppo isn’t confirming that, the company has just confirmed that its business in Germany is “on hold” for the time being.
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According to a regulatory listing, Motorola’s 2023 Razr foldable will have speedy charging that well outpaces Samsung’s current offerings.
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As the foldable market heats up, Vivo is working on its first clamshell form factor, and a new leaked image of the Vivo X Flip shows off the phone’s giant outer display.
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Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 is set to include a major upgrade to its outer cover display, and now we’ve got a first look at how that will look.
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After years of waiting, Google and ADT finally unveiled this week a new do-it-yourself security system called “ADT Self Start.” The new system combines security gear and monitoring from ADT with Google’s Nest ecosystem of products.
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Samsung launched its Galaxy S23 series earlier this year as its first flagship in years to ditch Exynos chips and instead use Qualcomm Snapdragon on a global scale. Apparently, though, the Galaxy S23 FE will do the exact opposite, using Exynos in every region, including the United States.
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Hulu has just confirmed the launch of a brand new redesign for its TV interface that finally brings sidebar navigation to Google TV, Apple TV, and other platforms.
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E Ink has been around for years, but has mostly been delegated to cheap and simple devices used for reading and nothing more, most famously Amazon’s Kindle devices. As time has gone on, though, the technology has advanced tremendously, and now there are full Android tablets with E Ink displays, and there might be no more impressive option than the Boox Tab Ultra.
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Xbox Game Pass is already one of the best deals in gaming, but Microsoft’s continually teased “Friends and Family” plan has the potential to make it even better. Now, that plan is expanding to New Zealand.
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Samsung is trying out a new tactic to entice iPhone owners to give the Galaxy S23 a shot. Instead of an in-store demo or pop-up event, Samsung will let you try out the Galaxy S23 directly from an iPhone (or other device).
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