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
Wear OS 3 is available on a limited number of smartwatches well over a year after its debut, and now they’re finally starting to arrive at a steady pace. This week, Montblanc has announced another Wear OS 3 smartwatch with its $1,600 Summit 3 x Naruto collaboration.
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OnePlus continues with its affordable Nord brand, this week announcing the OnePlus Nord N300, which brings a 90Hz display and 33W fast charging for an affordable price tag well under $250.
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Google is pushing for more apps and better quality on Wear OS following the launch of the Pixel Watch and expansion of Wear OS 3, and it seems the company is also applying that to some of its own apps. Apparently, Google News is getting a new Wear OS app.
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Android 13 is finally expanding to more devices after launching on Pixel phones earlier this year, and now Vivo and iQOO are offering an update on when their users can expect the upgrade to arrive.
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The latest installment of “Watch with Me” on Google TV has arrived, this time with the watchlist of Leslie Odom Jr.
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Google Workspace’s alternative to Slack, Google Chat, is adding support for custom emoji to your organization starting this week.
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Google hosted the Android Developer Summit this week to unveil the latest tools for Android app developers and, quietly, the company also unveiled a new logo for Android Studio.
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If you’re still on an older Windows PC running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, Google might be giving you a big reason to finally upgrade. Starting in early 2023, Google Chrome will strip support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.
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Ahead of its larger redesign heading out to the general public, the Google Home app is doing some work with routines, adding a new “Household” option for routines as well as expanding device triggers to more users.
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One of the biggest complaints with the Pixel Watch is that Google is using a proprietary band system that limits choices drastically. But Google is actually offering a way to use any third-party 20mm band with the Pixel Watch with an adapter – here’s how.
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Over the past few years, video doorbells have become commonplace, and Google’s Nest Doorbell lineup has long been among the best of the best. Following its brand new battery-powered doorbell last year, the new Nest Doorbell (wired) replaces Nest Hello. Is it worth the upgrade? Let’s talk.
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My favorite case for the Pixel 6 last year was Peak Design’s stellar Everyday Case with MagSafe support and some killer accessories. Thankfully, Peak Design is back with a case for the Pixel 7 series. It’s just as good as the last one but should be a whole lot easier to buy.
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YouTube Premium is getting its first major price hike. The service will now charge $22.99 per month for its family plan.
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Google Nest services are experiencing a partial outage this afternoon as many users are seeing live feeds from their cameras go down.
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Google has been under intense scrutiny for its practice of requiring certain apps to be installed on Android phones, and now India is the latest country to hit Google with a multimillion-dollar fine.
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It’s almost surreal that this product finally exists. The Pixel Watch is finally here as Google’s first self-branded Wear OS smartwatch, nearly a decade into the platform’s existence. Is it any good? Let’s take a look…
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Android 12 is finally available for Chromecast with Google TV (4K) and available out of the box on the HD model too. But it’s an update that doesn’t bring a ton of user-facing features. One addition in Android 12 for Chromecast with Google TV is frame rate matching, but in its current state, it’s not all that useful.
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Both Google and Apple have come under regulatory scrutiny over the past few years due to practices with their respective mobile app stores and the lack of competition. As it turns out, Microsoft has been quietly working on its own mobile game store that would take on the Play Store and App Store, but it depends on a forthcoming acquisition.
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The Google Home app is set to see a major redesign in the coming months but, ahead of that, Google is opening up a whole new world of automation. This week, some Google Home app users are noticing support for device triggers on Assistant routines.
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As Android 13 prepares to start rolling out to Samsung devices, the company continues to expand its beta program, which now supports the Galaxy Z Fold 2 in select regions.
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For the past several years, Google has been working with accessory manufacturers to build out an ecosystem of high-quality options for cases, screen protectors, and more for Pixel phones and other devices. This year, Casetify is joining the Made for Google program with its lineup of Pixel 7 cases.
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The Pixel 6 was a reinvention of Google’s smartphone, pushing the company firmly into “flagship” territory in a way that past devices hadn’t really aimed at. Now, we’re at the second generation of that reboot, and the Pixel 7 Pro builds on Google’s flagship and shows that, finally, the company is figuring out how to do this properly.
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Google Meet appears to be on its way to TVs, with an official app showing up on Samsung Smart TVs ahead of a formal launch.
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Rolling out now in the US and other regions, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 are finally eligible for Samsung’s Android 13 beta program.
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