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
A good controller can really upgrade the gaming experience on Android, especially with the help of cloud gaming services such as Stadia and Xbox Game Pass. Now, one of the best controllers is getting an upgrade, as the Razer Kishi V2 is available today for $99.
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Samsung’s foldable smartphones are premium devices, and it seems the next generation will be doubling down on that with more storage. According to a new report, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 will double their storage offerings.
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YouTube is one of the biggest places to find entertainment and information online, but like everything else, it doesn’t come free. Ads are the backbone of YouTube, but many have noted over the years that the platform’s advertising has become more and more unsavory. Now, YouTube ads have picked up a vocal critic in Elon Musk, who apparently doesn’t bother to pay to avoid them entirely.
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Apple’s ecosystem is famously fairly locked down, but things have improved a lot over the past few years. With the upcoming release of iOS 16, Apple appears to be working towards better support for Chromecast and other casting standards in apps.
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The Galaxy S10 series launched in 2019, but was just outside of the window for Samsung’s expanded update schedule. Now, the last of the Galaxy S10 series, the 5G model, is moving to a slower update schedule.
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Last week we reported that Android Auto for Phone Screens is set to die off in the very near future, leaving Google Assistant Driving Mode as the only path forward for Android users looking for a car-friendly user interface. While Google often kills products in a way that’s necessary to build something better, it’s pretty hard to see that argument this time around.
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One of the most useful features of Google Photos, face grouping, has landed the company in hot water in the State of Illinois, where a settlement will see Google paying out $100 million.
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YouTube TV subscribers finally got access to The Weather Channel in recent weeks, but without some localized features of the network. Now, The Weather Channel is adding support for local updates for users that subscribe to YouTube TV, and we can show you how to set it up.
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Launched early this year, the Motorola MA1 is the device that brought the idea of a wireless Android Auto adapter to the mainstream market, despite it not being the first. In the time since, the Motorola MA1 has also quietly expanded sales to Best Buy.
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Not too long after the prior version, Google has started rolling out Android Auto 7.8 to some users while also doing some new tests with its beta group for the app.
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While nothing like the tremendous number of leaks we saw around the Pixel 3 and Pixel 4 a few years back, there’s been a tremendous number of early Pixel units out in the wild lately. Just a few days after the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro were attempted to be sold online, now someone’s also trying to sell a Pixel 6a ahead of its official launch.
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Google Stadia saw a few new titles arrive as a part of June 2022’s Pro lineup, but it also saw the rough news that Madden NFL 23 won’t be coming to the platform, the latest in a line of sequels that haven’t stuck around on the platform.
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For years now, collectible company Dead Zebra has been producing Android figures, and the first batch of 2022 is the “Android @ Work” series. The absolute star of the show this year, though, is an adorable miniature Pixelbook on one of the figures.
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The Fitbit app does a great job of helping you manage everything from activity to food intake, but there’s currently a bug that’s tallying data incorrectly. Right now, the Fitbit app is showing daily nutrients intake with wildly exaggerated totals.
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Samsung’s popular Galaxy Z Flip is apparently set to see some big improvements with its next release. According to a reliable tipster, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 will follow the path of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 in slimming down its display crease and using a new hinge.
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Android Auto is an excellent platform, but as it’s evolved, it’s also removed some of its features. Over the past week, it’s become clear that Google is ready to say goodbye to the Android Auto for Phone Screens experience in its entirety.
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The Galaxy Note went pretty much unrivaled during its lifetime, being one of the only stylus-equipped smartphones on the market. But in the past few years, there’s been a rise of budget phones with the iconic feature. Today, TCL is joining that ring, with the TCL Stylus 5G.
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We still don’t know a ton about Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5, but there’s plenty of room for improvements over last year’s Galaxy Watch 4. It doesn’t seem, though, that we’ll see much of a difference with the Galaxy Watch 5 charger.
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eSIM support has been expanding for a few years now, with Google and Apple at the forefront. This week, Verizon is opening up support for BYOD users to get their service going on Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, and iPhones with an eSIM instead of waiting for physical delivery.
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Today Google announced that the Google TV app is finally available on iOS. Alongside that announcement, the company has also confirmed that the Google TV app on Android is now available in over 100 countries, and will expand even further soon.
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A day ahead of the big launch, Samsung is rolling out the app needed for the Galaxy Watch 4 beta program, but the final step has yet to surface.
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Almost two years after it hit Android, the Google TV app is finally coming to iOS for iPhone and iPad users.
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Yesterday Google officially announced that its Chromecast with Google TV would be expanding to eight new countries in Europe. Now, the Chromecast with Google TV is finally coming, officially, to India, and three other new countries.
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Last month we reported on the rampant abuse of RCS in Google Messages that was flooding users in India with ads, and now, Google is stopping that abuse to address the problem.
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