We use Facebook to talk publicly with our friends and family and use Messenger and WhatsApp to have private conversations with them. Our conversations don’t have to be confined to typing messages or just audio calls, however. With a Facebook Portal Plus, you can make video calls and use it as an Alexa device as well.
Even if your friends and family don’t have their own Portal device, you can still participate in video calls with them. A smart camera pans and zooms on its own to keep everyone in the room on camera so that you don’t have to spend your time holding your phone the right way or sitting in just the right spot in front of your computer.
You can join or host a group call of up to 50 people in Messenger Rooms. The Portal helps you work from home as well, as you can even use it for Zoom calls.
The Facebook Portal Plus utilizes Smart Sound, which enhances your voice so that unwanted background noises are not a problem. You don’t need to worry about being heard when you don’t want to or the camera watching you, however, as you can easily disable the camera ad microphone or just block the lens with the camera cover. All video calls are encrypted as well.
With Alexa built in, you can operate the Portal just like any other Alexa device. You can ask it to play music while displaying the lyrics, check the weather, play news, answer questions, or control your smart home.
Get your kids into the action as well by reading along with them to well-loved storybooks that have music, animation, and immersive AR effects.
Save $50 on this Portal in either white or black and pay just $229. Similar deals are also being offered on other sizes of the Facebook Portal and the Portal TV.
Laura has spent nearly 20 years writing news, reviews, and op-eds, with more than 10 of those years as an editor as well. She has exclusively used Apple products for the past three decades. In addition to writing and editing at MTE, she also runs the site's sponsored review program.
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