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.
Just a few weeks after European Galaxy S10 owners started to see the latest One UI 4.1 update, those in the US will now begin to get the latest version of the third-party skin.
Expand Expanding Close
Not content with partnering with the Olympics, BTS, Thom Browne, and numerous other global brands, Samsung is now joining forces with Gamefreak for a limited Pokémon Edition Galaxy Z Flip 3.
Expand Expanding Close
After widespread outrage at the removal of “Dislike” counts on YouTube wholesale, it appears that Google is attempting to spread some cheer with a brand new “Like” button animation on mobile.
Expand Expanding Close
We may have only just received the OnePlus 10 Pro in global markets, but the OnePlus Ace has now officially been unveiled in China.
Expand Expanding Close
Outside of the US, the affordable Android market is more competitive than ever. The latest such device to launch exclusively in India is the Samsung Galaxy M53.
Expand Expanding Close
The Google Store is now offering a new bundle that pairs the Pixel 6 and Fitbit Charge 5 at selected global online storefronts.
Expand Expanding Close
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic it feels exceptionally longer than three-and-a-bit years since the Pixel 3 series was officially unveiled back in October 2018. With most people holding on to devices for longer than ever before, just how does Pixel 3 fare in 2022 now that Google has officially dropped support for the handset? Let’s find out.
Expand Expanding Close
A new Google Play Store policy coming into force is set to block third-party call recording apps from the online storefront from May 11.
Expand Expanding Close
The automatically curated My Mix section sometimes labeled “Mixed for you” in YouTube Music appears to be getting updated cover art for some users.
Expand Expanding Close
Google Photos appears to be testing a new chip toolbar UI to help speed up the process of using Lens and other image editing tools specifically with text-based images.
Expand Expanding Close
To help streamline the process of restoring your new phone from an older Android device it seems the “Set up my Device” process has gained a Fast Pair UI.
Expand Expanding Close
The developers behind the popular Paranoid Android third-party ROM have confirmed that the Sapphire Beta is set to launch this week, with OTA support potentially arriving dependent on community donation support.
Expand Expanding Close
A new report by industry analytics firm Wave7 claims that carrier sales of the Pixel 6 series have been low despite high sales kickbacks for those in stores.
Expand Expanding Close
After first launching on the iOS App Store, the open-source alternative to Twitter, Mastodon, is now officially available to download on Android via the Google Play Store.
Expand Expanding Close
As Samsung’s middle child, the Galaxy S22+ might not be the outright best in the entire lineup, but it’s still a $999 smartphone that competes more directly with the $899 Google Pixel 6 Pro than the S22 Ultra. So, which is the better buy overall?
Expand Expanding Close
The growing OnePlus Nord lineup will expand with the N20 launching on April 28 priced exclusively on T-Mobile.
Expand Expanding Close
It’s hard to believe that the first all-Google phones are now six months old. The launch of the Pixel 6 Pro was an exciting time but the interim period has not been quite so kind to Google’s latest flagship. Let’s examine just how well it has aged and if things have improved.
Expand Expanding Close
Google has shared details on how it wants to make it’s upcoming London Kings Cross headquarters into a destination for shopping, tourists, and growing brands.
Expand Expanding Close
OnePlus promises to deliver regular system updates for its wide array of smartphones for at least two years and in some cases much longer for flagship models, but how is the March 2022 security update being handled?
Expand Expanding Close
Given that many OnePlus fans are now looking for a new home courtesy of many OxygenOS changes, you may be looking at the OnePlus 10 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro wondering which is the right option to pick.
Expand Expanding Close
After a delayed release, the OnePlus 10 Pro is now available in global markets for eager fans to snap up. For third-party ROM developers and tinkerers, we have good news with the release of the OnePlus 10 Pro kernel source code — which is now publicly available.
Expand Expanding Close
Now officially available for selected Samsung Galaxy devices, the Expert RAW 1.0.01 update is rolling out with improvements for low light performance when using the camera application.
Expand Expanding Close
Another week, another unofficial port of LineageOS 19.1 adding support for practically ancient smartphones. This time it’s the turn of the Samsung Galaxy S5, which is getting the very latest build of Android 12L courtesy of an unofficial build of the popular third-party ROM.
Expand Expanding Close
The first-generation OnePlus Nord is now finally starting to see Android 12, but, at least for now, it’s in the form of OxygenOS Open Beta 1.
Expand Expanding Close