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.
To mark the start of Black History Month in the UK, today’s Google Doodle celebrates the life of the extraordinary Black British composer, abolitionist, and cultural icon Ignatius Sancho.
Expand Expanding Close
The Oppo Reno 4 Pro 5G and wider Reno 4 series has now officially launched as a step-up over the previous models with 5G being the core addition to the updated handset.
Expand Expanding Close
A brand new Google Pixel means yet more playful wallpapers are coming your way when you get your hands on one of the latest devices. However, we’ve got an early sneak peek at the Pixel 5 wallpapers that you can download and adorn on your device right now.
Expand Expanding Close
As part of any smartphone launch in 2020, you have to expect a wave of official cases — and the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 are absolutely no different in that regard.
Expand Expanding Close
The time has come to kick back and enjoy the brand new Made by Google cohort. To celebrate the first-ever “Launch Night In,” Google sent out some special surprise kits to select media and influencers. But just what comes inside? How about we unbox the special Chromecast kit and go hands-on.
Expand Expanding Close
After speculation, leaks, tidbits, and rumors, Google has now officially launched the Pixel 4a 5G during the online “Launch Night In” keynote.
Expand Expanding Close
The Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5 were widely expected to be the first Android devices to come with Android 11 pre-installed. However, the Vivo V20 series has beaten Google to the punch coming with Android 11 right out of the box.
Expand Expanding Close
Xiaomi has lifted the lid on it’s latest flagship pairing of the Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro, devices that appear to pack a serious punch.
Expand Expanding Close
After praising Samsung for the recent speedy One UI 2.5 updates hitting devices, it appears that this OS update is causing some photo-related issues. It looks like the enhanced Motion Photos added in Samsung’s latest OTA are being uploaded as still images to Google Photos.
Expand Expanding Close
Google Duo usage has no doubt skyrocketed thanks to a global pandemic changing the way we communicate, but with a UI refresh late last year we lost a neat “camera off” toggle. Despite being M.I.A for some months, it looks like the option might be returning for some users.
Expand Expanding Close
Xiaomi has now quietly launched the Mi Smart Smart Speaker in India — its first-ever Google Assistant-powered smart speaker.
Expand Expanding Close
Ahead of the eventual shuttering of Google Play Music next month, the desktop Music Manager application is now beginning to shut down ahead of a drawn-out conclusion for the music streaming service.
Expand Expanding Close
As we await the release of Google’s first Android TV-powered Chromecast device, it’s still worth noting that there are plenty of great quality, affordable options out there. One such affordable option — the Xiaomi Mi Box 3 — is now finally getting an update to Android Pie.
Read more
The late-2020 gaming rush is now upon us, which means the gaming release schedule is now really heating up ahead of the busy holiday period. September 2020 has seen a major rival come from Amazon and yet more incremental updates and improvements to Stadia, while more important games have hit the service too!
Expand Expanding Close
The constant evolution of YouTube Music continues with new features being added and tested at a quick pace. One of the latest new YouTube Music features looks to be a very Spotify-inspired daily “My Mix” selection of daily playlists that will segment into sub-genres and sections.
Expand Expanding Close
Since mid-2019, OnePlus has adopted a “Pro” model of its popular flagship lineup. However, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has now dashed fans’ hopes by confirming that this time around, there will be no OnePlus 8T Pro.
Expand Expanding Close
The OnePlus software release cycle has an interesting release cycle that consists of a closed beta, open beta, and final release. Today, just a few months after release, the Chinese OEM is now requesting signups for the OnePlus Nord closed beta program.
Expand Expanding Close
Listen to a short-form recap or roundup of all the top 9to5Google stories of the previous 24 hours. 9to5Google Daily is available on Google Play, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy Tab Active 3, a rugged Android tablet that comes with some nifty tricks for industry or the avid outdoorsman.
Expand Expanding Close
Even though the Google Pixel 2 series is now starting to get a little long in the tooth, both devices are still impressive pieces of hardware — especially when it comes the camera. However, it looks like the camera issues faced by Pixel 2 owners are still causing some major problems — and it looks like the issue might be spreading.
Expand Expanding Close
Song identification stalwart Shazam has long been an essential for music discovery and sometimes just remembering that annoying earworm that you can’t quite pinpoint. For Shazam users though, it’s probably great to hear that you can now listen to identified tracks in YouTube Music.
Expand Expanding Close
Google Maps may already have a dedicated in-car navigation system built into Android Auto, but now it looks like the smartphone application is set to get a very familiar look and feel with a new car mode UI.
Expand Expanding Close
Listen to a short-form recap or roundup of all the top 9to5Google stories of the previous 24 hours. 9to5Google Daily is available on Google Play, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
The VLC 3.3 update for Android has now dropped on the Google Play Store with a multitude of UI tweaks and enhancements that will make the utility-knife media player even more of a smartphone essential.
Expand Expanding Close