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
We’re still a few weeks away from the debut of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4, but rumors are already coming out around the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5, and Samsung’s lofty goals for the series.
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Google Assistant smart speakers often only serve a couple of key purposes – to accept commands and play music. With Xiaomi’s new Google Assistant smart speaker, you also get the power to control your TV and other electronics through an IR transmitter.
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Google Stadia this week picked up a handful of new games, including the incredibly delightful Time on Frog Island.
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Google has confirmed there’s an indexing issue hitting Search, causing many websites to have their new articles and pages left out of the public eye for the past several hours.
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Samsung is set to unveil the Galaxy Z Flip 4 within the next few weeks, and to date we’ve learned a lot about what the device will have to offer. Now, we’re getting a closer look at one of the only design changes the Galaxy Z Flip 4 will bring, its frame.
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It’s unfortunately pretty hard to find a good case for Google’s Pixel 6 series, but one of our favorites, Pela, is expanding its collection as it also prepares for the mid-range Google Pixel 6a.
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Over the past week or so, recent Android Auto updates seem to have tweaked how wireless support, specifically with Wi-Fi networks, works for some users. Here’s what seems to be going on.
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Since permissions were added to Android as a platform, the Google Play Store has shown a list of all potential permissions that an app could use before installing that app. Now, the Play Store has removed that list.
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The Google Play Store has been cracking down on its billing policies over the past couple of years, and some major apps have complied with the new rules. In South Korea, though, Google had resorted to blocking updates to the popular messaging app Kakaotalk, as the app was refusing to comply with billing rules. Now, though, Kakaotalk has agreed to Google’s terms.
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After less than two years, Samsung says that its SmartThings Find network has amassed over 200 million “nodes” for helping you find lost devices and Galaxy SmartTags.
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Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 is probably only a month away, and a fresh leak is giving us a better idea of what to expect from the storage, as well as revealing a “Burgundy Red” color option.
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The Nothing Phone (1) launched this week to mostly positive initial reactions, but it was also slightly shadowed by the “DearNothing” controversy in India. If you’re out of the loop, here’s what happened.
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The Galaxy S22 series has been on the market for almost six months at this point, but it remains one of the best Android phones around. Now, it seems the Galaxy S22 is set to launch in a new “Bora Purple” color variant.
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Android 13 is following a different schedule compared to last year’s major update, and that resulted in the first Android 13 beta being released two weeks before its usual Google I/O debut. If you’re a Google Pixel owner, here’s how to install the Android 13 beta.
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Last week we got a first look at Android’s one remaining small flagship, the Asus Zenfone 9, and now we have a release date for that device.
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Emoji have become a part of our modern language, and it’s a big deal when new options are added to the catalog. With Unicode 15, the next batch of emoji may finally bring a proper “high-five” emoji, alongside other options.
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The next generation of Wear OS smartwatches will need a new chip to go alongside it, and it seems that Qualcomm is readying its next release. In a brief teaser, Qualcomm says the next Snapdragon chip for smartwatches is “coming soon.”
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Motorola skipped a foldable release last year, but there has been plenty of evidence of a new model coming this year. This week, the next Motorola Razr was officially shown off in China, confirming exactly what’s in the pipeline.
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Earlier this year Google signed a temporary deal with Match Group, the company that owns the popular dating app Tinder, which would allow the group’s apps to use third-party billing during a lawsuit. Now, Google has issued a counterclaim against Match, saying that the group wants to use the Play Store and its services “all for free.”
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Google Stadia has had a handful of timed exclusives over its time, but only a few that never expanded to other platforms. Today, Google Stadia’s exclusive game Outcasters is finally going free to play for everyone.
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Following its reveal at Google I/O, there’s a fair bit of excitement around the Google Pixel 6a, as it’s the biggest upgrade Google’s budget smartphone has ever seen. But with the regular Pixel 6 discounted to $499 thanks to Amazon’s festivities, there’s absolutely no reason to keep waiting.
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The Galaxy Watch 4 series has been beta testing its next “major” update for a few weeks now, and this week, Samsung is confirming when One UI 4.5 will be available to everyone.
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The arrival of the Chromecast with Google TV two years ago made it clear that older Chromecast devices are on their way out. But now – as if to put the final nail in the coffin – older Chromecasts no longer support watching YouTube videos while signed in.
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Foldable smartphones still feel futuristic despite having carved out a slice of the market, but they’re not the only new form factor out there. Like some other brands, LG had a rolling screen in development that was supposed to release as the “LG Rollable” before the company shuttered its mobile division, and now we’re finally getting a look at the device in action.
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