Facebook today jumped into smart devices with the launch of the Portal and Portal+ displays.
The Portal is a 10-inch, 1,280-by-800 display, while the 1,920-by-1,080 Portal+ comes in at 15 inches. As you might expect, its main purpose is to connect you with other Facebook users via Messenger; say "Hey Portal" to start a video call. But the devices also come with built-in support for Amazon's Alexa, so you can talk to the Portal as you might the Echo Show.
Both devices arrive in November, but you can pre-order them starting today for $199 and $349 via portal.facebook.com, Amazon, and Best Buy. Buy two Portals and get $100 off.
"Both models are designed to help you feel closer to the important people in your life and make video chats feel less like a call, and more like you're actually in the same room," Facebook said in a blog post.
The Portals are "powered by AI," according to Facebook and come equipped with a smart camera that follows you around the room, as well as smart sound technology to minimize background noise.
For those not jazzed about giving Facebook that much access, maybe don't buy the Portal. But the company also says the camera and microphone can be "completely" disabled with a single tap. Both devices also have a camera cover for when they're not in use, which won't block incoming calls or notifications. Portals also support a four- to 12-digit passcode; to change that code, you'll need to enter your Facebook password.
Video calls conducted on a Portal are encrypted, while AI technology runs locally on the devices, not Facebook servers. "Portal's camera doesn't use facial recognition and doesn't identify who you are," the company says.
Like Alexa, you can delete the Portal's voice history via the Facebook Activity Log.
In addition to video calls, meanwhile, Portal will also support Spotify Premium and iHeartRadio, as well as Facebook Watch, Food Network, and Newsy, with more in the works. Those Instagram and Snapchat face filters will also come to the big screen here via Facebook's Spark AR platform, so you can chat with people while sporting a cartoon face, if you prefer.
When not in use, Portal can function like a large digital picture frame.
Facebook has dabbled in hardware here and there for awhile. For years, you couldn't go a week without another "Facebook phone" rumour. Instead, we got phones with dedicated Facebook buttons and then, the now-defunct Facebook Home experience, which put Facebook front and centrr on Android phones. In 2014, it acquired Oculus VR for $2 billion, which is now focused on affordable, standalone consumer VR experiences.
But the social network has also been dogged by privacy issues; this year alone, it's been hit with the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the more recent breach of 50 million+ accounts. So it remains to be seen if people want to bring Facebook into their homes even more when they could just buy an Amazon Echo.