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.
Hopefully, you’re enjoying your brand new Pixel 3, had one for a while or are thinking that you might get one soon, for that reason we’ve compiled a few of our best tips and tricks for any potential Pixel 3 user out there.
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Hot on the heels of the Oxygen OS Open Beta 1 comes the Oxygen OS Open Beta 2 for the OnePlus 6T, whilst the Oxygen OS Open Beta 10 is heading to OnePlus 6. Both update packages bring with them a slew of system improvements, updates and UI tweaks with a focus on the display and color.
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The Google Home Hub is one of the best Smart Display options on the market, albeit there are very few options. It might not have a camera, however, oddly, makes it one of the best options available especially as you have fewer privacy concerns.
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After the Pocophone F1 nearly came out on top in a blind social media camera shootout in a video by YouTuber Marques Brownlee (aka MKBHD), we thought it might be worth comparing the budget flagship against the superb Google Pixel 3 XL to see if our actual perception of the Google camera was really pixel perfect.
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The OnePlus 6T shipped with Android Pie but even so, that hasn’t stopped OnePlus from announcing the Open Beta program launching for the device. Oxygen OS Open Beta 1 is now officially available and can be downloaded right now.
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Back in October, Google Photos introduced the new Live Albums feature that would identify people and pets and automatically create photo and video albums with a 10,000 photo and video limit. That has now been doubled to 20,000 thanks to a Live Albums update.
It really wasn’t all too long ago that OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T users finally got a taste of Android Pie via the beta program. Both devices though should be getting a new update that adds the December security patch alongside a few bug fixes and stability improvements.
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The Pocophone F1 is clearly Xiaomi’s way of hacking the budget market with a device that packs in high-end specs and an experience that matches (and in some cases betters) their own Xiaomi Mi flagship lineup.
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The TicWatch C2 from Mobvoi is yet another solid smart wearable from the brand, who are really carving out a name for themselves as one of the best smartwatch makers on the market. That said, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows and the Ticwatch C2 isn’t a massive leap over other smartwatches a) on the market, and b) in the TicWatch line-up.
Google has announced a huge $1 billion investment to set up a brand new Hudson Square campus in New York. In an official post, there was confirmation that this 1.7 million-square-foot campus will be occupied by 2020.
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It’s nice to get a bargain on a phone case, especially when your device costs upwards of $500. Although it’s equally nice to have a premium case keeping your pristine Pixel safe and sound.
If you’re enrolled in the Gboard beta, then with the release of version 7.8.8 you’ll see some brand new light and dark gradient themes rolling out over the next few days.
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The Honor Play, simply put, is a cheap gaming-focused smartphone that looks good and comes in at under $300. Beyond that, it packs in some serious specs and performs superbly for the entry cost. Honor has a good record with making good quality, affordable devices and, to be honest, the Honor Play is no different.
At a launch event live from the home of Formula One and supercar manufacturer McLaren, OnePlus has officially unveiled the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition with all of our previous leaks being confirmed including the 30W Warp Charge brick.
In a blog post today, Google announced that Google Maps can now show you the location of Lime battery-powered scooters. The electric scooters are available to rent in 13 US cities: Austin, Baltimore, Dallas, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland, San Antonio, San Jose, Scottsdale and Seattle.
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Just yesterday, Samsung China made a strange announcement that would have shocked and maybe excited anyone interested in streetwear by partnering with NY-based uber-cool skate brand Supreme. The problem was that this actually wasn’t Supreme at all. It was, in fact, a group called Supreme Italia that found a copyright loophole to register the brand name in Italy.
A change to Google Photos now means that any unsupported photo or video file types will now take up space on your Google account from December 6, 2018.
The annual Google Year in Search gives us an indication of our search habits over the course of 12 months, with 2018 being the year of the World Cup in our search bars.
The OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T are finally getting an Android Pie beta build thanks to the open beta program. This news comes from a post on the official OnePlus forums and includes all the juicy details of what is coming the way of OnePlus 5 and 5T owners.
Wired audio still matters. We’re just in a transition phase from 3.5mm headphone port to a singular digital Type-C listening future. There are very few affordable USB Type-C headphone options available but the OnePlus Type-C Bullets genuinely offer quality audio in a cheaper package.
The second update to the Android Pie beta for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is now rolling out across the globe. This update includes a series of bug fixes and stability improvements to the One UI beta on the device which has only been made available in recent weeks.
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I wasn’t massively impressed with the Moto Z3 Play, it wasn’t exactly a fully realized device in my opinion. That said, it had some great camera controls and a nice clean camera experience. The most recent Motorola camera updates have added a slew of new features including a brand new selfie portrait mode — which is available for all Moto devices — AR Stickers for the Moto Z3 and Moto Z3 Play alongside new image watermarking features.
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After Huawei announced the Mate 20, it was soon overshadowed by the more appealing Mate 20 Pro. It’s literally that fact that makes you wonder why this smartphone exists in a world inhabited by the Pro version. In boxing terms: the standard Mate 20 feels like a preliminary fight before the main event.
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Samsung and Honor have both officially unveiled two of the world’s first smartphones with display holes in the form of the Samsung Galaxy A8s and the Honor View 20. The hole-punch style camera is almost identical on both devices, as they become the first devices of this type to be unveiled.