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
One of the distinct new elements of the Pixel Watch 4 is its new charging dock, which also has new charging contacts found on the side of the watch. These exposed “pins” disrupt the look we’ve been used to for a while, but they’re not nearly as bad in person as I had personally feared. Here’s a quick look at what they look like on each color variant of the Pixel Watch 4.
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Today’s big Made by Google event for the Pixel 10 was… something, but if nothing else, it showed a Google that was confident in the product it was bringing to the table. That included Google making a lot of jokes directed straight at Apple while talking about the Pixel 10’s various updates and features.
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Google’s Pixel 10 series has arrived and, for the most part, it looks just like last year’s lineup. So what’s new? Here’s everything new you should know about on the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL.
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Nomad, a brand perhaps best know for its various premium iPhone and Apple Watch accessories, has dabbled in Pixel accessories in the past, but is now expanding with the debut of one of the first real leather bands for Pixel Watch and I’ve had the pleasure of trying one out over the past few months.
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Google’s Tensor G5 chip will be delivering a bit of a speed boost for the Pixel 10 series as a whole, but the company’s devices are getting an added boost this year with faster storage by way of the new “Zoned UFS” upgrade that includes – finally – UFS 4.0.
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Google is officially ditching support for a physical SIM card slot on its core Pixel 10 series, but only in the US market.
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Google’s Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL are, on the surface, the least upgraded devices in the company’s 2025 smartphone lineup, but that’s because everything is hiding under the hood.
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After many leaks and a lot of anticipation, Google’s Pixel 10 is finally here, and this year’s base model is the ultimate crowd pleaser with a refined, but familiar design, the welcome addition of Qi2, and a delightful color palette.
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As its Appstore for Android dies today, Amazon is reportedly preparing to completely revamp its Fire Tablet lineup with a full embrace of Android rather than its heavily forked “Fire OS.”
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The OnePlus 13 was one of the most underrated phones of the past year, and its sequel is starting to shape up. Apparently, the OnePlus 15 will be launching with a 165Hz display, among other tweaks.
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Samsung’s next high-end Android tablets are on the way, with new leaked images showing off the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra and its key display change.
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Ahead of the Pixel 10 series launch next week, Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold is currently selling for just $1,099 in what is a stellar deal for a foldable phone.
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Ahead of its seemingly imminent launch, the Philips Hue Bridge Pro has again surfaced, this time revealing its much higher capacity for devices and some other new features.
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The Google Store is teasing the upcoming Pixel 10 launch with a new banner counting down to the launch and calling the series “your future phone.”
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Through recent updates, the Google Home app is now fixing the final deficiency of older Nest thermostats with the arrival of scheduling support.
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Samsung managed to claw back some US market share from Apple recently, and it comes as the company’s efforts with foldables are finally seeing some level of success.
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Samsung is launching an updated “Fan Edition” pair of earbuds, with the new Galaxy Buds 3 FE supporting Google’s Gemini as well as other new features, and getting an updated design too.
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I’ve carried a Pixel as my daily smartphone for years now because, often, it just provides the experience I want the most. That said, I’ve always had a soft spot for Samsung’s foldables, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 was finally enough to replace my Pixel as my main smartphone thanks to its drastically upgraded hardware and ever-improving software. But there’s one broken Android feature that continues to irk me.
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Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is perhaps one of the worst deals in the foldable market, but the company isn’t helping its case with a revival of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 which is even cheaper, and far more worthwhile.
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Google is apparently preparing for a change to Find Hub which would get more Android users enrolled in the network.
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A detailed specs leak for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold has revealed two interesting new details, including that this will be the first foldable with an IP68 dust/water resistance rating, while also showing that Google is finally upgrading its storage specs.
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Philips Hue appears to be preparing a new “Bridge Pro” setup that turns your smart lights into motion sensors, while also supporting more devices.
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Ahead of their launch later this month, new regulatory leaks reiterate the size of the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL batteries while also hinting at minor repairability improvements.
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OnePlus is making a considerable change with its Android 16 update which will require users to fill out an application before having the ability to unlock their bootloader.
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