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.
In a recent post on the Samsung Newsroom, the company waxes lyrical about the company’s OneUI Android Pie overhaul. It seems they were so enthused that they forgot that the Samsung Galaxy S10 design crept into an image showcasing the new touch interface.
We’ve already had a glimpse of the Nokia 8.1 after being unveiled by HMD in Dubai last month, but the potential Nokia 8.1 Plus looks to have a few hardware tweaks not seen on the Nokia 8.1. We say potential as we are not quite certain what the device will actually be called. The most notable hardware change in the latest render is the very first punch-hole notch on a Nokia device.
It seems that the LG G5 and LG V20 are no longer in any company plans for support after XDA Developers team and forum members found that both devices are no longer listed on LG’s Security Bulletin webpages.
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There are plenty of Android features that will never head to iOS devices but that is by-the-by, today we are talking about the iPhone-to-Android path. Follow along for a look at the 5 iOS features we want to see in the next major Android release.
The official Android Pie update for the Nokia 8 Sirocco should now be rolling out to devices globally after being confirmed by HMD via press release.
OxygenOS is arguably one of the best third-party skins on any Android phone on the market. It fuses the speed, fluidity and aesthetic of stock and adds a layer of well-thought-out additions and tweaks. OnePlus has launched their 2018 OxygenOS Satisfaction Survey to see if it is living up to users’ expectations.
The rumored Samsung Galaxy Sport has been partially uncovered in renders courtesy of top-tier leakster @OnLeaks and show a much smoother, refined design when compared with previous Galaxy Sport models.
Google Chrome needs to have the RAM management issues addressed but it hasn’t really stopped it from being arguably the best browser, even more so when you factor in the power of Chrome Extensions.
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Bixby 2.0 (yes, Samsung is still persisting with the digital assistant) will bring back support for Google apps according to VentureBeat (via XDA).
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Users of the T-Mobile OnePlus 6T might want to skip the most recent update after reports that it seemingly disables key Google Pay and Play Protect functions.
There is so much to love about the Pocophone F1, it’s a superb budget smartphone that is only really let down (at least in the US) by a lack of carrier support. The price point makes it such an amazing package, and it seems it will get even more enticing. That will be thanks to the addition of Night mode for photos, 960FPS slow-mo, and 4K 60FPS video recording, all of which are heading to the Xiaomi Pocophone F1 over the next couple of months.
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Samsung is adding support for Google Assistant (and Amazon’s Alexa) to its newest smart TVs later this year. The only downside? These TVs won’t actually respond to any “Hey Google” commands via the TV directly, instead, relying on a Google Assistant-powered speaker to do so. But that won’t be a problem for anyone deeply ingrained into the Google Home ecosystem.
If you’re a Sony Android TV owner or are looking to get one in the very near future, then the apparent blocking of Kodi on newer Sony models might not be a welcome feature (via Android Police).
After the initial success and camera prowess of the Huawei P20 Pro and Huawei Mate 20 Pro, the next iteration from the brand is most definitely a hotly anticipated handset. Thanks to some leaked images and 360-degree video courtesy of 91Mobiles and @OnLeaks and case manufacturer Mobile Fun, we have our closest look yet at the upcoming Huawei P30.
When the Nvidia Shield was announced and subsequently released in 2015, it probably didn’t quite justify the initial high price-tag for a base Android TV streaming box — at least in my opinion. Despite that, the updated 2017 model proved to be a very different story thanks to a combination of exceptional hardware and updated Android TV software.
Samsung has really upped their update game in recent months, with the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Android Pie update actually rolling out to some European users right on the proposed schedule.
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A flurry of leaks of the mid-range Motorola P40 have allegedly uncovered a great deal about the successor to the Chinese-exclusive Motorola P30. The Motorola P40 looks set to be the first device from the Lenovo-owned brand to feature a punch-hole notch in the upper left corner of the display, which looks set to differentiate it from the upcoming Motorola G7.
There have been four iterations of the Android Pie beta program for the Galaxy Note 9. With the Galaxy S9 also getting plenty of time with the brand new One UI, the probability of the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8 getting a beta program of their own has grown significantly thanks to some test build information.
There are literally hundreds of thousands of apps to choose from the Google Play Store, the issue is that most of these are downright terrible. For that reason, we’ve collated a few core apps that you need to really kickstart your 2019. Some you might already have or heard of and with good reason, many are near the top of the download charts because of just how good they are. But even with that said, there are bound to be some that you may never have even considered.
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The latest Oxygen OS OTAs are rolling out for the OnePlus 5, OnePlus 5T and OnePlus 6. Oxygen OS 9.0.3 for the OnePlus 6 includes a host of performance improvements including camera fixes and a new Bluetooth equalizer.
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Once a faucet starts to leak, often times that tap is going to keep on leaking. That’s exactly what happens with almost every major smartphone launch, including the Samsung Galaxy S10.
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LG has had a tough time over the past couple of years, even despite releasing a few quality handsets and some very impressive hardware — at least on paper. That said, the LG G7 ThinQ might have flown under the radar for most out there, but is set to get its taste of Android Pie tomorrow.
Updates for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Android Pie beta are coming thick and fast. We’ve already seen the device get a few updates already, but now for users in India, Germany and South Korea, a fourth update is steadily rolling out with the rest of the world getting the update very soon.
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The latest flagship from HMD Global, the Nokia 9 PureView, with its odd trypophobia-inducing rear camera array has leaked yet again, this time in press renders. These renders showcase the rear and drop a massive hint that the Nokia 9 PureView will also include an in-display fingerprint reader.