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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 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.
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Renders of the upcoming Nokia 7.3 have been shared online, giving us a closer look at what looks like an updated design and new quad-camera setup.
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Android 11 has refined rather than redefined our favorite mobile OS experience but it looks like it hasn’t been without bugs and issues. Some users are reporting a bug that effectively breaks multitasking on Android 11.
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For years the ability to spread the cost of a meal, entertainment, heck, even gas payments has been a necessary and frustrating evil. However, the rise of wireless and mobile payments means we now have more options for sharing those costs equally. Google knows the frustrations faced and is adding a “Split a Bill” feature for its Pay platform in Singapore.
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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 Google Play, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
Mobvoi’s lastest TicWatch Pro 3 is a big deal. With this smartwatch being the first to come with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 chipset, it could be the biggest leap forward for Wear OS for some time. We’ve spent some time getting to know the TicWatch Pro 3, to better understand whether this is the answer to many of the platform’s woes, or if it’s just another false dawn.
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Android 11 might already be available, but as OEMs shoehorn their skins into the latest OS build, plenty of beta phases are concurrently running. The OxygenOS 11 Open Beta 2, which is based upon Android 11, is now rolling out for the OnePlus 8 series with some interesting ambient Always-on display upgrades.
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The first official renders of the Pixel 4a 5G have now leaked courtesy of an online retailer in the UK, giving us a glimpse at the design of the upcoming mid-ranger.
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We’re less than a week away from what would likely have been called “Made by Google 2020,” or the “Launch Night In” as Google is now calling it. For Pixel fans everywhere, we’re sure that excitement is building for the event, where Google is expected to unveil its latest flagship smartphone, the Pixel 5.
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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 Google Play, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
Although the continual march of a global pandemic has more or less forced the hand of exhibitors and attendees globally, the GSMA is adamant that Mobile World Congress or MWC will take place next year — but now with a late-June 2021 start date.
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HMD Global has officially unveiled a duo of affordable new handsets in the form of the Nokia 2.4 and Nokia 3.4 with modest pricing and internals.
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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 Google Play, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
Years after the original Sony Xperia Play was let out to pasture, an alleged Xperia Play 2 prototype has surfaced online showing what appears to be the canceled gaming-focused smartphone.
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While not the out-and-out best file manager on Android, Files by Google is a solid default option with plenty of extras and neat functions. Thanks to the latest Files by Google version 1.0.33 update, some notable new features have been added to the default file manager.
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