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.
There really isn’t a lot that we didn’t already know about before going hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+. A solid month of leaks and a steady stream of information hasn’t left much to the imagination, but that doesn’t mean the devices have no surprises.
Huawei might not be making waves in the United States due to fears over spying and links to the Chinese state, but there is no doubt that the brand makes some of the most interesting and feature-rich handsets on the market. The Chinese tech giant is set to unveil the Huawei P30 and Huawei P30 Pro at a Paris launch event on March 26th.
Samsung has struggled to keep a lid on the leaks in recent days, as even ahead of the official launch tomorrow we are getting yet more information. A recent official Samsung Galaxy S10 launch ad has now leaked on Norwegian TV ahead of Unpacked and confirms a number of features that we were already aware of.
The Google Home ecosystem grows and grows, as does the usefulness of the Google Assistant itself. The announcement at CES means that you can tap into the power of Google Translate and use it for live conversations with those speaking another language.
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Anyone with an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+ in the US should now be getting a taste of the Android Pie update with all that One UI goodness thrown in on top.
We thought the Pixel 3 might have been the most leaked device in the history of smartphones, but the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S10 might be running it close. Now an early hands-on video from Tech Radar’s Matt Swider has found its way onto YouTube ahead of the device’s launch.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 might be three years old, but like the Galaxy S6, it is still getting support from the South Korean tech giant. Samsung Galaxy S7 users in the United Kingdom and Austria have been receiving the February 2019 security patch, which is rolling out right now (via SamMobile).
Samsung has been relentless with the updates as of late and shows no signs of letting up with the February security patch now rolling out to the Galaxy Note 9.
We’re merely days away from the ‘official’ unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S10 and all its brethren at Unpacked 2019. We’re expecting more than just a few phones to be announced, so here is everything we’ve seen leaked, learned, and expect to happen come February 20th.
It’s amazing that Android tablets are still a thing in 2019, but even so, Samsung has unveiled a brand new Android tablet in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e which bears an almost uncanny resemblance to the iPad Pro.
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The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ are getting a fourth Android Pie beta update, which is rolling out right now.
We are in Samsung news overdrive ahead of Unpacked 2019, which means yet more leaks and tidbits — almost hourly it seems at this point. The latest leaks are of the entire upcoming Samsung wearable lineup in the form of the Galaxy Fit E, Galaxy Watch Active, and the Galaxy Buds.
We’ve seen the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 get four separate Android Pie beta programs prior to this point. Now, unlocked Note 8 users in Eastern Europe are seeing the full One UI OTA hit their devices.
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A new software update is rolling out for the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ that brings the February security patch plus a few other features that includes the ability to schedule Night mode (via Reddit user /u/iamnotkurtcobain / SamMobile).
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Samsung made plenty of jibes at Apple for including a notch on the iPhone X only to then slap a notch on the Galaxy M20 18 months later. The device was initially only available to Indian and select Asian markets, but now it looks set to head to Europe in the coming months.
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We’ve seen press renders of the Samsung Galaxy S10+ in almost all color options thus far but the Luxurious Ceramic White variant has been a noticeable absentee. That is until now, as we have our first look at the subtle differences in this handset color compared to the standard Prism White option.
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As ridiculous as this sounds, the upcoming LG G8 ThinQ is going to pack an OLED display that can actually act as an audio amplifier — pardon the pun.
It’s amazing to think that gaming smartphones are now a ‘thing’, and that more and more brands are adopting this new, near dedicated device trend. The Red Magic Mars is most definitely a trend-follower rather than a trendsetter, but in all honesty, it really is quite a good phone that’s merely held back by its very gamer-heavy design.
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We have exactly one week to wait until we get to the see the Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+ and S10e in the flesh but we still are being drip fed information as if our hype-meter wasn’t already at max. That said, Samsung Vietnam has released three teaser videos that give an indication of what we will see come the official Unpacked event.
When the world’s biggest messaging platform makes changes or updates it’s important to take note. WhatsApp is not only developing a proper Group Invitation System, it is also experimenting with an updated algorithmic feed for the Status system.
The latest updates for the Moto Z3, Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus are now bringing the February security patch to devices in the United States.
The LG G7 One was announced and then subsequently launched well over half a year ago at IFA 2018, but the handset has now arrived in its homeland but under a different moniker. The LG G7 One has been renamed the LG Q9 One for the South Korean market.
At the close of I/O 2017, Sundar Pichai announced Google for Jobs, which was an effort to help employers find just the right candidates using machine learning and even job listings in regular Google Search. We saw the official launch of Google Hire in July 2017 but now the system is finally rolling out to its first international markets outside of the US (via TechCrunch).
The Samsung update roadmap, although not concrete, has the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 receiving the full Android Pie update sometime this month. That hasn’t stopped the Galaxy Note 8 from getting a fourth Android Pie beta update though.