Facebook has just released their new devices called Portal and Portal+. With these they make online video chatting much easier and more interactive.
Both Portal and Portal+ come with built in smart cameras that will follow you around the room as if you had your own personal camera operator. The panning and zooming motion is extremely smooth thanks to the ai software in the cameras. The cameras will focus on whoever is in front of it so when that person moves to the right or left it will follow. It will be able to pick up when there is another person in the room, zooming out to capture the entire space. You can also chat with multiple people at once as the screen will fill with the other's live videos.
Alexa makes it possible to control portals with voice commands and utilize any of Alexa's already existing software skills.
The devices also have unique filters to make your calls more entertaining. There is story time mode where text is laid out along with snapchat like popups that appear on your face. Making grandparents far away be able to put their grand kids to sleep with a bedtime story.
As for privacy you will be able to use a cover for the camera that comes with the package along with having the ability to disable the camera and microphone. Portals will have a lock system in which you will need to set up to input a passcode for access.
The portal comes with a display screen size of 10 inches with a price tag of $199 while the portal+ display is 15 inches totaling at $349. Pre-order and get one of your own. They start shipping out in November.
Photos by Facebook