Despite being the dominant streaming platform on the entire internet, YouTube is taking on TikTok directly with its own Shorts videos.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube Shorts hands-on: Time to take on TikTok [Video]
Author
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.
9to5Google Daily 625: Chrome for Android adds page previews, Android 12 DP1 changes PIN warning message, plus more
Listen to a short-form recap or roundup of all the top 9to5Google stories of the previous 24 hours. 9to5Google Daily is available on Spotify,Google Podcasts, Amazon, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
Oppo Find X3 Pro goes official w/ Snapdragon 888, 120Hz display, ‘microlens’ camera
The covers have now been lifted from the Oppo Find X3 series with three models — X3 Lite, X3 Neo, and X3 Pro — all being showcased during a live-streamed launch event.
Expand Expanding CloseGmail for Android makes it easy to copy or paste email addresses w/ new pop-up menu in testing
Have difficulty copying and pasting email addresses when using Gmail on your Android device? Well, that looks like it will be a thing of the past as a recent change now makes it even easier to grab an address from the various fields when composing a new email.
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Android 12 DP1 changes PIN fingerprint warning to red after a restart
Almost all of the minutiae of the Android 12 Developer Preview 1 is already known, courtesy of deep devices and hands-on posts. But one notable that hasn’t been discussed is the change of the fingerprint PIN warning message after restarting your device — which has changed from white to red with the Android 12 Developer Preview 1 and 1.1 builds.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Fit: Hands-on with the new heart and respiratory rate tools [Video]
Google Fit has leveled up as part of the March Pixel Feature Drop with some actually useful health tracking tools, including the ability to measure your heart rate and respiratory rate right from within the app.
Expand Expanding Close9to5Google Daily 624: Pixel 6 to come with central punch-hole, YouTube to take taxes from non-US creators, plus more
Listen to a short-form recap or roundup of all the top 9to5Google stories of the previous 24 hours. 9to5Google Daily is available on Spotify,Google Podcasts, Amazon, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
Adobe Premiere Rush adds 24 new color presets to Android, iOS apps
Mobile video editing is becoming a far more common way for creatives and influencers to quickly tweak and upload content to platforms such as YouTube. Adobe is now updating the popular Premiere Rush mobile-focused editing suite to give creatives more color presets for their timelines.
Expand Expanding CloseASUS ROG Phone 5 goes official w/ 144Hz display, rear OLED panel, more
After late leaks uncovered a lot of information prior to launch, the ASUS ROG Phone 5 has now officially been unveiled with some serious specifications in tow.
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OnePlus 9 series to come with 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera
It’s that time of year when OnePlus has confirmed the launch date of its next smartphone series, so its time to tease out every single feature in the interim. The latest hardware feature being confirmed is a 50-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens that will utilize the Sony IMX766 sensor on the rear of both OnePlus 9 series devices.
Expand Expanding CloseInstagram Lite now available in over 170 countries, dark mode coming
After initially launching in India, Instagram Lite is now breaking borders and will be available in over 170 countries across the globe.
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March 2021 security patch begins rolling out for Sony Xperia 1 II
We don’t talk about Sony enough when it comes to software updates, as the firm really does a great job at keeping devices on the latest patches. With that in mind, Sony is now beginning to push the latest March 2021 security patch out to its flagship Xperia 1 II devices.
Expand Expanding CloseGalaxy Awesome Unpacked planned for March 17, likely for new A-series smartphones
Samsung has now confirmed the Galaxy Awesome Unpacked event for March 17, which is likely the official stage for the next wave of A-series smartphone hardware.
Expand Expanding CloseSony Xperia 5 II review: Sony’s latest stands tall in a small lineup [Video]
Sony’s efforts in the mobile space over the past few years may have been a mixed bag overall, but the Xperia 5 II — and Xperia 5 prior — is easily the best in recent memory for a number of reasons.
Expand Expanding Close9to5Google Daily 623: Google Fit heart and respiratory tracking rolls out, Google Pay can’t receive reviews, plus more
Listen to a short-form recap or roundup of all the top 9to5Google stories of the previous 24 hours. 9to5Google Daily is available on Spotify,Google Podcasts, Amazon, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
[Update: More info] WhatsApp appears to be prepping for password-protected Google Drive backups
Despite not being the most secure method of backup for your WhatsApp chats and messages, the ability to store on your linked Google Drive account definitely makes it much easier to switch between Android devices.
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Microsoft Office apps on Android to gain a dark theme soon
While the Google Docs is our preferred option for a cloud-based office suite, it has one distinct advantage over the still-popular Microsoft Office suite — a dedicated dark mode/theme.
Expand Expanding Close9to5Google Daily 622: Fossil pauses H MR2 update for Wear OS watches, Google tests YouTube app for Chromecast, plus more
Listen to a short-form recap or roundup of all the top 9to5Google stories of the previous 24 hours. 9to5Google Daily is available on Spotify,Google Podcasts, Amazon, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
OxygenOS 11 Open Beta 4 rolls out OnePlus Nord w/ February patch, more
The OxygenOS 11 Open Beta 4 update is now rolling out for the OnePlus Nord with some notable fixes and the February 2021 security patch in tow.
Expand Expanding CloseAlleged Snapdragon 775 details arrive in apparent Qualcomm leak
Details and specifications of the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 775 chipset have supposedly leaked with this upper mid-range chipset being a direct successor to the Snapdragon 765.
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OnePlus Fnatic mode becomes ‘Pro Gaming Mode’ due to partnership split
After making noise about the enhanced gaming mode with the launch of the OnePlus 7 Pro back in 2019, it appears that like the Mclaren partnership prior, OnePlus has cut ties with gaming brand Fnatic.
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Google Doodle celebrates women’s firsts for International Women’s Day 2021
The Google Doodle for March 8, 2021, is celebrating the annual International Women’s Day by highlighting a series of firsts throughout women’s history.
Expand Expanding CloseOnePlus 9 rumors: Everything we know so far [Video]
As far as recent OnePlus launches go, the OnePlus 9 series is going to be a very different one entirely. The rumors about a potential affordable OnePlus 9 series device look to be true, while we might finally get a camera system that can take on the biggest flagships.
Expand Expanding Close9to5Google Daily 621: Chrome moves to 4-week update cycle, Alphabet X working on new wearables, plus more
Listen to a short-form recap or roundup of all the top 9to5Google stories of the previous 24 hours. 9to5Google Daily is available on Spotify,Google Podcasts, Amazon, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.