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
Keeping up its unofficial schedule of releasing roughly one update each month, Samsung has just released another new update for the Galaxy Watch 4 that delivers the May 2022 security patch and more.
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In the midst of its big Elon Musk shakeup, Twitter is still working on new features. This week, Twitter for Android has revealed support for adding both pictures and videos to the same tweet, hints at tweet “awards,” and more.
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While we’re still waiting on some bigger features to arrive, Google has just announced one of the first new additions to its TV platform in quite some time. Google TV’s Live tab is adding “Favorite Channels” for some services.
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The infotainment system in your car isn’t a one-size-fits-all arrangement. There are numerous types of screens and setups in modern cars, and extra-wide displays have become fairly common. Thanks to recent updates, some Hyundai vehicles with widescreen layouts are getting better Android Auto support.
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Earlier this year Fitbit issued a recall on its original smartwatch, the Ionic, over reports of the watch causing skin burns for some owners. Now, a lawsuit is alleging that all Fitbit products are affected by the same defect, which could lead to skin burns.
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Google TV is a great way to stream your favorite shows and movies and keep track of where they are, too. However, there aren’t many pieces of hardware available to use the platform, unless you’re in the market for a new TV. The Mecool KD3 is one of the few valid alternatives to the Chromecast with Google TV, and in our experience using it for the past few weeks, it gets the job done well.
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As it did last year, Google TV is showcasing Star Wars content in celebration of “May the Fourth.”
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NBC’s Peacock is the home of hits such as “The Office” and “Parks & Rec,” but the streaming service has long felt like a chore to use due to its unintuitive app layout. Today, Peacock is sharing a first look at its TV interface redesign, among other announcements.
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In the world of Wear OS, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 offers one of the most complete experiences for health and fitness tracking. Earlier this year, it was expected that the Galaxy Watch 5 would build on that package with body temperature measurements, but it seems that might not work out.
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The Galaxy Z Flip 3 turned out to be a huge success for Samsung’s foldable lineup when it debuted last year, but it came with the sour note of poor battery life. With the Galaxy Z Flip 4, it seems Samsung will address those battery woes with a slightly bigger cell.
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The popular messaging app Telegram is working on a Premium subscription that adds new exclusive reactions and stickers, but is only available on iOS for the time being.
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Google is rolling out a fresh update to Android Auto, bumping the app update to version 7.6 for all Android users.
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We’re finally coming up on the release of a Google-branded smartwatch, with the tsunami of leaks to prove it. It’s been years that we’ve been waiting for this, but 2022 isn’t the first time Google tried to release a smartwatch. Years ago, Google planned to release what we now know as the LG Watch Style and Watch Sport as its first Wear OS “flagships,” as the “Pixel Watch.”
Thank goodness that didn’t work out.
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Google Stadia has a few games on its horizon, but one title that was supposed to arrive in April, Overcooked, has been delayed.
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Google has been cracking down on how Android apps handle payments, and that’s resulted in some big changes. Now, the Hulu app for Android has ditched the ability to make a new account or start a free trial within its app on phones and TVs.
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Google has been pushing Android Automotive as the next big thing for cars, and it’s resulted in some big names such as Ford and Honda signing on. Now, though, Mercedes-Benz is joining the list of carmakers adopting Android Automotive, but the flavor without Google’s input.
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During its Snap Summit event today, Snapchat officially announced a new video drone called “Pixy” that fits in the palm of your hand, as well as a new “Director Mode” that’s headed to Android later this year.
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A VPN, virtual private network, is a great way to instantly improve your online security, but it often comes with a cost and additional downloads. This week, Microsoft has announced that it will add a VPN directly to its Chromium-based Edge browser.
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As TikTok has very clearly taken over the public’s interest, YouTube has been investing heavily in its own version of the short-form video app. YouTube Shorts is widely available at this point and driving billions of views, and now the ads are coming.
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We’ve been waiting over five years now for Google to finally put its name on a smartwatch, to back the Wear OS platform that’s often felt neglected. Now, all signs point to the Pixel Watch making its debut very soon. There’s a lot of excitement, but the Pixel Watch will never live up to the hype.
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Earlier this month Fitbit was granted clearance by the US FDA to passively send notifications when signs of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) were detected by its smartwatches and trackers. Now, Fitbit is officially rolling out Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications to nine of its products, including the Sense and Charge 5.
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According to a new report, the Google Play Store drove an increase in the number of app downloaded during the first quarter of 2022, and to no one’s surprise it was TikTok that led the charge.
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Android has long supported the ability to access certain tools or data from the lockscreen with relative ease, but many have come with the minor annoyance of requiring you to authenticate before actually using those tools. In Android 13, Google is stripping away the need to unlock your phone for lockscreen smart home controls. Here’s how.
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Google radically redesigned Android’s visual language with Android 12, and it seems the company is set to refine that look in Android 13. As a part of the first beta to Android 13, Google has updated the media player notification with a new squiggle look for the track scrubber.
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