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
The pace at which Lenovo launches new Legion Tab gaming tablets is pretty wild, with a new variant on its way with an OLED display and 5G support, just weeks after the Gen 5 release hit the global market.
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Google is quietly adding a new utility app to Android, with a “Signatures” app now showing up on Pixel devices and some other Android phones.
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With less than a month to go, Samsung is kicking off its train of Galaxy Z Fold 8 teasers with a new series of social posts that also purged nearly the company’s entire Instagram account.
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Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 series is bringing some new camera setups and some upgrades, but nothing fitting of the “Ultra” branding.
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The slow, agonizing death of OnePlus continues, with the OnePlus website now displaying a prominent banner pushing existing customers over to Oppo products instead.
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Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Glasses are not coming out in the immediate future, but new leaks shed a bit of new light on the first Android XR glasses.
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Redmagic has officially launched the Gaming Tablet 5 Pro in China, with the global launch confirmed for July 17 as the Redmagic Astra 2, and it’s an absolute Android gaming powerhouse.
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Valve’s reboot of the Steam Controller brings the best of the Steam Deck to a handheld controller for any device, but it’s the little details that really make it great. That includes the Steam Controller charger, which magnetically attaches and, with the help of a clever program, can automatically attach using the controller’s built-in haptic motors.
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Following prior leaks, Nothing has confirmed that its next budget earbuds, Nothing Ear (3a), will be launching on July 7.
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GIFs are a huge part of the modern web, with Tenor being one of the libraries that powers a variety of apps including Twitter/X. Google acquired Tenor in 2018 and, while the library itself remains intact, the Tenor API is shutting down today.
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After launching in other parts of the globe earlier this year, Motorola is finally bringing Moto Tag 2 to the US, and it’s on sale for a limited time.
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While the Google Pixel experience is easily one of the best you’ll find today, it’s no secret that other platforms often have features not available on a Pixel device. As Google prepares to fill yet another one of those gaps, what features do you think are still missing from Pixel phones?
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While we’ve yet to get clean renders of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, a new leak shows off Samsung’s official cases and, in turn, some of the stunning colors coming with these new foldables.
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LG has announced the “StanbyME 2 Max,” a new 32-inch touchscreen display on wheels designed to let you bring media, phone mirroring, and more essentially anywhere.
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AI agents are the latest “next big thing” for AI, but OpenClaw has been working at the idea for a while now. Today, OpenClaw is bringing a gateway app to Android (and iOS) to help bring agents on the go. It also looks… like that.
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Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Watch 9 really doesn’t look all that different from the Watch 8, but new leaks show off updated watch bands that actually deliver some notable changes.
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Amazon’s Fire TV platform is in the process of ditching Android for an in-house VegaOS, a change that’s been controversial among users. In an interview, Amazon’s VP of Fire TV explains some of the reasoning behind the decision, but only one part really makes sense.
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WhatsApp has just announced that usernames are officially coming, but you might not be able to get yours just yet.
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Walmart appears to be doubling the price of its most affordable Google TV streaming stick, following price hikes to other parts of its lineup in recent months.
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Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 8 series is set to include two devices, the Fold 8 and the Fold 8 “Ultra,” branding that’s still incredibly confusing, but essentially official thanks to the latest leaks.
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T-Mobile, despite its “Un-Carrier” marketing, seems to be pulling a classic carrier move, forcing some of its long-time customers off of their existing plans and over to something newer and a bit more expensive.
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Following in the footsteps of Lenovo’s Legion Tab, Redmagic has confirmed that its next compact Android gaming tablet will see a global launch, with Astra 2 right around the corner.
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One of the big advantages of Qi2 and its magnetic alignment is support for faster 25W charging speeds, but the organization behind the standard is working on even faster 50W charging for future devices, which could include future generations of Pixel, iPhone, and more.
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According to new findings under the hood of Google’s software, future Pixel updates may deliver support for a “shuffle” option for wallpapers.
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