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 smartwatches dropped a beloved feature last year, with the rotating bezel disappearing from the Galaxy Watch 5 series. But, according to a new rumor, the rotating bezel might return for the Galaxy Watch 6 series.
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Google TV has taken over for Android TV, but it seems the company isn’t fully leaving behind the old experience just yet, as it appears to be rolling out some form of user profiles to some users.
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Following the launch of the Find N2 Flip last month, Oppo is now heading toward the launch of its next flagship, the Oppo Find X6 Pro. Over the past few days, new leaks and teasers help give a clear picture of what’s to come.
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While it’s likely still a few months out, leaks are revealing new details about the upcoming Pixel 7a. This week, a hands-on leak of the Pixel 7a confirms a RAM upgrade on Google’s next budget phone, as well as one of the key design changes.
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Accuweather recently launched a new update to its mobile app across Android and iOS that revamps forecasts with a new graph view that provides easier access to information, and there’s now themed icon support on Android 13.
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Samsung has been expected to debut a bigger upgrade to its flagship foldable phone later this year, but it seems there may be fewer changes than many were hoping for. According to a pair of new leaks, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 won’t be changing its outer display or cameras.
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After years of waiting, Google finally launched the Pixel Watch late last year alongside its latest generation of smartphones, and it appears the smartwatch is a bit of a hit for the company, with hundreds of thousands of units shipped in its first few months.
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Ads on Android TV and Google TV have always been moderately tame compared to other smart TV platforms, as they exclusively showed advertisements for TV shows and movies. But slowly, Android TV and Google TV ads have been starting to show physical products, including a new ad going around that advertises an Audi car.
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Since its launch in 2020, Google TV has grown to support more products, including some of the world’s biggest TV brands, and it’s doing that on the back of years of development on Google’s part. Let’s take a look at what brought Google TV to where it is today, how it’s actually different from Android TV, and what’s next for the platform.
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Generative AI was made popular by ChatGPT at the end of 2022, and for the first few months of 2023, the floodgates have opened up for the technology. This week, grammar-checking tool Grammarly is announcing support for a generative AI tool that can write content in your personal writing style.
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Samsung has been pushing the idea of the Galaxy ecosystem over the past few years, building out features and new devices to let you get things done across every form factor. But where Apple has macOS to offer its customers a full experience on desktop and laptops, Samsung doesn’t have a full desktop OS of its own – DeX doesn’t count. With a suite of software on top of Windows 11, the Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 is a killer way to round out an ecosystem of Galaxy devices, and it also happens to be an excellent laptop on its own.
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Android Auto is slowly rolling out its major new “Coolwalk” redesign with a new dashboard on the homescreen. It’s already functionally better than it was before, but with a tweak, you can get even more space for widgets on Android Auto “Coolwalk.”
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Foldable smartphones open up a world of new possibilities but also one of new limitations. Where Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4 asks you to weigh out your priorities, the Oppo Find N2 Flip pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in this form factor.
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Stealing a smartphone isn’t particularly hard, and crafty criminals are taking advantage of an obvious exploit to get into stolen Android phones and iPhones to take over your digital life. Here’s how to lock down your Android phone, and other top stories from the past week on 9to5Google.
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The latest beta update to WhatsApp is adding better support for Android tablets with a new split-view interface that better takes advantage of the screen real estate.
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Smart speakers have fallen out of popularity a bit as of late, but Carl Pei’s Nothing startup appears to now be working on speaker of some sort, and it has quite the unique look.
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It’s been six months since Android 13 debuted on Pixel phones, and OnePlus wasn’t too far behind the curve with the update hitting OnePlus 10 Pro just weeks later. But, apparently, the update didn’t actually roll out to everyone, with many still waiting.
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Autofill data is convenient, but it can also get annoying if it’s outdated or no longer needed. Google Chrome is currently preparing a tweak that will make it much easier to delete autofill data.
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Just weeks ahead of Opening Day, YouTube TV subscribers lost access to MLB Network and a related add-on, but it seems there’s still hope that content could return.
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While smartphones are getting better and better at lasting through the day, battery life is still something many of us have to worry about. But one daring individual took it upon themselves to install a ludicrous 30,000 mAh battery onto their Samsung phone, which presumably will basically never die.
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After years of anticipation, Google finally released its first smartwatch last year in the Pixel Watch. But, according to a new analysis, it costs Google nearly half as much to build a Pixel Watch as it charges customers for the product.
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Google products are full of countless Easter eggs, and just in time for the third season’s debut, a new Easter egg in Google Search has surfaced that sees The Mandalorian’s Grogu playing with your search results using The Force.
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Samsung is upgrading the hinge on its upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5, and with that comes new testing. According to a new report, the Fold 5’s biggest tests are now underway, but with a lower bar compared to some competitors.
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For the third time in just over a month, the Fitbit app is down again today, with sleep stats and some other data not showing for many users, as well as just outright crashing on iPhones.
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