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.
While we await the Android 11 update for several existing OnePlus devices including the OnePlus Nord, OxygenOS 10.5.10 is rolling out with the December 2020 security patch plus some India-specific functions.
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While many other OnePlus devices should really have been updated to Android 11 already, the next preview phase OxygenOS Open Beta 5 build is now rolling out for OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro series devices.
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One thing Google and Android does well is easter eggs, whether it’s the Android logo mini-games or even the in-built Dino game you’ll find in all versions of Google Chrome. Thanks to some intrepid code diggers, it looks like we might see a Google Play Store easter egg being incubated before a future “hatching.”
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When Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon 888 chipset, they also confirmed a series of Android OEMs that will release devices utilizing the chipset platform. Xiaomi was among the 14 firms touting an upcoming Snapdragon 888-powered device, and they are set to be the first to market with the Mi 11.
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One of the first updates for the OnePlus Nord N10 5G is now rolling out in the form of OxygenOS 10.5.8, which brings with it some minor camera tweaks alongside the December 2020 security patch.
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The life of a smartphone or tablet can be greatly extended with the help of a custom ROM. And now those with the Google Nexus 7 (2013) can now get a taste of Android 10, as the tablet has gained official LineageOS 17.1 support.
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While 2020 might have been a year to forget for obvious reasons, 2021 looks a lot brighter. With rumors of a proposed Unpacked event planned for early January, Galaxy S21 series leaks are reaching a tipping point.
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In years prior, a number of OnePlus Concept devices have showcased some interesting tech that may eventually arrive with upcoming hardware. This year though, the OnePlus Concept is a color-changing film slapped on the back of a OnePlus 8T and it really isn’t anywhere near as impressive.
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It looks like that you will soon be able to officially buy Pixel Buds compatible foam earbud tips directly from the Google Store after a listing inadvertently went live ahead of time on the online storefront.
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Google has just released a new “Games lobby” that is home to all of your favorite titles, plus another wave of Google Nest Hub and Smart Display games that all take advantage of the smart speaker’s visual capabilities.
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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.
After promises and heavy praise for the update rates previously, OnePlus looks like it may delay the proposed Android 11 update for the OnePlus 7 and 7T series.
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For those with low-end or modest smartphone hardware, a solid camera experience is often something you have to sacrifice as your budget slides. That is starting to change thanks to apps like Google Camera Go, which is now giving users the ability to take HDR photos on low-end smartphones.
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Another hands-on video has been shared online of a pre-release Samsung Galaxy S21+ leaving very little to the imagination and giving us a proper glimpse at the device in action.
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As we rapidly approach 2021, we are now seeing a growing number of Galaxy S21 series leaks ahead of the rumored January 14th Unpacked launch date. The latest is a series of press renders of the Galaxy S21 and S21+ that reveal the entire upcoming lineup of colors.
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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.
Being able to send messages from your desktop without needing to pick up or directly interact with your smartphone is amazing. For WhatsApp users, though, that’s set to get even better as work is ongoing on the ability to make voice and video calls from the companion web and desktop app.
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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.
Because of some App Store politics being played by Apple, Stadia is now available on iOS, but not in the traditional format of an “app” that we’re all pretty much used to.
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After confirmation came just a few weeks ago, Google Stadia is now fully playable on iOS devices including the iPhone and iPad, courtesy of a Safari web app or Progressive Web App.
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Augmented reality has become a big proponent of many of Google’s efforts throughout late 2019 and most of 2020, thanks to apps and even Search integrating the 3D experiences. This has clearly been a success as the ARCore, or Google Play Services for the AR “app,” has now reached the 1 billion install milestone on Google’s mobile platform.
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While Qualcomm takes headlines for having multiple top-tier mobile CPUs, the firm’s latest chipset — the Snapdragon 678 — is a more modest affair.
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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.
HMD Global has announced yet another dirt-cheap Android Go smartphone in the form of the Nokia C1 Plus, giving people yet another affordable 4G-only phone option in late 2020 and early 2021.
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