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.
We’ve yet to see the Bixby-powered Samsung Galaxy Home smart speaker arrive after being announced way back in 2018 at the Note 9 keynote. Despite the radio silence on the device, Samsung appears to be offering Korean fans the chance to beta test the Galaxy Home Mini.
OnePlus makes some particularly impressive phones for a company that has only been around for five years or so. They have garnered a massive, almost hardcore following, but none more so than in India, where they are set to launch the first OnePlus Music Festival.
The Google Stadia version of the upcoming soccer management simulator Football Manager 2020 is set to provide the optimum experience by offering processing power only possible on high-end gaming rigs.
It’s easy to forget the environmental impact our rampant smartphone consumption is having on the planet. The modular line of Fairphone devices offers an environmentally conscious solution that is both ethical and reasonably affordable. So enter the Fairphone 3, the latest modular Android device that challenges our smartphone sustainability.
While Apple Music might not be the most popular music streaming service on Android, the latest beta update adds Chromecast support for streaming your playlists, radio stations, and more.
While Samsung initially pulled quarterly security patches for the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, the uproar in response clearly helped change their mind, as they reinstated the program pretty sharpish. The first quarterly update since changing their mind brings the August security patch to the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge.
According to a report from Japanese news outlet Nikkei, Google is set to move production of the Pixel from China to Vietnam amid the growing US-China trade war.
Listen to a recap of all the top 9to5Google stories of the day. 9to5Google Daily is available on Google Play, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
The Lenovo S330 Chromebook is the de facto entry-level Chrome OS machine on the market right now thanks to its low price-tag, solid spec sheet, and a reasonably impressive performance. Considering that the Lenovo S330 Chromebook is now 12-months old, it still manages to be one of the best value Chromebook packages on the market today.
Listen to a recap of all the top 9to5Google stories of the day. 9to5Google Daily is available on Google Play, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
YouTube has begun the process of adding labels to videos that are funded in part or in full by the public or government organizations in select regions. YouTube states that this new feature is live in 10 regions, which includes Hong Kong, and has been added to provide viewers a little more context about video publishers.
A series of sketchy Mate 30 Pro promotional images have leaked and seemingly confirm the upcoming circular rear camera module, the return of the display notch, and the Kirin 990 chipset.
If you’ve got multiple accounts logged into Google Drive or Maps, you’ll be pleased to hear that the latest version 2.19.332 adds a new swipe up or down gesture to quick-switch between your logged-in accounts.
Listen to a recap of all the top 9to5Google stories of the day. 9to5Google Daily is available on Google Play, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
According to research conducted by Canalys, Chinese search and tech giant Baidu has usurped Google as the number two smart speaker vendor globally.
Google Pay is getting a dedicated dark mode with the latest update, right ahead of the full Android 10 release, which we are expecting in the coming weeks.
LineageOS continues to roll out support for devices, with the immensely popular OnePlus 6 now being supported by the biggest custom ROM.
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We’re at that time of year when you might be looking for a solid back to school tech starter kit that mixes the right gear into one easy-to-follow an affordable package.
Listen to a recap of all the top 9to5Google stories of the day. 9to5Google Daily is available on Google Play, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
Huawei has dropped a teaser video that confirms the launch date of the upcoming Kirin 990 chipset alongside major hints that the chip will come with 5G connectivity.
The hype for the upcoming OnePlus TV is building and looks set to continue as the company tweeted an official teaser image from the OnePlus India account highlighting the usage of a 55-inch QLED panel.
A potential build of Samsung’s Android 10 update with One UI 2.0 may have just leaked, giving us a closer look at the changes we can expect.
Listen to a recap of all the top 9to5Google stories of the day. 9to5Google Daily is available on Google Play, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
We’ve had months of waiting and fleeting glimpses of the Play Store Google Material Theme redesign only to have Google slap it on all Android phones over the past 48 hours.