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
Following Google’s stable rollout of Android 16 in June and several betas, Samsung is finally releasing its first stable Android 16 update with One UI 8 now rolling out to Galaxy S25 owners.
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Samsung appears to be adopting Qi2 magnets in the Galaxy S26 series, but there’s a key problem with that, and it’s going to require Samsung to eventually redesign its Galaxy phones to fully embrace the standard.
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Sony is the latest brand taking notes from Google Pixel with its latest Xperia 10 VII adopting a camera bar, but that’s not all that’s notable about this new midrange release.
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With Samsung’s Android XR headset “Project Moohan” around the corner, a new software option has popped up on Galaxy phones that will allow users to capture spatial photos and videos to be viewed on the new headset.
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Streaming services have gotten very expensive over time, but despite already being right in line with other streaming options, the CEO of Warner Bros. says that HBO Max is “underpriced,” but that it won’t stay that long forever.
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Since their launch last month, Google Pixel 10 devices have been affected by some Android Auto problems, but Google says a new update should fix that.
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Ahead of their launch later this month, Nothing Ear (3) are being shown off in yet another teaser that reveals an updated case with a “talk” button.
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Yesterday’s iPhone 17 Pro reveal introduced a new design language for Apple, but also a new signature colorway in an orange iPhone 17 Pro and… uh… bring on the orange Android phones. Or, at bare minimum, let’s embrace the return of actual colors on Pro phones.
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As first hinted at earlier this year, Nothing says its Android 16 update is coming soon, with Nothing OS 4.0 offering a “redefined” take on the skin.
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Over four years after its initial announcement, Spotify is finally rolling out lossless streaming quality to Premium users and, in a fun surprise, it won’t cost anything extra.
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It took several years to find its stride, but Google Pixel is now finding success as, in the past year, it’s now the fastest-growing premium smartphone brand in the world.
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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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Following its launch in beta a few weeks ago, Android Auto 15.0 is now rolling out more widely through the general release channel, but despite its number, it’s not a major update by any means.
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If you’ve ever used a third-party launcher to replace the home screen on your Android device, you’ve probably at least tried Nova Launcher. Despite tens of millions of downloads, Nova Launcher development is shutting down.
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It’s been clear for some time that the “open web” as we’ve known it for years is in a tough spot, but Google has argued the opposite. In a court statement, though, Google’s own case argues that the open web is “in rapid decline.”
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TCL’s NXTPAPER screen tech is easy on the eyes and a joy to use, going beyond just a matte display. But, personally, I’ve always felt that the form factors have let it down, with TCL either using it on phones or way-too-big tablets. A new 8-inch TCL NXTPAPER tablet has now surfaced, though, and that seems worth a look.
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Over the past few days I’ve been on the ground in Berlin covering IFA 2025, and one of the most common things to see on the show floor has been Qi2 accessories. With the Pixel 10 finally adding magnets, I was like a kid in a candy store, so here are some of my favorite Qi2 accessories from IFA.
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Following the news that OnePlus and Hasselblad are breaking up their partnership, the first camera samples from OnePlus 15 instill confidence that the next device will still be a photographic contender.
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Following a leak showing off the iPhone-looking Galaxy S26 Edge earlier this week, a new set of renders shows off the Galaxy S26 Pro and Galaxy S26 Ultra, and the design change seen on both.
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Wireless chargers come in all shapes and forms nowadays, but it was Aukey that caught my attention at IFA 2025 with the first truly clever and unique option in its new “MagFusion Ark” which has Qi2 charging spheres in a 6-in-1 layout that I cannot wait to use with my Pixel 10.
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While One UI 8 is already available on some Samsung Galaxy devices, a new schedule finally offers some insight as to when the company will be rolling out the Android 16 update to more of its catalog.
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Following an early leak yesterday, a new set of renders has essentially confirmed that the Galaxy S26 Edge will look a lot like Apple’s next iPhone, while apparently also adding Qi2 magnets.
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Starting today, the Roku Sports experience will start showing content from YouTube TV including NFL games via Sunday Ticket.
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Following a leak last month, a new update to the Google Home app has surfaced with images and details about the company’s new lineup of Nest cameras.
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