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.
Not long after formally being announced, the Paranoid Android Sapphire beta which is based upon Android 12 is now available for a swatch of OnePlus 7 and 7T series handsets.
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After launching a series of crypto phones, HTC has entered the tablet market once again with the A101 getting quietly unveiled.
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Since the turn of 2022, Samsung has offered super prompt updates for its Galaxy series handsets, but just how is the Korean giant handling the June security patch update? Here’s every device currently updated.
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With Android 13 on the horizon, OnePlus is now finally offering OnePlus 7 and 7T series owners the opportunity to install Android 12 with the launch of the OxygenOS 12 Open Beta.
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Further to an existing Emoji Kitchen feature within Gboard, Google’s first-party keyboard now appears to be highlighting or surfacing the emoji-laden sticker packs in the predictive text bar.
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Samsung has launched the Galaxy XCover 6 Pro as the latest addition to the Korean firm’s rugged Android smartphone lineup.
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A series of 3D renders of the upcoming OnePlus 10T has given us an idea of what the next device in the “flagship killer” line will bring to the table.
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OnePlus promises to deliver regular system updates for its wide array of smartphones for at least two years and in most cases even longer for flagship-tier devices, but just how is the May 2022 security update rollout being handled?
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After announcing a partnership with Leica to tune optics, Xiaomi has teamed up with Sony on the massive 1-inch IMX989 sensor, which is set to be utilized by the Xiaomi 12 S Ultra.
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As part of the regular platform experiments for those with the Premium tier, YouTube is testing a feature that allows for more precise video progress bar scrubbing by utilizing thumbnail previews.
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The upcoming Nothing Phone (1) is set to launch on July 12, but before then, we’re learning more about the device with renders of a black model surfacing alongside some proposed specifications.
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Does the Poco F4 offer a better package than the baseline Pixel 6 — a device we hailed as one of the best “default” Android phones you can buy? Let’s find out.
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The Poco F3 was easily one of the best Android phones of 2021, but now Xiaomi has followed up with the Poco F4. What’s new, and is it worth the upgrade over one of the best budget flagship devices in recent years?
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Xiaomi’s affordable Pocophone lineup has expanded with the official launch of the Poco F4, which offers a few minor upgrades over its predecessor in an updated chassis.
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Few wearables beyond the Apple Watch have taken the market quite like the Xiaomi Mi Band series. A mixture of price, battery, form and function combine to ensure that the Mi Band 7 remains Xiaomi’s best budget product for yet another year.
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Last week we asked you about Android 13’s potential change to a more prominent gesture navbar — here’s what you had to say.
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It’s hard to argue that Google’s camera efforts in recent years have stood up despite the persisting with an ageing Sony IMX363 sensor. That said, the move to a bigger, more capable 50-megapixel main shooter has highlighted the Pixel series need to keep pace with the rest of the industry to offer the best camera experience possible.
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Today’s Google Doodle helps honor and celebrate trailblazing Romanian physicist Ștefania Mărăcineanu, on what would have been her 140th birthday.
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While we await the full unveil of the Nothing Phone (1), we now have our first look at the highly touted “transparent” design of the upcoming Android phone.
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The Pixel 4 and 4 XL, as the second most powerful devices in the Made by Google smartphone lineup, deserve support for at least one more Android update — and here’s why.
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The latest Android 13 Beta 3 build has tweaked the gesture navigation bar to be more prominent with a larger, bolder “pill” to help make it stand out. It appears that this change has been fairly divisive, but what do you think?
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Estimated toll prices for planned routes now appear to be rolling out for Google Maps users on both Android and iOS after being announced earlier this year.
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Xiaomi has expanded its growing Android TV set-top box lineup with the addition of the Mi Box 4S Max, which offers sizeable storage and RAM upgrades over its rivals.
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With little competition in the high-end Android tablet space, the arrival of the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro is an interesting one given the dominance of Samsung in recent years. But is this a worthy competitor to the likes of the Galaxy Tab series? Find out in our review of the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro.
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