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Damien Wilde

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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.

Connect with Damien Wilde

Review: Michael Kors Access Runway brings a touch of class to Wear OS

Smartwatches come in an array of shapes, sizes, and styles. At the low-end, these are a utilitarian affair. Plastic dominates with quality not always top of the priorities list. That makes the Fossil-made Michael Kors Access Runway smartwatch all the more attractive to anyone wanting a more ‘high-end’ feeling wearable.
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LG G7 One becomes first LG device to get Android Pie

LG doesn’t have the best track record with Android updates, but with the LG G7 One being part of the Android One program, this is set to change. The program does wonders for hardware that would otherwise chug under the weight of a heavy third-party OS skin. With this update, the G7 One becomes the company’s first device to run Android 9.0 Pie.
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Google has reinstated SMS and call access to Tasker

Google Play Store Android

We reported last week that popular Android automation app, Tasker, had been denied access to call logs and SMS send, receive and read functions. That meant the disabling of a multitude of app features due to Google’s policy to protect the privacy of users. Google has since restored Tasker access to these functions so long as the developers adhere to some rules and regulations.
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OxygenOS OnePlus 6

T-Mobile OnePlus 6T Oxygen OS update starts rolling out w/ Nightscape, in-display fingerprint reader improvements

Anyone who has already bought or is planning on picking up the OnePlus 6T from T-Mobile will be pleased to hear that the first carrier OnePlus 6T Oxygen OS update is rolling out to users right now. Initially being available on launch day for those with unlocked devices, this release improves a few of the core features on the OnePlus 6T.
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Samsung Good Lock app now supports nav bar customization

Changing your status bar icons on Samsung devices just got a little easier thanks to the updated Good Lock app. If you’re not a fan of the settings on your Galaxy S9 or Galaxy Note 9, then you can access this further customization tool right now and begin tweaking the navigation buttons to your heart’s content without needing to root your phone.
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Moto Z3 Play Review: Modules are holding back a decent mid-ranger [Video]

The Moto Z3 Play could be considered a great phone. It has an improved design, an exceptional software experience, solid build, and the ability to increase functionality with the Moto Mod system. However, the phone becomes more of an issue when you see just what other devices are achieving at the same price point, making the Moto Z3 much harder to recommend.
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Hands-on: Linux on DeX finally gives the Samsung mobile desktop system a purpose [Video]

Linux on DeX

When Samsung released the DeX solution alongside the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ it seemed like a big stretch. Would people would want to tether their Android phone and create a pseudo-desktop experience that relied solely on the mobile OS? The announcement of Linux on DeX and subsequent beta for this might finally give the hardware a new lease of life.


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YouTube addresses Article 13, says EU copyright plan may lead to blocked access

YouTube logo

The EU’s copyright directive, Article 13 has come under scrutiny yet again from national and international media. Now an official response from YouTube was recently published on the official YouTube Creator Blog. In the post, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki pushed back against these proposed European copyright legislation changes.


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Samsung Infinity Flex Foldable

Samsung foldable smartphone will allegedly be released in March 2019 w/ eye-watering price

After the recent Samsung Developer Conference saw the South Korean tech giant show off its Infinity Flex foldable display, we were left in the dark about when this new foldable display tech would find its way to devices. Now, a new report out of South Korea has touted a March 2019 release schedule for the Samsung foldable smartphone along with a jaw-dropping price tag.
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Hands-on: The Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro is a high quality iPhone XS clone [Video]

At the official launch of Xiaomi in the United Kingdom yesterday, the company announced that only one of their latest flagship devices — the Mi 8 Pro — will be made available to European users officially for the first time. That said, we are a little disappointed that the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 slider phone was nowhere to be seen at this launch. This might be of interest with the company heading to New York next month for a user taster session, which will no doubt include this device amongst the handsets that you can get to grips with.
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OnePlus Switch application now supports iPhone data transfer

The OnePlus Switch application makes the often frustrating process of swapping or upgrading your phone a bit more simplified. But until now, those switching from iPhone to a OnePlus device couldn’t switch as conveniently. Now, a new update today changes that. iPhone users can now download the OnePlus Switch on their phone and use it to transfer contacts, photos, videos and even messages.
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