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
Gunsport launched on Google Stadia as a “First on Stadia” game back in 2020, but with the platform about to shut down, the developers have saved that version of the game for players on PC.
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After two years, Apple just unexpectedly revived its full-size HomePod, and all I can think about is how much I want the Google Home Max to be brought back.
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One of the good things about Wear OS is the wide variety of options. If you want to pay $2,000 for a smartwatch, you can, and with Tag Heuer’s new Connected Calibre E4, you’ll get a slick design but still get Wear OS 2 for that price.
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Today’s the day. After an abrupt announcement of its closure back in September 2022, Google is pulling the plug on Stadia at 11:59 p.m. PT tonight. As the end approaches, what did Stadia mean to you? What will you miss most?
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Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series is set to launch on February 1, 2023, and ahead of that event we’re getting an early look at a full set of specs for each new phone.
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Podcasts have seen a resurgence in popularity over the past several years, with Google Podcasts having launched as a way to better listen to and manage podcasts across platforms. But the product has been quiet for quite some time, and now Google Podcasts has disappeared from Search results too.
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The Galaxy S23 series is set to launch on February 1 with a few key upgrades, but it seems those will come at a cost. New pricing details we’ve heard suggest that Samsung is preparing for a significant price hike on the Galaxy S23.
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While we’re still sad to see Google Stadia shutting down this week, Google did the right thing in refunding customers and, on top of that, unlocking Bluetooth support on the Stadia Controller. But how does that controller actually hold up on PC games? Let’s take a look.
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Last year Samsung launched a new program that made it far easier to fix your phone or tablet yourself, and that’s now expanding with repair parts made available for the Galaxy S22 series and more.
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We’ve learned a lot about Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5 just in the past week or so, but it was at CES 2023 that a prototype displaying the new hinge tech supposedly coming to that device that gives us our first idea of what to expect in a much thinner, revamped Fold 5.
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Just a couple of weeks ahead of the full launch, Samsung just officially announced the 200MP camera that will make its debut in the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
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After many false starts, the Google Pixel Fold finally seems to be on its way, and now a case model of the device gives us some further insight into what the physical hardware, hinge, and inner display will bring to the table.
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Following its $8.5 billion purchase of MGM last year, Amazon has officially replaced EPIX with MGM+, and the new service already integrates with Google TV.
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Having access to a full language conversion set offline is useful when traveling, and Google Translate has just added over two dozen new offline languages.
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Google will shut down Stadia this Wednesday, January 18. If you haven’t done so already, now’s the time to download all of your Google Stadia save files.
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While Samsung is gearing up for the launch of the Galaxy S23 series at the moment, work is also underway on the next generation of foldables, and a new rumor claims the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will bring a massive camera upgrade.
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Oppo is readying its next flagship smartphone, and if new leaked pictures are to be believed, the Oppo Find X6 will arrive with a truly massive camera bump.
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The Galaxy S23 series is set to launch on February 1, but probably won’t be shipping to customers for at least a few weeks. If you want to try the Galaxy S23 early, though, Samsung will have some options available.
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One of the first notable Android 13 launches of the new year has arrived, as Asus is now bringing the update to its Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 Flip.
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After an extremely fast Android 13 rollout with One UI 5, Samsung is gearing up for the launch of One UI 5.1, and the company has just inadvertently confirmed that it’s right around the corner.
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After some heavy delays, Google finally launched its latest major redesign of Android Auto, codenamed “Coolwalk,” to the general public early this month. But many users still have yet to get the update – have you?
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As content keeps moving around between various streaming services, Google TV has turned out to be a lifeboat of sorts in making it easy to figure out what content is available on which service. Some third-party apps have since found ways to replicate that, but Amazon is blocking that “guide” functionality on its Fire TV platform.
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Through four generations of its flagship foldable, Samsung has kept mostly the same design for its hinge, which leads to a noticeable crease in the inner display. But with the Galaxy Z Fold 5, it seems Samsung might finally make some real progress on the hinge by adopting a “droplet” style.
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Google is in the process of bringing the “Coolwalk” redesign of Android Auto to most users, but there’s another new feature also making its way to the platform. Rolling out now, Android Auto is finally adding a seek bar in music apps.
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