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
Google has today announced a repair program for the Pixel 9 Pro series around display issues, while also giving the Pixel 9 Pro Fold an extended 3-year warranty.
Expand Expanding Close
A recent report claims that Google is preparing to inject its ever-more-popular Gemini AI tools with advertisements, but Google is adamant that there are “no plans” for ads in Gemini.
Expand Expanding Close
In a somewhat unexpected turn of events, Google’s big Gemini for Home voice assistant update doesn’t just work on Nest devices, but several third-party Google Assistant speakers too!
Expand Expanding Close
Android’s Find Hub network has just one tracker equipped with the UWB capability found in Apple’s AirTag, and now it’s getting a sequel in the just-leaked “Moto Tag 2.”
Expand Expanding Close
Samsung’s latest major Galaxy update, One UI 8.5, has just debuted in beta. While the full rollout won’t take place until sometime in 2026, we can take a look through everything that’s new in this update.
Expand Expanding Close
It continues to be clear that Samsung is fully introducing Qi2 on the Galaxy S26 series, with a new “Magnet Wireless Battery Pack” surfacing on a certification page.
Expand Expanding Close
Google’s Pixel 10 phones, based on the company’s Tensor chips, simply do not have the same raw performance as some other Android flagships. Yet, recent updates to the Pixel 10 series appear to have made some improvements to performance, at least on benchmarking tests.
Expand Expanding Close
Samsung has just launched its One UI 8.5 update in beta after what feels like months of the next big Galaxy update leaking. The beta is available starting on the Galaxy S25 series, and Samsung’s announcement reveals a few features the leaks didn’t spoil.
Expand Expanding Close
Over the past few months, especially, Gemini has taken over everything Google, with Assistant having largely vanished. Yet, in most cases, the biggest upgrade I’ve felt from Gemini is just the lack of Assistant being so awful. But there is one big exception, and that’s with Gemini on Android Auto.
Expand Expanding Close
Chromebooks have been in a really weird place for the past few years, and its future is extremely uncertain. Front and center of it all is the current flagbearer for ChromeOS, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14. After using it for the past couple of months, it’s a fine laptop, but one that sits in limbo.
Expand Expanding Close
The Mobvoi TicWatch series has produced some memorable Wear OS smartwatches, both in terms of value and hardware advancements, but the company seems to have thrown in the towel altogether.
Expand Expanding Close
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra series is the best the company has to offer, but the 2025 refresh was underwhelming to say the least. According to a new report, though, Samsung is planning a proper sequel, though one that might not be called “Galaxy Watch Ultra 2,” for 2026.
Expand Expanding Close
According to a new report, Samsung is working on its own first-party Qi2 25W wireless charging dock for the Galaxy S26 series, which is expected to finally natively adopt Qi2 magnets.
Expand Expanding Close
Samsung, as the first-mover in the foldable market, always held a strong position in the market, but it’s no secret that prior generations were putting the company on a path to second place. Following the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, though, Samsung has reestablished its dominance over the foldable market according to the latest numbers.
Expand Expanding Close
Code within some Google apps suggests that the Pixel Watch series is not only taking notes from the Apple Watch with new pinch gestures coming, but also reviving a lost but not forgotten Android Wear gesture.
Expand Expanding Close
Amazon’s Alexa+ is starting to roll out some of its more advanced features, including a new option on Fire TV that lets you skip straight to a specific movie scene with just a voice command and a brief description.
Expand Expanding Close
We’ve been hearing tidbits here and there around Samsung’s next big Galaxy update, One UI 8.5, but now the whole changelog has leaked, revealing everything that’s new.
Expand Expanding Close
Spotify is rolling out its annual Wrapped for 2025, this time with a new “Party” that compares your listening tastes to your friends.
Expand Expanding Close
Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Buds 4 lineup will give the “base” model a makeover too, as new leaks show off the design and uncover a new physical gesture for activating the “Interpreter” mode.
Expand Expanding Close
Not too long after landing on the Nothing Phone (3), Android 16 (Nothing OS 4.0) is now rolling out to the Nothing Phone (3a) series.
Expand Expanding Close
Google TV has just revealed the most-watched movies and TV shows of 2025 from viewers on the platform, while also rolling out its latest advent calendar.
Expand Expanding Close
Google Chrome for Android is gaining support for pinned tabs, a handy feature from the desktop browser, which makes it easier to keep important pages up.
Expand Expanding Close
Google has removed its longstanding “Call Home” feature from the Google Home app in recent updates, breaking support for starting calls directly to devices such as the Nest Hub Max.
Expand Expanding Close
More details about the upcoming Galaxy Z TriFold have been revealed in a first look video, while Samsung has also confirmed the price of the foldable.
Expand Expanding Close