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
Samsung is launching its new Galaxy Tab S10 Lite as a “value-packed” new, more affordable tablet, but the company won’t say what it actually costs.
Expand Expanding Close
Leaks from Philips Hue itself as well as other sources have revealed that the new Hue Bridge Pro will support more devices and convert bulbs into motion sensors, and now we know how much that might cost as the latest leak reveals the price and a release date.
Expand Expanding Close
A new report has revealed the potential cost and apparent release date of Samsung’s upcoming Android XR headset, and while it’s right around the corner, the headset won’t be cheap by any means.
Expand Expanding Close
Wyze is launching its first-ever camera that supports 4K video recording in the Wyze Cam Pan V4, available startting today for just shy of $60.
Expand Expanding Close
Over the past few weeks, Google has been rolling out various improvements to how the Home app works with Nest Cam products, and the company is now detailing everything new.
Expand Expanding Close
Starting in September, Samsung will be rolling out new software updates to its various appliances which includes One UI unification and new features such as Now Brief.
Expand Expanding Close
Quick Share is AirDrop for Android in many ways, but one surprising omission has been the lack of any cross-compatibility with iPhone. New evidence shows that Google might be moving towards an account-based solution for this.
Expand Expanding Close
Google is apparently planning a shakeup for its smart home hardware efforts centered around – you guess it – Gemini, with a new “Google Home Premium” subscription reportedly taking the place of Nest Aware.
Expand Expanding Close
Google is rolling out a new Android Auto update, v15.1, in beta this week which hints at the ability for Gemini to leverage your car’s “precise” location in order to better improve navigation.
Expand Expanding Close
Google’s Nest hardware suite hasn’t seen a refresh in four years now, but the company is now gearing up for a new launch this year which includes better video quality, support for digital zoom, and some striking hardware updates.
Expand Expanding Close
Philips Hue bulbs are some of the best smart lights you can buy, but they’re also pretty pricey. Soon, it seems Philips Hue “Essential” will be added to the lineup and potentially at a much lower price point.
Expand Expanding Close
One of the big new announcements coming out of Google’s Pixel 10 launch this week was that the Fitbit app is about to get a massive redesign and, after spending some time playing around with it and getting an overview of all of the new features, I think Google is putting together something that’s going to be incredibly helpful, but bordering on information overload.
Expand Expanding Close
The Google TV app is rolling out a new update on Android that delivers a Material 3 Expressive redesign that also causes some problems for the phone-based remote.
Expand Expanding Close
Google’s Pixel 10 series finally brings proper support for Qi2 with magnets, but with the caveat that the latest version and its 25W charging is only available on the Pixel 10 Pro XL. Now, we’re seeing which Qi2 version the rest of the Pixel 10 lineup supports, and it’s unexpected.
Expand Expanding Close
One of the biggest stories around the Pixel 10 series is the arrival of “Pixelsnap,” Google’s branding for the introduction of Qi2 and magnets built into the phone, and it’s brought a host of new magnetic accessories to the Google Store including a 2-in-1 dock.
Expand Expanding Close
One of the long-awaited changes with the Pixel Watch 4 is that, finally, the smartwatch can actually be repaired. In an interview, Google details how that was made possible, and is also teasing that more third-party chargers are in the pipeline.
Expand Expanding Close
Belkin is today launching a new 2-in-1 “UltraCharge” wireless charger that features support for Qi2’s new 25W charging speeds and couldn’t be more perfect for the Pixel 10 series and your other Google accessories.
Expand Expanding Close
Ahead of Samsung’s launch which is supposedly sometime later this year, One UI 8 has revealed some new details about the Galaxy Z TriFold, including the ability to run three full apps at once.
Expand Expanding Close
The PWM refresh rate of your smartphone’s display is something you probably never think about, and that most people probably have no idea even exists. But, for some, that rate can make or break the experience, which is why it’s great to see that, on Pixel 10, Google is adding a “sensitive eyes” setting that boosts the PWM rate for those who need it.
Expand Expanding Close
According to a new report, Google’s upcoming Gemini smart speaker will be coming in four colors, deliver on a long-promised feature, and also unsurprisingly utilitze Gemini Live as well.
Expand Expanding Close
In a wide-ranging interview with Bloomberg, Google says to expect refreshes to the design of Pixel phones every few years, while reiterating that a flip phone is not coming, and that its tablet ambitions are “paused.”
Expand Expanding Close
With its new Pixel 10 series, Google is removing support for reverse wireless charging – branded as “Battery Share” – in favor of Qi2 magnetic charging.
Expand Expanding Close
Best Buy is one-upping Google’s own Pixel 10 pre-order promos with some users eligible to upgrade essentially for free. Here’s how it works.
Expand Expanding Close
Under the hood of the Pixel 10 series, Google has finally upgraded its storage to UFS 4.0, but you have to buy the right model to actually get it.
Expand Expanding Close