Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick can be powered by TV USB port, may still support sideloading
Amazon has today announced a new Fire TV Stick HD which starts at $35 and can be powered by the USB port on your TV.
Expand Expanding Close
Author
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 hikes Galaxy Book 6 prices by up to $600 as base model goes on sale
Samsung has finally released its base Galaxy Book 6 in the US while also delivering a price hike across the entire lineup.
Expand Expanding CloseMotorola Razr Fold release date might by May 6 as pre-orders open in UK, Europe
Motorola is preparing to launch its first book-style foldable, the Razr Fold, in the UK and Europe with early bird discounts and some freebies too.
Expand Expanding CloseNothing Warp is an AirDrop stopgap that uses your Google Drive, and I don’t get it [Gallery]
In lieu of AirDrop over Quick Share support, Nothing is today launching “Nothing Warp,” a new app + browser extension that replicates the functionality, but leverages Google Drive to do it.
Expand Expanding CloseWalmart’s Google TV Streamer competitor starts hitting store shelves for $60 with a big downgrade
Walmart’s new Onn 4K Pro streaming box is starting to hit store shelves, with the device set to rival Google TV Streamer while costing just $60.
Expand Expanding Close
Lenovo brings back Legion Tab with a huge discount ahead of expensive sequel
The next generation of the Lenovo Legion Tab is very expensive but, ahead of that launch, the Legion Tab (Gen 3) has returned for sale in the US for just $399.
Expand Expanding CloseRoborock Saros 20 is one of the best robot vacuums, refined
Following last year’s choice between two priorities, Roborock’s new Saros 20 settles on enhanced navigation as a focus of what has become one of the best robot vacuums you can buy.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Pixel makes up 5% of foldables in North America – Apple will hit nearly 50%
There aren’t many major players in the foldable market, especially in North America, but Google Pixel has carved out a surprisingly big slice of its own. A new report shows the impact Apple will have on its initial debut.
Expand Expanding Close
Lenovo’s next Legion ‘Y70’ gaming phone has major Motorola vibes
Lenovo has started teasing its new “Legion Y70” gaming phone, and it looks a lot like a Motorola device, which makes sense.
Expand Expanding Close
Google Photos improving crop tool on Android with new animations, bug fixes
Google has acknowledged some shortcomings in the crop tool for Google Photos on Android, and is now detailing some improvements rolling out to users.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung just raised prices on nearly a dozen Galaxy phones and tablets by up to $280
Following a price hike on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 that we spotted earlier this month, Samsung has now kicked in similar price hikes on a number of other Galaxy smartphones and tablets.
Expand Expanding CloseADT ‘My Safety’ turns your phone into an always-ready, portable security system [Gallery]
ADT is launching a new feature for its ADT+ service, with “My Safety” able to turn your phone into a portable security system, including a useful always-listening “Emergency Phrase.”
Expand Expanding CloseADT’s iconic sign is now a ‘Live Light’ outdoor alert for your Nest-integrated security system
ADT is expanding on its Nest-integrated security system, with a new “Live Light” that serves as an outdoor alert.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Home rolls out more Gemini voice updates for music, notes, more
Google Home has launched another set of updates for its new Gemini voice experience, addressing pain points in media playback and playlists, notes, and more.
Expand Expanding Close
Microsoft raises Surface Laptop and Surface Pro prices, up $500 since launch
As the RAM/memory crisis continues, we’re seeing a major impact this week as Microsoft has just announced massive price hikes to the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro, products that launched roughly two years ago.
Expand Expanding CloseMotorola Razr Ultra reportedly gets a bigger battery, but the same chip as last year
Motorola’s new Razr lineup is shaping up in some interesting ways, with the new series starting to leak with updated colors and a familiar design, but the new Razr Ultra apparently won’t even get a chip upgrade.
Expand Expanding Close
Google Meet on Android Auto starts rolling out, doesn’t support work accounts
Not long after Apple CarPlay, Google Meet is now making its way to Android Auto, but it doesn’t support work accounts yet, which seems like a big oversight.
Expand Expanding CloseThe Oppo Find X9 Ultra is a stunning camera phone I’m thrilled is launching ‘globally’ [Gallery]
While the Oppo Find X9 Ultra is still a little ways away from launch, the company has today shown off the design in full and, having used it myself, I can tell you that I’m thrilled to see this sort of hardware hitting the global market.
Expand Expanding CloseHuawei kicks off the wide foldable trend with Pura X Max ahead of iPhone, more
Huawei has shown off its next foldable, the Pura X Max, which has a super wide form factor we’re expecting to see a lot more of in future foldables from Apple, Samsung, and many others.
Expand Expanding CloseWalmart’s new 4K Google TV stick might actually be $20, no Dolby Vision
In a twist of events, Walmart’s upcoming 4K Google TV streaming stick might actually only cost $20, but it does make some cuts.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube Premium is the only streaming service that can get away with price hikes
YouTube confirmed this week that Premium prices are going up for the first time in around three years and, unlike every other streaming service, this is one price hike I’m more than willing to accept.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Pixel is growing in 2026 as almost everyone else struggles in the chaos
2026 is going to be a bad year for smartphones, but Google Pixel continues to look like a bright spot, with a new report revealing that Pixel is already seeing growth this year as the rest of the industry struggles.
Expand Expanding CloseAmazon Luna goes all in on Stadia Pro-like subscription, removing everything else
Effective today, Amazon Luna is shutting down basically everything that’s not a single Stadia Pro-like subscription.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid’s upcoming ‘Tap to Share’ can send contacts, files, etc – here’s what it looks like [Gallery]
Google is preparing a new “Tap to Share” feature for Android devices and, through the latest updates, we’re able to get a sneak peek as to what it looks like and how it functions.
Expand Expanding Close