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
Alongside its new audio-only and Ray-Ban smart glasses, Meta today also unveiled new “VR Glasses” which take the experience of a Quest into a far slimmer form factor with an external processing puck.
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Meta today introduced its new Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) smart glasses with a slimmer design and longer battery life alongside a new audio-only lineup, and a new $250 entry-level release.
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Microsoft is rolling out refreshes to its smaller Surface Laptop and Surface Pro machines powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Plus starting at a price of $1,149.
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Google Maps is rolling out a new update on Android Auto that makes it easier to know what to expect at your next turn, with a visual indicator to show upcoming traffic lights or stop signs.
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Google TV has always been a destination for finding content, and now there’s a ton more with the addition of free channels available directly on the homescreen. Here’s everything that’s available.
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Yet another price hike is imminent for Disney+ and Hulu, with the new plans going up by around $2 per month.
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Xiaomi has just launched its new Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max in China with flagship specs, massive batteries, and a pair of 200MP cameras too.
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Following a tease at Snapdragon Summit, Motorola has confirmed that its Signature 27 flagship is officially coming to North American markets, but with a bit of a wait.
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Anthropic and OpenAI are both launching new model updates today, with Claude Opus 5.5 and GPT-6 Sol & Luna both being announced within roughly an hour of each other.
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Alongside Qualcomm’s latest announcements, Motorola has officially shown off the Motorola Signature 27, a true flagship offering that’s set to launch before the end of this year.
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There’s been a near-constant stream of backlash against Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses in recent months, but that hasn’t stopped people from buying them, as a new report reveals that shipments have grown by over 250%.
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Google is graduating game support on Android Auto from a limited beta to broad availability, allowing developers to bring games to your car’s display.
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Oppo has just held its launch of the Find X10 series in its home region of China, with a global launch to come for the new devices.
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Samsung appears to be delaying the rollout of its Android 17 update, at least slightly, with pushback in some regions.
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Months after it arrived on iPhone, Adobe Premiere’s mobile version is now available on Android devices with layered video editing, templates, foldable optimization, and more.
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Apple’s iPhone Duo may not have reinvented the Android foldable, but it certainly did put a polish on a number of things. Inlcuded in that list is stylus support on the iPhone Duo, something that was more complicated behind-the-scenes than it initially sounded like, and an effort that Samsung should probably take note of.
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Following a mediocre teaser back in May, Googlebook is officially here and, well, I’m still pretty skeptical. I’m not sure I see Google’s vision of this new lineup or laptops because, frankly, I’m not solving any of the problems Chromebooks already faced.
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Xiaomi has confirmed support for the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Privacy Display on the upcoming Xiaomi 18 Pro, and it apparently does a lot more than Samsung’s implementation of the feature.
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The initial batch of Googlebook laptops that debuted earlier today use either Intel or Qualcomm chipsets, but MediaTek has confirmed it will also be backing the platform with the debut of its flagship laptop chip, the Dimensity CX C10 Max, which will show up in an incoming Lenovo Googlebook.
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OnePlus has officially revealed the design of the OnePlus 16, a device that’s likely not going to be available to many of the customers who were previously able to buy OnePlus flagships.
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Ahead of more information coming tomorrow, Motorola has teased its wild-looking “Signature 27” phone on social media.
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Smart glasses are such a logical, futuristic step in mobile tech, and it’s one we’re on the cusp of being able to embrace. Yet, there’s a huge hurdle to overcome. For as useful and enjoyable as it is, the camera on smart glasses has become a massive problem, and it’s basically ruined existing smart glasses for me personally.
9to5Google Weekender by Ben Schoon is a part of our free newsletter that also includes ‘Inbox,’ a twice-weekly roundup of key stories from around the web by Daniel Bader. Sign up here to get Weekender delivered to your inbox every Sunday along with ‘Inbox’ on Tuesday and Thursday. You can find past issues here.
Following a Wall Street Journal investigation, Google has confirmed that Gemini went rogue in May 2026, accessing the internet and breaching the security of three different companies.
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New images of a Googlebook laptop from Asus have surfaced, showing off of selection of ports and a big ol’ trackpad.
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