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.
Samsung has officially launched a standalone GameDriver app that is supposed to boost gaming performance on select Galaxy devices.
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A long-standing device sensor issue that has affected a minority of Pixel owners now appears to be affecting some Pixel 5 units.
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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 a huge uptick in livestreaming to the platform over the past 18 months, YouTube has now confirmed that creators can livestream HDR content.
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Google’s Discover Feed is more or less in a constant state of flux thanks to tests, experiments, and tweaks. It now looks as though Google is testing a clean, cardless Discover Feed.
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Having not yet been officially unveiled, Google’s ARCore support list has inadvertently confirmed that the Nokia 5.4 is coming soon, as well as adding a ton of new devices to its growing supported ranks.
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Stadia’s biggest release to date has arrived in the form of the uber-hyped 1980s-inspired Cyberpunk 2077. One of the biggest unanswered questions leading up to release though is just how well Cyberpunk is able to run on all devices — including Stadia.
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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 2021 follow-up to the Moto G Stylus has been leaked way ahead of schedule by Amazon, giving us a glimpse of what the stylus-equipped smartphone will bring to the table early next year.
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After recently hitting the 5 billion download milestone on Android, Google Photos is looking to target the other side of the mobile OS fence with some new features. For those using an iOS device, Google Photos now offers the ability to sync your liked content with Apple Photos.
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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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