Facebook has moved into the hardware field with a couple of alternatives to Amazon’s Echo Show.
Facebook has moved into the hardware field with a couple of alternatives to Amazon’s Echo Show.
The Facebook Portal and Portal+ devices are primarily video calling, smart screens for the home. They offer Facebook and Messenger on their touchscreens to connect loved ones and friends over the internet – displaying live video or profile pages simply and hands-free.
You can also access your Spotify Premium account through the new devices. And Pandora, iHeart Radio and other streaming services can be played through the built-in speakers. Both devices have their own voice recognition support plus Alexa compatibility.
The Portal is the closest in style to the Echo Show, with a 10.1-inch 720p screen. It has a 12-megapixel front-facing camera with 140-degree field of view.
A four mic array picks up voices for voice recognition and calling, while the stereo speakers included are capable of 10W total output. Facebook
The Portal+ is a larger device, with a 15.6-inch 1080p display that can be swiveled to a portrait position, as well as landscape.
It too has a 12-megapixel front-facing camera and four mic array, although its speaker output is 20W, provided by two tweeters and a single 4-inch bass unit.
Both Portals come with dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity.
They are only available for pre-order in the US at present, priced at $199 (around £152) and $349 respectively. Both come in white or black.
