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 is rolling out another update for its latest Wear OS smartwatches, but there’s not much new. The Galaxy Watch 5 series is getting its October 2022 update but only on select models so far.
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With the launch of the Pixel 7, Google made it clear that it had a vision to make devices in its own hardware family work better together. Now, a new report claims that Google is planning to “double down” on Pixel phones and its own hardware, betting on its own success over partners.
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The first product from Carl Pei’s Nothing was the Ear (1), a pair of truly wireless earbuds that garnered fairly high praise from critics and users alike. But now, Nothing Ear (1) is getting a major price hike, now costing $149.
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After adding support for Kids Profiles last year, Google TV is expanding the ability for parents to control what their kids are watching.
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Google’s new Nest cameras are set to get some major software upgrades in the coming months, but a firmware update seems to be causing night vision issues now for some users.
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It seems Google is finally set to bring Chromecast devices a bit closer to Android itself. With Android 13, Google appears to be preparing support for Chromecast devices to be a native part of the system audio switcher.
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Chromecast with Google TV is finally set to get an Android 12 update, and the new Chromecast (HD) gives us an early look at what the platform will bring to Google’s big-screen experience. Here’s everything new in Android 12 for Google TV on Chromecast.
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Wear OS 3 is finally heading to users, as the platform’s reboot is now rolling out to Fossil Gen 6 smartwatches. Unfortunately, the update also removes Google Fit from Fossil’s smartwatches.
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Google’s new Pixel 7 series brings back support for face unlock, but it comes with a slight compromise as it only works for unlocking the phone, not opening secure apps. But that hiccup is also leading to Google Pay transactions being declined when using the Pixel 7 unexpectedly.
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The Pixel Watch uses a proprietary system for its bands which requires you to purchase bands from Google or its partners, at least for now. But on launch day, many Pixel Watch bands are delayed heavily or out of stock.
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The Google Pixel Watch ships with a clever connector for its bands, but the unique connector means third-party bands don’t work. At least, not officially. But Google’s “Crafted Leather” band actually opens up support for using a third-party 20mm band on the Pixel Watch.
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The Pixel Watch leans heavily on Fitbit to be an appealing smartwatch and fitness device, but if you only want the former, there’s one annoying little quirk. You can’t turn off the heart rate sensor on the Pixel Watch.
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There’s been a lot of confusion over the past couple of days regarding wireless charging support on the Pixel Watch, and Google is finally setting the record straight. Outside of the official charger, the Pixel Watch can’t actually charge on anything else.
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Google’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are important phones for a few reasons, but one of the biggest is how they support apps. As it turns out, the Pixel 7 series delivers the first Android phones that block support for apps that aren’t 64-bit. What does that mean for you? Let’s discuss.
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The Pixel Watch is finally here, and it’s a polarizing release in more ways than one. For some users, the biggest issue seems to be with battery life, especially as the always-on display on Google’s smartwatch will quickly drain the battery. Do you use the always-on display?
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The first Pixel 7 deliveries are arriving this week, and as usual, some early issues are being noted by fans. Over the past day, quite a few reports have come out regarding the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro having some minor scrolling issues.
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After detailing the One UI 5 update yesterday, Samsung has expanded its Android 13 beta program to several more devices, including the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Flip 3, and more. But there are some strange omissions.
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Android 13 is on its way to Galaxy devices – Samsung has just announced One UI 5 and shown off its final look for the first time.
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The Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are now widely available and shipping to early customers, but there’s a new bonus for iPhone users looking to switch as Google has boosted trade-in values.
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Nvidia GeForce Now is picking up wider support for streaming games from the cloud in higher resolution. Starting this week, GeForce Now supports 1600p and 120fps gameplay through any Chrome browser.
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We’ve been pretty pleased with Google’s new Pixel 7 Pro as we outlined in our initial review yesterday, but as the phone goes on sale, a new report claims that the display on Google’s new flagship is a bit power hungry.
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Wear OS 3 first launched in mid-2021 on Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 series, and now, well over a year later, the platform is finally starting to expand to older hardware. Fossil has confirmed that its Wear OS 3 upgrade is just around the corner, and launched its very first smartwatch running the platform in its new Gen 6 “Wellness” Edition.
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The Google Pixel Watch has officially arrived, and retail units are starting to arrive today for early buyers. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on a Pixel Watch today, you’ll have a software update waiting out of the box.
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The Google Pixel Watch and Pixel 7 series are shipping this week to eager customers, and our initial reviews are now out. But what questions do you have left? Let’s talk!
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