Ben Schoon is a Senior Editor at NewGeekGuide, 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 NewGeekGuide 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
Nothing has just announced its first Android 16 beta, with Phone (3) users able to test out Nothing OS 4.0 ahead of its release starting in the next couple of weeks.
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Samsung’s One UI 8 update is likely launching to the masses in the next few weeks, with the latest Galaxy S25 beta release now rolling out with fixes in tow.
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The Google Photos editing suite is often evolving, but for many users, the perspective correction tool has recently vanished.
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If you’re having trouble controlling lights via Google Home and voice commands, you’re not alone, as Google has acknowledged some issues regarding this functionality and is working to roll out a fix.
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Walmart’s Onn 4K Plus was already the most affordable and best value in Google TV hardware, and now the retailer is throwing in a few months of Apple TV+ for free with the device.
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Through evidence spotted in the latest Android Canary release, it looks like Google is preparing a new Pixel feature that would let users theme their homescreen icons using AI as well as their own custom styles.
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According to a new report, Google Pixel has settled into a #4 slot in the US smartphone market ahead of the Pixel 10 launch, though growth has cooled off a bit.
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Pixel 6a owners are feeling the effects of the recent battery reduction update from Google, and while the phone is technically still usable on that update, users should still take action soon to fix their device, whether that means getting the battery replaced or getting a new phone altogether.
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Google has confirmed that its Android Earthquake Alerts system experienced issues in the wake of the 2023 earthquake that rocked Turkey and nearby regions.
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It’s no secret at this point that the Pixel 10 series is not going to be a massive upgrade, but with that in mind, leaks point towards it being perhaps the best kind of subtle upgrade. Here’s why.
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Samsung is apparently removing the option to unlock your bootloader from Galaxy devices with its One UI 8 update, at least in places where that was still available.
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Samsung has delivered a revamped DeX experience in One UI 8 based on Android 16’s new desktop mode and, while most functionality is there, you might find some little tidbits that are different.
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In a new interview, Samsung’s Won-Joon Choi has commented on how Samsung will stay ahead when Apple releases its first foldable, as well as discussing…
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The idea of a foldable phone, still, several years in, feels like a novel one. As new releases have hit the market, they’ve continually improved and addressed some of the biggest complaints. That’s all led to today, where the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is not only a massive improvement over what came before, but also just flat out the best foldable phone that most people can buy today, begging the question of whether or not the Fold 7 is enough to make you want to buy a foldable.
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The “Pebble” name is officially back, as the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 smartwatches that were going to act as a reboot for the experience are now officially called the Pebble 2 Duo and Pebble Time 2*.
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The latest update to the Universal Profile (v3.1) behind RCS brings support for improved audio quality in voice messages and other media.
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The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is remarkably thin and, as it turns out, Samsung may have undersold it as the device is actually 8.82mm thick in a recent measurement of foldables, where Honor’s “world’s slimmest” device was thicker than expected.
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Following new details about its charger leaking earlier today, official-looking renders of the Pixel Watch 4 have now landed, showing off the new colors and slim display bezels on Google’s new smartwatches.
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Samsung hasn’t upgraded the battery size or charging speed of its Galaxy S Ultra flagship since 2020’s Galaxy S20 Ultra, but it seems the Galaxy S26 Ultra is finally about to change that with a 5,500 mAh battery and 65W charging speeds, though leakers disagree on the matter.
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Google Assistant has, especially in the context of the smart home, been crumbling over the past couple of years. In a post this evening, Google’s lead for Home and Nest has acknowledged Assistant issues while also teasing “major improvements” coming later this year.
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While many devices strive to be thinner and lighter than their predecessors, Google’s upcoming Pixel 10 series is thicker and heavier across the board, adding more credence to the idea that these devices will have Qi2 magnets inside in line with recent teases.
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Google Search has been going all-in on AI over the past few years, but it seems like that’s not really benefitting anyone but the user as a new study shows that searches with AI Overviews are more likely to see fewer clicked links out of Google, and also fewer further searches within Google.
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Hidden behind the scenes in the Play Store, Google is preparing for the Pixel 10 launch with a family photo of the whole series that has just leaked out.
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An Android Auto and CarPlay wireless adapter in one is a product that has obvious utility, but we’ve been waiting a long time for AAWireless to deliver it. While tha’ts on the horizon, the original AAWireless has just made an unexpected return.
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