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
If you grew up in the Windows XP era, than you probably spent hours playing its iconic free game, “3D Pinball Space Cadet.” Now, “Space Cadet” pinball has been ported to Android, and it’s completely free.
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Motorola has confirmed a delayed Razr (2025) launch at Verizon carriers while rumors swirl.
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After showing up at random for the past few weeks, Walmart has unceremoniously released the Onn 4K Plus, its $30 Google TV streaming device that acts as a perfect Chromecast replacement.
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The iconic Alert Slider is dead, and OnePlus is now replacing it with the “Plus Key” and it all looks pretty familiar.
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Motorola has just announced pricing for its new smartwatch, the Moto Watch Fit, and it’s not particularly cheap.
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Nomad has just updated its slim USB-C charging brick with much faster 100W speeds, allowing for an easy-to-carry, but still insanely powerful charger.
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According to a new report, Samsung is bringing hinge upgrades to its Galaxy Z Fold 7 and “tri-fold” device, but the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will sit out.
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OnePlus is teasing the upcoming launch of the OnePlus Pad 3 which is said to come with some software updates such as a new Open Canvas upgrade and some form of iOS integration.
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Qualcomm has confirmed that its next big event to launch the second-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite and other new products will be happening in late September, ahead of schedule yet again.
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The “Find My Device” network has suffered from bad branding long enough. That’s why I was glad to see the transition over to “Find Hub” this week, but I think Google still has one more pillar to take care of, and that’s offering better AirTag competitors for Android users.
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An issue with Google Maps as of late has left users without the ability to see alternate routes on the mobile app and car platforms such as Android Auto.
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The Nothing Phone (3) is coming soon and new rumors swirling around the device suggest we’ll get better cameras, a bigger battery, and more.
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Google is rolling out the latest Android Auto update widely, with version 14.3 now available through the Play Store.
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Nothing has just announced that it will be making a pair of over-ear headphones that will launch very soon, and as a fan of the company’s earbuds, I couldn’t be more excited.
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Microsoft is making a big change with its Bing search engine, with the announcement that Bing Search APIs will shut down later this year and AI services being the sole replacement.
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Xiaomi has just announced that it will make its own smartphone chip – the XRING 01 – which will debut in future devices.
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While Lenovo’s Legion Tab sits mostly unchallenged in the small Android tablet space, Redmagic is cooking up a 9-inch tablet with an OLED display that’s already compelling, and a new battery spec makes it even more enticing.
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Sony makes some of the best headphones with active noise cancellation, but a big change to the design in recent years removed the convenient foldable mechanism. With its new WH-1000XM6 release, Sony appears to be bringing back the foldable design alongside other improvements.
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According to a new report, Samsung has plans to implement new battery tech in upcoming devices, but it’s not quite what many are hoping to see.
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During its “Brandcast” this week, YouTube revealed a new strategy to insert ads into videos which will leverage AI to put those ads into the most important parts of a video.
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After launching early this year with Android 14, Lenovo has updated its Legion Tab to Android 15 in recent weeks, but there’s a reason the update went under the radar.
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Walmart has enforced that its Onn lineup of Google TV devices is exclusive to US customers, but the retailer has quietly started expanding the Onn 4K Pro into Canada.
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Lenovo has launched its new Legion Tab in China, revealing its specs and changes, including the return of a microSD card slot.
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A new change in Android Auto is in development, with the buttons for the media player potentially being shuffled around which could impact muscle memory.
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