Damien is 9to5Google‘s resident Video Producer and has over a decade of UK media experience. He worked within the sports industry and with numerous sports-focused publications — including golfing publication National Club Golfer — prior to joining the 9to5Google team.
After completing a BSc in Computer Science at the University of Hull with a major focus on data analytics and UX, he joined the Press Association (now PA Media), developing growing sports data products for the Barclay’s Premier League. These’s data packages included the now-defunct ACTIM Index which eventually evolved into the EA Sports Player Performance Index.
While working with the UK’s largest media agency, he attained a MA in Journalism at Sheffield Hallam University after completing his studies in 2014. This is where a love affair with all things videography surfaced after a brief stint in student TV. A major interest and constantly growing know-how of technology and videography have seen Damien lead 9to5Google’s official YouTube channel since 2018. He previously hosted the 9to5Google Daily podcast from 2019 to 2021.
Damien’s expertise and focus area lie in a number of beats including Android and OEM software updates, mobile applications, smartphone and accessory reviews, and just about anything that makes a modern mobile nerd tick. He says that he is “platform agnostic” despite primarily using Android devices and attempts to regularly test the iOS waters to better understand the nuances of the tech he covers on a day-to-day basis.
Outside of the tech space Damien is an avid supporter of his boyhood soccer team Hull City and is even a fully qualified Barista — with 3 years of experience making speciality coffee. Be sure to follow him on Threads, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and Instagram for insights and upcoming video updates and tidbits. If you are interested, you can also check out just what video gear he is currently using on his dedicated Kit.co page.
Not all good things are available via “official” channels, even some of the best applications on Android can’t be grabbed from the Google app storefront. Here are some of our favorite apps you won’t find on the Google Play Store.
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As we all know, RCS messaging is a game-changer, offering a much richer and more feature-packed experience compared to traditional SMS. But are your iPhone-using contacts taking advantage of this technology?
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Google is well known for tinkering, but the latest change is a fused ‘like’ and ‘dislike’ button in the YouTube app for Android TV.
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Gaming on mobile is super diverse, but sometimes you want to bust out some of the classics and game on the go. Android has a ton of emulators that let you play thousands of the best games from as far back as the 70s – here are some of our favorites.
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The Google Pixel Watch 3 has a neat function that will let you pair with gym and fitness equipment to share real-time heart rate data to give you a better idea of your workout progress. Here’s every brand of gym equipment it’ll work with.
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As the biggest gallery app on the platform, it’s actually shocking that Google Photos is only now gaining the ability to flip photos and videos horizontally.
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With Android 15 hitting AOSP just a few days ago, the car-based Android Automotive platform has similarly been updated with some new functions and features.
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Third-party launchers are great, but the quality of experience has degraded over the past few years because of lots of changes to Android that have basically broken the experience. This has led Android launcher developers to team up and give Google what for.
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The Amazon app on Android has undergone few changes, but it is now receiving a very minor facelift alongside the integrated Rufus AI shopping assistant.
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Blackmagic Camera 1.3 for Android is now rolling out with even more “Pro” level video recording functions for supported devices.
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The early Made by Google event felt like a play to get ahead of the fruit company. Now that the iPhone 16 series has been unveiled — to less than usual fanfare — it proves that Google was right to bring forward the Pixel 9 launch, but let’s delve into the ‘why.’
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If you can stomach the $1800 asking price for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, is it worth that extra cash over the Pixel 9 Pro XL? Here’s everything you need to know.
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A growing number of AT&T subscribers are encountering issues and a lack of 5G connectivity when using their Pixel 9 Pro Fold devices with the US-based network.
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Renders of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra have now been shared, giving a glimpse of the upcoming flagship Android phone – with some minimal changes to the recipe.
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LineageOS 21 is now available for several devices, including the Samsung Galaxy A71, OnePlus Nord N10, and Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro.
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After a protracted wait and numerous delays, the One UI 6.1.1 update is now beginning to rollout in the US, Europe, and India for Galaxy S24 units in each region.
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While the jury is out on the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is one of the best phones on the market—how do they stack up?
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The Opera browser for Android now has the ability to understand image context after the function was initially unveiled for desktop versions of the application.
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Setting out early can be a risky move, but Google’s out-of-sync launch thrusts the Pixel 9 Pro XL into the spotlight ahead of Apple. Here’s what it’s like to live with.
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The Google Play Credit caching Opinion Rewards has now finally acquired 100 million downloads on the Play Store.
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So, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the first Google phone to get above 30W charging when using the official 45W charger. The results are more interesting than you might have expected.
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If your cell plan has ended and you’re considering an upgrade, is it worth switching from the Pixel 7 Pro to the Pixel 9 Pro? Here’s everything you need to know.
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Following the impressive Go Color 7, Onyx has launched the Boox Go 6 Android-powered e-reader at an enticing entry price point.
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With brand-new phones come brand-new accessories. Is getting an official Pixel 9 case going to mean pixel-perfect, and do these first-party accessories make financial sense?
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