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.
With the Galaxy S21 series starting to leak bit by bit, an FCC listing has now confirmed that those in North America can expect the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset in the upcoming flagship series.
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The recent December 2020 security patch along with the Pixel Feature Drop brought a number of new additions plus all of the new Unicode 13.1 emoji to Made by Google devices.
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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.
The latest Pixel Feature Drop has arrived alongside the December 2020 security patch, which means new features, some refinements, and a little added flair for your eligible Google Pixel device – so we’ve gone hands-on.
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The Oppo Find X2 Pro has been one of the standout devices in 2020, with a stacked spec sheet that tackled just about any flagship out there. Now thanks to a detailed leak, we have a good idea of what to expect from the upcoming Oppo Find X3 Pro — at least where specs are concerned.
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Apple leads the smartphone industry with their hardware choices. From the headphone jack to the notch, designs bleed across into Android whether we like it or not. The latest will be the removal of the charging brick from upcoming Samsung Galaxy S21 series devices.
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Google Photos has drifted past the 5 billion download milestone on the Play Store, that’s despite the news that free photo and video backups are set to end very soon.
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The OnePlus 8 Pro might have been the first OnePlus device to come with an official IP68 water- and dust-resistant rating, but it’s highly unlikely to be the last, as rumors suggest that the OnePlus 9 Pro will also sport the added protection.
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Google Keep has now reached the impressive 1 billion download milestone over on the Google Play Store, making it far and away the #1 checklist and note-taking app on Android.
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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.
The accelerated death of the headphone port (or jack) on many flagship smartphones increased usage and prevalence of Bluetooth earbuds such as the Pixel Buds, which means that finding accessories and extras is becoming a minefield. We’re going to simplify that process with our dedicated gift guide for wireless audio.
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Apparent real-life photos of the Galaxy S21 and S21+ have now leaked giving us a glimpse of the devices for the first time in the flesh and corroborate previous camera information leaks.
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To help celebrate one of the original “influencers,” Google is celebrating Beethoven’s 250th birthday with a series of special concerts in a year-long celebration of the composer’s “life, music and legacy.”
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The December 2020 patch is now already rolling out for the Galaxy S9 and S9+, maintaining Samsung’s vastly improved update track record throughout 2020.
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We’re late into 2020, which means almost all Android OEMs have released their latest hardware — including Google. If you’re a Pixel enthusiast looking and sizing up the latest lineup, you’re probably wondering, “Which 2020 Pixel is the right device for me?”
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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.
YouTube Premium provides you with ad-free video viewing plus the added bonus of YouTube Music, YouTube Originals, and even the odd free benefit — like a Stadia Premiere Edition.
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Many OEMs have tackled a bridge-style desktop mode for smartphones with prominent players including Samsung and Huawei with their DeX and Miracast solutions respectively. Now though it looks as though Motorola is set to bring its own desktop mode to upcoming handsets.
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How far does your budget stretch when it comes to picking up a new phone? If you want something cheaper, and with the “true” Google experience how do you decide between the affordably-focused Pixel 4a and Pixel 4a 5G? Let’s lay out all the cards and help you discern which is the right Pixel to potentially purchase.
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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.
We’ve seen third-party ROMs drop for the Pixel 4a and Pixel 4, and the latest is for the recently released Pixel 4a 5G.
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Despite not really making a dent in the wider smartphone space, Sony still maintains a large, loyal fanbase. With a small flagship lineup, it’s arguably far easier to for Sony to update their Xperia lines to Android 11.
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The Android 11 update for the Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro has now begun rolling out for the mid-2020 flagship with the firm’s MIUI 12 skin.
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As the world’s most popular cross-platform messaging app, even when WhatsApp adds minor features it’s kind of big news simply due to the massive userbase. The latest might not be groundbreaking, but you’re now able to customize wallpapers in WhatsApp on a chat-by-chat basis.
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