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Monday, October 15, 2018

Facebook has a Portal

More Detail on Facebook's Portal, will it compete with assistants?

Creepy or convenient? Facebook’s new Portal smart display follows you around the room

Get ready, folks, for a screened smart speaker from…Facebook?

Yep, you read that right. The social media giant today introduced two devices, which are both Amazon Alexa smart speakers with video displays. The Portal and Portal+ are hands-free devices with cameras and microphones for video calls to Facebook friends. As you might have guessed, a Facebook account is required.

If another person joins you on the call, everyone will always be in the frame.

“Both models are designed to make you feel closer to the important people in your life, and make video chats seem less like a call and more like you’re actually in the same room,” according to a Facebook press release.

The two models, offered in white or black, differ in size and functionality. The $199 Portal has a 10-inch display, while the $349 Portal+ boasts a whopping 15-inch pivoting display, which automatically pans and zooms on calls. That way if another person joins you on the call, everyone will always be in the frame. The camera and mics also automatically follow a caller moving around a room while they’re speaking ... "

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