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 Galaxy S23 Ultra is Samsung’s first flagship with a 200MP camera, and to show off what it’s capable of, the brand teamed up with director Ridley Scott to produce a short film.
Expand Expanding Close
If you were hoping to catch a deal on Google’s latest smartphones, you’re in luck. Just in time for the latest round of Pixel 7 discounts, Google Store trade-in values have shot back up.
Expand Expanding Close
A new year means new smartphones, but with such solid offers last year, are there any devices you’re actually planning to upgrade to this year?
Expand Expanding Close
Tomorrow OnePlus is set to launch its first-ever Android tablet, and ahead of that event fresh leaks are telling us more about the OnePlus Pad, including its specs and stylus/keyboard accessories.
Expand Expanding Close
For the second time in recent memory, Amazon Luna is losing a significant number of games over the coming weeks, with over 50 games set to leave in February 2023.
Expand Expanding Close
This past week Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S23 series, and in the days since, I’ve had a chance to spend some time with the Galaxy S23 Ultra. While our full review is still on the way, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is leaving an excellent first impression.
Expand Expanding Close
Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series is the first flagship line from the company that uses Qualcomm Snapdragon chips globally, and the good news is that “Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy” is manufactured by TSMC too.
Expand Expanding Close
The Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 have proved to be some of the best smartwatches for Android users, but they’re still not immune to the occasional issue. Lately, some Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 owners have reported issues with “raise to wake” not working properly.
Expand Expanding Close
As one of its last acts, Google Stadia unlocked support for Bluetooth on the Stadia Controller, and it seems that Nintendo Switch players will soon be able to enjoy that with support for the controller apparently coming to 8BitDo adapters.
Expand Expanding Close
In a continued pattern, Samsung has yet again shipped its latest flagship without support for a years-old Android feature. Yet again, the Galaxy S23 series doesn’t support seamless updates.
Expand Expanding Close
In 2022 Samsung was hit with outrage from fans over “GOS,” a tweak to how Galaxy phones worked that throttled performance to an extent. A year later, that “feature” is still in place, but on the Galaxy S23, “GOS” is at least optional.
Expand Expanding Close
The arrival of ChatGPT has led to a “code red” within Google and big changes on their way, but as reported last month, it seems Microsoft Bing will beat Google to the punch by simply integrating ChatGPT itself. Here’s what that will apparently look like.
Expand Expanding Close
Earlier this month T-Mobile disclosed a security breach that also affected Google Fi, and in the case of one customer it also seemed to lead to several hacked accounts and a hijacked phone number. As it turns out, the same thing also happened to several Mint Mobile customers who temporarily lost their phone numbers around the same time period.
Expand Expanding Close
Samsung just unveiled its flagship smartphones in the Galaxy S23 series this week, and at first glance you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re not all that different from the Galaxy S22 series. What’s actually new? Let’s break it down.
Expand Expanding Close
The latest installment of Watch with Me is now heading out to Google TV, this time showcasing the watchlist of comedian and director Judd Apatow.
Expand Expanding Close
Google Fi has been one of the biggest proponents of eSIM, but with the state of eSIM on Android still being a bit messy, even that push was limited. But now, finally, Google Fi has added support for eSIM on select Samsung phones.
Expand Expanding Close
Google Maps reviews are a powerful tool for learning more about the businesses you’re near, and moderation is key to ensuring those reviews are actually useful. In recent weeks, though, Google has admitted to taking down some reviews that weren’t breaking any policies.
Expand Expanding Close
Following the shutdown of Google Stadia, a former exclusive of the cloud gaming platform is also shutting down. Crayta will be no more in just one month.
Expand Expanding Close
It was rumored for quite some time that Samsung would adopt a form of satellite connectivity in its Galaxy S23 series, but yesterday’s debut went by without that feature. What happened? Apparently, Samsung is waiting for satellite features to be “ready” for the Galaxy S23 and other phones.
Expand Expanding Close
After launching the “Palettes” skin series for Apple products only last year, dbrand has just announced that its popular series will be coming to Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, and virtually every other device in the company’s portfolio.
Expand Expanding Close
Trade-ins have made Samsung’s past few flagship phones very attractive for deal-hunters, but the launch of the Galaxy S23 series is different. While they’re still better than others, Samsung has drastically lowered trade-in values.
Expand Expanding Close
Two of Android’s big flagship phones are launching within just days of each other. The OnePlus 11 is set to hit the global market next week, and Samsung just announced the Galaxy S23 series today. And through the launch even, OnePlus has been trying its hardest to throw shade at Samsung’s smartphones.
Expand Expanding Close
After launching support for the Google Store just in time for the Pixel 7, Rakuten is now offering massively boosted rates for the Samsung Galaxy S23 series, offering up to 15% cash back.
Expand Expanding Close
Curved screens have been a part of many Samsung devices for years now, to the dismay of some customers. With an S Pen in the mix, curved screens make even less sense, and Samsung is finally admitting that by mostly flattening out the sides of the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Expand Expanding Close