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
According to a new report, Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge is falling short of expectations, with sluggish sales and major cuts to production already taking place.
Expand Expanding Close
Meta has just announced its new Oakley smart glasses which function much like existing Ray-Ban models at their core, but have a few key upgrades, including better battery life and video quality.
Expand Expanding Close
Samsung often builds its own alternatives to Google services, and it turns out that the company is building its own version of Android’s earthquake alerts system, and it has some options Google should perhaps consider.
Expand Expanding Close
The rise of MVNOs has made it possible for some interesting names to power your mobile phone service. Google, Ryan Reynolds, and… others, have all been attached to their own mobile phone carriers. Now, Klarna is joining the ring with its own $40/month plans – and yes, that’s the “buy now pay later” people.
Expand Expanding Close
Wyze continues to put out very clever and affordable smart home devices and cameras, but a sour note on the company for years has been a security incident that allowed your camera’s feed to be viewed by others. With its new “VerfiedView” security, Wyze promises that can’t happen anymore.
Expand Expanding Close
After a bunch of teasers, Nothing has offered a first look at the new “Glyph Matrix” lights on the back of Nothing Phone (3), while also disproving a recent leaked design.
Expand Expanding Close
OnePlus has been making some of the best full-size Android tablets on the market as of late, and now a rumor suggests that the company is planning on making its own 8-inch Android tablet for gamers.
Expand Expanding Close
According to a new report, Google’s switch from Samsung’s foundry to TSMC for the Tensor G5 chip in the upcoming Pixel 10 series was a “shock” for Samsung, and is serving as a wake-up call for the company’s foundry efforts.
Expand Expanding Close
According to a reliable leaker, Samsung’s next Unpacked event for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7, and Galaxy Watch 8 series will take place on July 9.
Expand Expanding Close
NFC is an increasingly useful technology in the modern world, and now it’s getting a range boost as the standard will now operate at 2cm away, nearly four times the previous requirement in a change aimed at improving the reliability of actions such as tap to pay.
Expand Expanding Close
YouTube continues its war on ad blockers, recently showing a notice that confirms videos are slightly slowed down for ad blocker users, while the platform is preparing for longer ad formats.
Expand Expanding Close
Adobe this week announced “Project Indigo,” a new camera app that was built by the brains behind the Pixel camera, but it’s not on Android just yet.
Expand Expanding Close
Split-screen multitasking has been a part of Android for years, but new form factors have led to some brands coming up with unique ways to build on that idea. With its new “Atomic Workbench,” Vivo wants to let you use up to five Android apps at once on its new foldable.
Expand Expanding Close
Meta is expanding its smart glasses lineup not with the futuristic “Orion” just yet, but with Oakley joining Ray-Ban later this week with new glasses.
Expand Expanding Close
The Nothing Phone (3) will be getting the longest support timeline of any Nothing Phone thus far, but it still lags just a bit behind the rest of the industry in terms of Android updates.
Expand Expanding Close
After its Android revival didn’t work out so well, many thought BlackBerry was gone for good, but a new project breathes new life into old hardware by replacing the internals and installing a new version of Android.
Expand Expanding Close
The Lenovo Legion Tab is perhaps the best iPad Mini alternative available to Android users, and now its biggest discount is back.
Expand Expanding Close
According to a new report out of Korea, Samsung is planning to launch its first Android XR headset in September, with the actual release date beginning in October.
Expand Expanding Close
Nothing’s Essential Space feature is a clever use of AI, but a potential price point spotted for the feature suggested that it would be anything but cheap in the long run. In a new video, though, Nothing says that, at least in its current form, Essential Space won’t come with a price tag.
Expand Expanding Close
It’s been relatively clear through recent leaks that Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 Classic will only be offering a single size option, but now another reliable source is pretty much cementing that as fact.
Expand Expanding Close
Philips Hue is launching a new “Wall Washer” light that is designed to fill a wall with light, and it’s arriving ahead of support for AI-powered scene generation.
Expand Expanding Close
Following its latest price hike early this year, YouTube TV is now showing an option to get a $10 monthly discount, but it’s a bit buried.
Expand Expanding Close
Google is preparing a new feature for its native car OS, Android Automotive, called “AppCards,” which functions similarly to Apple’s Live Activities.
Expand Expanding Close
In its continued “Best Phones Forever” series, Google pokes a bit of fun at how many iOS 26 features are “inspired” by Pixel, while also teasing the Pixel 10.
Expand Expanding Close