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
Google Stadia picked up a new title unexpectedly last night, with Hot Wheels Unleashed now available on the cloud gaming platform.
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Google’s Pixel surprises just can’t seem to stay hidden this week. Following a US leak on Amazon, the online retailer has yet again posted the Pixel 7 early, this time confirming the price of the device in Europe.
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The Pixel Watch is a product that’s been anticipated and hyped up for years, and it’s finally hitting the market in just a week. But what’s the most important element of the Pixel Watch? According to 9to5Google readers, there’s a pretty clear priority for what Google needs to get right with the Pixel Watch.
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While Samsung has moved on to Wear OS for its smartwatch needs, the company isn’t done with Tizen wearables just yet. The Galaxy Watch 3 is now getting an update with new watch faces and health improvements.
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Samsung’s 2023 flagship phones have started leaking out, with a new set of CAD-based renders today showing off the design of the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
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The Google Phone app that handles calls and the dialer for Pixel phones appears to be testing a redesigned in-call UI that has a sort of “bottom bar” interface.
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We’re barely a week away from the launch of Google’s Pixel 7 series, and a new set of official-looking renders gives us a better look at the Pixel 7 in multiple colors, from both the front and the back.
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The Galaxy S23 series is just a few months away, and ahead of its launch, a new leak is giving us our first look at the design of Samsung’s flagship.
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Google’s Pixel 7 launch is barely a week away, and we’re quickly learning some of the last remaining details about Google’s upcoming smartphones. This week, Amazon briefly opened up the list for the Pixel 7, confirming the price, hinting at the actual release date, and giving us a fresh look at the hardware.
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One of the biggest evolutions to Material You in Android 13 is support for themed icons in third-party apps, a function that’s quickly expanding to more and more apps as of late. Now, Android 13 on Samsung devices also supports themed icons, but it turns out a lot of Google apps are still missing support.
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The Pixel Watch is a product that’s been developed for years, and is finally set to arrive in just a week. But as we approach the long-awaited arrival, new details give cause for hesitation. Recently, teaser videos posted by Google are raising questions around the thickness of the screen bezels on the Pixel Watch.
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With the rise of cloud gaming has come a new focus on game controllers for smartphones, and there have been some unique ideas. From cooling fans to compact sizes, there’s something for everyone. For the Xbox Game Pass player, the Moga XP7-X Plus might just be the ultimate gaming controller, but one element leaves it behind.
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Android 13 hit Pixel phones in August and has since rolled out to some devices from OnePlus and Oppo, as well as Samsung devices through a beta program. Now, Samsung is bringing Android 13, in beta, to the Galaxy A52 in its first expansion past flagships.
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Android Auto has been waiting on a redesign for the past several months, but it seems that Google’s timeline on the update has slipped.
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Storage has been by far the biggest problem around Google’s Android-powered Chromecast, but the new Chromecast with Google TV (HD) actually unlocks a little bit more storage compared to the prior model.
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Google Wallet is a pretty simple and straightforward way to manage mobile payments and other cards, but over the past few days, the app has randomly stopped working for some users with a notice claiming that “your device doesn’t meet security requirements,” falsely claiming that devices are rooted.
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Google’s Android Auto has a redesign incoming, and a new behind-the-scenes change of that forthcoming interface shows off a handy widget that “Coolwalk” will provide to Spotify, and probably other music apps too.
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Google Stadia added several new games this week for the first time in a while, as the platform has also added a new “Retro” section and picked up some new hardware.
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Samsung has been rolling out Android 13 in beta to some devices over the past month, but it seems the company has plans to launch the update for all users by the end of the year on these select devices.
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Android Auto has become a standard part of brand new cars, but it’s something that older vehicles lack. Adding it can be complicated and can cost hundreds of dollars. But, did you know that you can actually add an Android Auto unit to any car in seconds for an affordable cost? Here’s how.
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The traditional Chromecast is dead, now replaced with Google TV. However, the new Chromecast with Google TV (HD) lacks one feature from the previous generation – support for being powered by your TV directly.
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This week the Framework Chromebook was announced as the first modular ChromeOS laptop. The ideas behind Framework are ambitious, to say the least, but how will this Chromebook version differ from the Windows option, and what about modules? In a Q&A on Hacker News, Framework’s founder has answered some of the community’s biggest questions around this new device.
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Carl Pei’s Nothing hit the scene with its Ear (1) earbuds last year, and has since debuted its first Android smartphone. Now, the company has officially confirmed a new pair of earbuds set to arrive later this year, the Nothing Ear (Stick).
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Google is set to finally launch its own Android tablet next year, and this week a fresh leak reveals more details about the Pixel tablet, including its display size.
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