Portal fromFacebook comprises a family of video-chatting devices with AR features and a smart camera that keeps you in frame.- You can use Portal to make calls through
Facebook Messenger , WhatsApp, and Zoom. - The Portal comes in different sizes and some versions have different features.
$4 from $4 is a smart device used to $4 with friends and family. But why buy another gadget to do what your phone or computer already does?
Well, rather than being a utilitarian device with a video chat feature, the Portal is like a dedicated video phone with futuristic flare.
It's equipped with a high-quality camera and movement-tracking software that follows your movements. Sensitive mics pick up the detail in your voice and it's speakers provide quality audio. No microphone and headphone combo is necessary. It also features an $4.
The Portal itself was a bit prescient, coming out more than a year before video chatting became a normal part of daily life. If you're looking to make video conferencing better, the Portal may work for you.
What is Portal from Facebook?
Portal uses $4, $4, and $4 for video calls. If you don't have a Facebook account, you'll want to make one to use the Portal.
But unlike a laptop, phone or tablet, it's not exactly a portable device — you need to plug in the Portal. What you lose there, you gain in a better camera with higher audio quality.
The Portal looks like a boxy picture frame with a built-in stand that you can set at a desk or countertop either vertically or horizontally. The camera's person-tracking software keeps you in frame while talking, so you can have a conversation while multitasking (laundry, cooking, etc.) or moving around.
A four-microphone array (eight on the Portal TV) captures your voice while your friends' voices come from speakers and a subwoofer.
For those concerned with privacy, the camera and microphones can be disabled using a switch on the device.
Portal's key features
While the Portal is a Facebook product, it is Amazon $4-enabled. You can use the AI assistant to set timers, cue music, and access smart devices like the $4 doorbell to see who is at the door.
The Portal also comes with a growing number of AR ($4) effects similar to Snapchat filters, like putting bunny ears or a mustache on yourself during a call. One unique feature is Storytime, where you can select from a library of stories to read aloud with added sound effects and animations. This is perfect to entertain kids from afar.
When you're not on a call, you can set the portal to display Facebook photos like a digital frame. It can also tell you when friends are available to talk.
You can even use the Portal as a note-taking device to keep your household up to date with reminders and videos.
For more information, see our guide on $4.
Different versions of the Portal
There are now $4 of the Portal. Each provides similar software and basic features:
- The Portal Mini ($129) is the smallest and most affordable version of the device with an 8-inch HD screen.
- The regular Portal ($179) has a 10-inch display.
- The Portal+ ($279) has a 15.6-inch display.
- The Portal TV ($149) doesn't have a screen because it uses your television as a screen. The device is compatible with Netflix and some other streaming services.
With the exception of the Portal TV, the differences come down mostly to screen size, speaker size, and each camera's field of view. The Portal Mini, Portal, and Portal+ come in black and white, while the Portal TV comes in black only.