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 today opened up early access to Bard, its generative AI chatbot, and we’ve had a bit of time to play around with it. The takeaway so far? Google isn’t exactly treading new ground here, but Bard is at least much more clear on what it can do, can’t do, and where it falls short.
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Google just opened up access to Bard, its generative AI product, via a waitlist today. However, you won’t be able to use Bard, or even sign up for that waitlist if you have a Google Workspace account.
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As ChatGPT, Bing, and others have opened the floodgates for generative AI, Google is today finally opening up access to its Bard AI starting today.
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The Oppo Find X6 Pro was just announced for China and while it won’t ever come to the US, just a few hours using it shows what we’re missing. The Oppo Find X6 Pro quite literally shines with an insanely bright display, as well as an impressive primary camera.
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Oppo is today announcing its latest flagship smartphone series, with the Oppo Find X6 and Find X6 Pro delivering some major upgrades.
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Never settle. It’s the tagline that OnePlus has used since its inception, and also the line that has become a bit of a mockery as the brand has changed over the years. But compromises are a part of any good phone, and with its latest OnePlus 11, I’ve got to admit, I’m actually a lot happier with the balance OnePlus has struck than I thought I would have been.
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Cloud gaming may have lost Google Stadia, but it’s still growing and expanding in new ways. In an update shared this week, Netflix has confirmed that work on its own cloud gaming offering is “underway,” with the goal to support many different devices.
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Google has been under fire for not yet releasing Bard, its generative AI similar to OpenAI’s GPT-3 and GPT-4, but testing is underway. Now Google is opening Bard up to some of its Pixel Superfans.
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Samsung has lately been the king of trade-in offers when launching new phones, and the Galaxy S23 series also saw some great offers back during pre-orders. Now, Samsung is bringing back those trade-in deals, offering up to $800 towards your new phone.
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Samsung’s next generation of foldables will be the first as the company faces some much-needed competition, and it seems they’ll benefit from a host of upgrades. In a new set of rumors, we’re hearing more about the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s bigger cover display, as well as what will and won’t change on Fold 5.
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Sometime in the not-too-distant future it appears Google Chrome for Android will be making it much easier to delete your browsing history, with a quick option to delete 15 minutes of history.
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As generative AI continues to become more popular, the product that got the world’s attention, ChatGPT, is making its way to Wear OS smartwatches.
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With YouTube TV prices going up soon, discounts are always good to see. Currently, American Express is offering a $20 discount on YouTube TV for some cardholders, which is available to both new and existing subscribers.
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OnePlus is giving customers a new chance to try out its latest smartphone, the OnePlus 11, for 100 days before being stuck with it.
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Being a YouTube TV subscriber continues to be full of ups and downs.
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YouTube TV is upping its price for the first time in three years, with a jump of $8 over the previous bill. Will you keep your subscription following the change?
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Samsung has recently launched a new “Rugged Sport” band for its Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 smartwatches which is shipping now.
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Samsung’s Galaxy Watch series has been the best of Wear OS since it debuted with the Galaxy Watch 4 in 2021, and rumors are starting to come out regarding the company’s next generation. A previous rumor hinted at bigger battery sizes of the Galaxy Watch 6, and now another leak shows just what upgrade to expect.
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In February, Google announced that its expansion of Material You would finally expand to Google Drive and its various tools on the web. Now, that rollout is happening widely.
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The high cost of cable TV has been a huge part of the rise of streaming services, as well as live TV streaming services such as Google’s YouTube TV. When it launched, YouTube TV was incredibly affordable, but prices have continued to rise. Is it still the cheaper alternative? Let’s compare.
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It’s hard to find a bad smartphone camera in the year 2023, but with expectations so high, picking what the better camera is really comes down to personal preference and splitting hairs about where one camera does better than the other. As it stands today, the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Google Pixel 7 Pro are widely regarded to have the best cameras in Android phones but with wildly different approaches to the same end goal. Which is better? Today, we want you to decide.
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The Oppo Find X6 series and the company’s next tablet are right around the corner, and now there’s a confirmed launch date.
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The Google Pixel Watch is, as we said in our review last year, truly a gorgeous piece of hardware. But it’s also a piece of hardware that seems incredibly easy to damage. After a few months of use, have you managed to scratch your Pixel Watch yet?
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Announced in January at CES 2023, HP has today opened sales of the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook, which packs a punch with its spec sheet.
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