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
Android 13 has been available for over a week on Pixel phones, and it’s already in beta on devices from Samsung, OnePlus, and more. Now, we’re getting a timeline for Android 13 on the Nothing Phone (1), but it’s not exactly around the corner.
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The Chromecast with Google TV launched to mostly positive feedback, but the product has since been hit by performance and, even more so, storage problems. Now, a new update is working to address both of these concerns.
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Our Google accounts can, in many cases, be the pillar of our digital lives. One account holds our email, our photos, our documents, and perhaps even the login to other accounts around the web. It’s for that reason that one parent has been living through a terrible situation after Google locked him out of his account, suspecting child abuse due to photos of the parent’s son that were taken to get medical help.
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Google Stadia is picking up another new title from the Jackbox catalog, with the latest edition of the game, Jackbox Party Pack 9, confirmed to arrive on the platform.
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The Nothing Phone 1 launched not long ago with a unique design and OnePlus cofounder Carl Pei at the helm. While the Nothing Phone 1 is set to get three years of Android updates, it’s not clear when Android 13 will arrive, and Carl Pei isn’t exactly forthcoming with a timeline.
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Google Stadia has gone another week without new games, but the platform did officially announce a few new features for streaming, among other news around the platform.
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Sleep tracking is something most of us usually do with a smartwatch or a fitness tracker, but the clever app Sleep as Android preceded all of that by using phone sensors to help offer a picture of your sleep quality. Now, Sleep as Android has been confirmed to offer support for Google’s Health Connect app.
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Wireless charging has been a standard feature of flagship Pixel phones since 2018’s Pixel 3 series, but it seems that the most recent upgrade has partially broken the feature. According to some Pixel owners, wireless charging is broken following the Android 13 upgrade.
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YouTube Shorts has been quickly picked up popularity, and now the short-form video app is picking up another idea from TikTok, watermarks on downloaded videos.
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Foldable smartphones still feel like a brand new idea, but in reality, Samsung is now on its fourth generation of the form factor. Foldables are still far from perfect, yet each new release inches closer to solving the biggest issues. With the Galaxy Z Flip 4, Samsung has debuted a foldable that’s really ready for most buyers, mainly thanks to solving the most glaring issue.
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Truly, wireless earbuds are usually best used for music, but they can also make phone calls a whole lot more convenient. Usually, though, that comes with a drop in voice quality. In a new microphone test, Pixel Buds Pro competes with the king of the hill, AirPods Pro, along with Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds 2 Pro – and Google holds up surprisingly well.
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Issues with Android Auto are unfortunately relatively common, and for the better part of a year the platform has been fighting back on a problem with the Galaxy S22. Now, Google says it should be fixed.
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Cloud gaming is a wonderful way to get high-quality games without expensive hardware because, more and more, it’s something that you can access with nothing more than a browser. Now, Nvidia GeForce Now is rolling out support for 1440p streaming through your browser, but with a slight catch.
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The OnePlus 10T left a decent first impression with us earlier this month, but it was a phone that was a questionable upgrade from the OnePlus 10 Pro. Now we’re learning that, like the OnePlus 10 Pro, the durability of the OnePlus 10T is not exactly at the top of the class.
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Google TV is all about recommendations, and today the platform is rolling out a new homescreen section with picks from actress Kerry Washington.
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The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is Samsung’s new flagship wearable, but it’s a chunky smartwatch compared to the standard model. However, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is physically bigger than Samsung claims that it is, but that’s not necessarily for the worst.
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Android 13 may have just released a couple of days ago for Pixel smartphones, but it seems it won’t be too long before other brands launch the update. Today, Xiaomi has launched its Android 13 beta.
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Samsung recently unveiled its fourth generation of foldable smartphones in the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 – here are some of the biggest questions around the two devices.
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If you woke up this morning to a weird “test” notification from Airbnb, you’re not alone…
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The Galaxy Z Flip 3 was an excellent device, but its sequel is even better. That’s why it was exciting for Flip 3 owners to get the chance to upgrade for the Galaxy Z Flip 4 for minimal cost thanks to excellent trade-in value, but that deal seems to have been cut short.
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Google released Android 13 today for Pixel devices, and it’s rolling out now to devices. However, for Pixel 6 series owners, Android 13 is essentially a permanent upgrade, as there’s no way to roll back to Android 12.
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Fitbit services are seeing a partial outage this morning, as many users have reported issues with syncing devices over the past several hours.
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Google products are generally well-equipped when it comes to accessibility tools, but Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are now picking up an enhancement to their existing tools.
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Google dropped Android 13 yesterday for Pixel owners, but it seems that some Pixel owners aren’t seeing the update delivered properly. Instead, there’s a growing number of reports of Pixel owners seeing an Android 12 “update” sent to their device.
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