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.
One of the very best ways to introduce smart tech into your Google Home ecosystem is in the form of smart plugs. Fortunately, the TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug is a superb addition to your Google Home ecosystem.
Finally, we are seeing US Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S8 and S8+ users get the chance to join the Android Pie beta program. Samsung has opened up the option to unlocked device owners for the time, however, that may change in the near future.
Last month, we saw Android Pie head to the Moto G6 Plus, but were disappointed that the two other devices in the G6 series were left wanting. It appears that Motorola are now gearing up for an Android Pie roll-out for the Moto G6 and Moto G6 Play.
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With time dwindling away before the Samsung Unpacked 2019 event, we are now seeing a steady stream of leaks of two of the biggest devices of the year in the form of Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus. In this latest leak, we get to see the devices in two of the standard color options – ceramic black and white.
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Imagine a phone with zero input ports, no buttons and an (almost) bezel-free display with a full-screen in-display fingerprint reader and 5G connectivity. Well, the Vivo Apex 2019 might only technically be a concept but Vivo is supposedly taking this exact device to Mobile World Congress next month.
Shortly after we saw the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 get a second Android Pie update, we are now seeing global S8 and S8+ users get a follow-up update to their devices.
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The Moshi Porto Q is not a cheap power bank. At over $80, it does throw up the question: how much are you willing to pay for a battery bank? That’s for you to decide. Besides that, it makes for a genuinely great travel companion and is one of the best multi-use power banks I’ve personally had the pleasure of using for a number of reasons.
LG hasn’t had the best of times recently, that is despite producing one of the most underrated handsets of 2018 in the form of the LG V40. The brand has seen market share dwindle over the past two years, so some innovation is needed.
International Samsung Galaxy Note 8 users were lucky enough to get an Android Pie beta program (no word on US availability just yet) ahead of the official rollout in the coming months. Well, now anyone currently enrolled should see a second beta update OTA very shortly.
With the help of mods, the Motorola Moto Z3 will be one of the very first 5G connected handsets. And all-in-all it’s actually a decent phone despite the snap-on mods feeling a little half-baked at times.
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Beating the upcoming Samsung Galaxy F to the punch by at least a few weeks, Xiaomi has released a video of a prototype folding smartphone live to the world via social media and it looks insane.
The Honor View 20 is arguably — still open to interpretation — the first true flagship smartphone of the year and it comes with a few core selling points, one of those being the massive 48-megapixel camera found around back. The Pixel 3, in contrast, has a 12-megapixel camera but it’s backed up by some of the best post-processing in the game by far.
Our question: does four times the megapixel count equal four times as good?
We’re seeing a seismic shift from notched smartphones to those with full-screens and so, Samsung has changed tact to offer and produce tech that fits this new industry aesthetic by unveiling its new ultra-slim 20-megapixel ISOCELL image sensors.
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DxOMark has been testing smartphone cameras for a while now, but has just introduced scoring for front-facing selfie cameras. The Google Pixel 3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 9 have hit the top of the very first selfie leaderboard with a score of 92 respectively. The iPhone XS Max sits much lower with an overall ‘Selfie Score’ of 82.
While it still seems as if tech brands caring about our ‘digital health’ is a little contradictory, it’s still neat to be able to get data on just how long we’re using our handsets.
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The original RAZR V3 flip phone was a phenomenal success. So seeing the company seemingly file and then obtain patents for a foldable Motorola RAZR 2019 smartphone is bound to attract attention.
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The world’s most popular messaging platform is implementing an odd method of stopping the flow of misinformation and ‘fake news’. WhatsApp users on Android and iOS will no longer be able to forward messages to more than five individuals or groups.
There are a number of Google Home Essentials that we want to uncover and build as we delve into the power of the Google Assistant and its services over time. And that includes the growing library of Assistant apps.
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The Honor View 20 might be on the horizon, but that doesn’t mean that the Huawei-owned company has forgotten about the previous model. Far from it, as Android Pie is now rolling out to the Honor View 10 in the United States.
The ever-popular Motorola G series has slowly become one of the best options for anyone looking for a new Android phone whilst having serious budget constraints. The Motorola G7 series looks to be no different now that we’ve had yet another glimpse of the device thanks to leaked renders and proposed European pricing just weeks ahead of a potential official launch at MWC 2019.
Don’t take test devices out in public if you want to keep them under wraps. That is our advice to OEMs in the lead-up to a major unveiling. Well, that hasn’t stopped what looks like the Samsung Galaxy S10+ from appearing on public transport in South Korea, giving us potentially the first glimpse of the biggest device in the Galaxy S10 lineup.
We can’t blame Apple for the notch trend, especially when the fantastic-yet-ultimately flawed Essential PH-1 had the display nodule before the Cupertino tech giant tampered with its own displays. The Honor View 20, though, is one of a coming wave of devices that are hopefully ridding us of one evil for a slightly lesser one by opting for a punch hole notch or display cutout rather than the previously seen nodule.
Just yesterday the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 started receiving the Android Pie beta. Now we are seeing that the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ are also ready to get involved with the One UI open beta.
In any smart home, there are a few key components which are critical to its function. For those of us deeply invested in the Google Assistant ecosystem, the Google Chromecast is arguably at the core of any Google Home-powered entertainment system. It most definitely is one of your Google Home Essentials.