**Portal Go and Portal Plus: Facebook's Latest Foray into Video Calling**

Facebook has recently announced two new devices, the Portal Go and Portal Plus, which focus on video calling and camera capabilities. The first device, the Portal Go, is an update to their older Portal models with a focus on portability and ease of use.

The Portal Go makes sense for those already drawn to the Portal line, as it offers a unique feature that sets it apart from other smart displays on the market. During the pandemic, Portals gained popularity due to its emphasis on video calls, which was a key feature that allowed users to stay connected with friends and family while social distancing. The Portal Go takes this concept further by allowing users to make video calls from room to room, making it a convenient option for those who want to stay in touch without having to move from one device to another.

However, the Portal Go does have its limitations. Unlike other smart displays, such as those from Amazon and Google Nest, the Portal Go relies on Wi-Fi connectivity rather than cellular connection, which means users cannot take it with them outside the home. This may be a drawback for some users who want to use their device in different locations.

The second device, the Portal Plus, is an update of the Portal Plus model from last year. It has a tilting screen that automatically follows the user's movement, similar to other smart displays on the market. However, this feature does not seem particularly innovative, and the Portal Plus still lacks some key features that make its competitors stand out. For example, it has a 12-megapixel camera, which is lower resolution than the 12.5-megapixel camera on the previous Portal Plus model.

The Portal Plus also comes with a higher price tag of $350, making it one of the most expensive options in the smart display market. In comparison, other high-end devices from Amazon and Google Nest cost significantly less, around $230-$250. The main difference between the two devices seems to be the screen size, with the Portal Plus having a 14-inch screen compared to the previous model's 15.6-inch screen.

Despite these limitations, Facebook is rolling out several new features for both devices, including support for Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger. Additionally, users will have access to Multi-Device support, which allows them to connect multiple Portal devices together, as well as a new calendar app that supports Google and Outlook. The company has also announced an expansion of the Watch Together experience, allowing users without Portal devices to join in on video calls.

Overall, while both devices show promise, they still have some significant drawbacks compared to other smart displays on the market. With their limited portability and high prices, it's unclear whether either device will be able to compete with Amazon and Google Nest for dominance in the smart display market.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enFacebook is jumping back into the smart home with two new portal devices and I'm excited curious let's go with keeping an open mind let's take a look at what we know so far the first device could be kind of cool it's called the portal go it's the same basic routine as the older portals voice controls touch controls Etc with a focus on video calls and camera that follows the action only this one has a battery 200 bucks 12 megapix camera 10in screen the second one is an update of the portal plus which is their high-end model it has a tilting screen this time and that's kind of it for new hardware tricks otherwise the same 12 megapixel camera that follows you while you chat this one has a 14in screen and a whopping $350 price ych pre-orders for both start now and they'll be shipping in mid October now let's take a closer look at each device the first one the portal go makes sense to me we're not huge fans of the portal line here at the smart home they're generally less useful than smart displays from Amazon or Google Nest they used to have a super unique trick where the cam would follow you as you moved around but now the show 10 and the show 8 can do that for Amazon and the nest Hub Max can do that for Google that said portal gained a chunk of popularity during the pandemic because of its focus on video calls yes you can make video calls on Amazon and Google Nest but portal puts it more front and center on its list of features so people bought in so they could stay connected to folks so if you're already drawn to the portal line a portal option that you can bring from room to room makes sense keep in mind there's no Cellular Connection here so you're not going to be able to bring this thing to the park and for roomto room convenience you still have you know a cell phone but still at least the portal go adds something new to the equation the new portal plus doesn't make any sense to me for one thing it's 350 bucks that's crazy the most expensive options for Google and Amazon are 230 and 250 respectively you do get a bigger screen with the portal plus 14 in versus hand but wait I'm guessing they're going to Sunset the old portal plus that one was $280 and had a 15.6 in screen that rotated this one gives you less and costs more well you might say maybe it has a better camera nope the old one had a 12.5 megapixel camera this one 12 now those minor differences in specs probably won't make a big difference in your experience but the point of a the second gen version usually isn't to downgrade the specs while jacking up the price what is going on maybe I got to see this thing in action or hear it maybe the sound quality is way better I saw the tilting screen feature listed and thought maybe that was like the Echo Show 10 with a motorized screen that automatically follows you nope it just tilts when you move it like any computer monitor please please don't pre-order this device people buy portals for their parents or elderly relatives to help them keep in touch you have better options than this check out the Echo Show 10 or the nest Hub Max but we will of course review it when it comes out to see if it surprises Facebook is also rolling out a few new features for portal along with these devices they're adding Microsoft teams they already have zoom WhatsApp Facebook Messenger obviously and a few others so lots of choices for video calling they're adding Multi-Device support for WhatsApp a new calendar app that supports Google and Outlook there's also a new household mode Facebook assumes you're putting this in a public space so you can set up certain apps and contacts so anybody can access they're expanding the watch together experience so now people who don't have portals can join in as you watch your favorite movies or TV shows and Facebook for business will let employers set up accounts and and devices for employees so honestly some cool new features as before you'll be able to play music and control your smart home since it has access to Amazon's assistant you'll have to use Facebook's separate voice assistant for video calls which is strange but whatever all that said I'm skeptical even the portal go will win me over the portal line just has so much ground to make up to catch up to the competition that said maybe I'll be surprised and the mobility will really seem useful for the $350 portal plus to win me over with a smaller screen and a worse cam I mean I suppose stranger things have probably happened and anything's possible a million dollars could fall out of the ceiling and onto my lap right now it was worth a try what do you think am I being too harsh on the portal let me know in the comments below and thanks for watching please hit that Thumbs Up Button if you found the video helpful and subscribe to CET YouTube channel for moreFacebook is jumping back into the smart home with two new portal devices and I'm excited curious let's go with keeping an open mind let's take a look at what we know so far the first device could be kind of cool it's called the portal go it's the same basic routine as the older portals voice controls touch controls Etc with a focus on video calls and camera that follows the action only this one has a battery 200 bucks 12 megapix camera 10in screen the second one is an update of the portal plus which is their high-end model it has a tilting screen this time and that's kind of it for new hardware tricks otherwise the same 12 megapixel camera that follows you while you chat this one has a 14in screen and a whopping $350 price ych pre-orders for both start now and they'll be shipping in mid October now let's take a closer look at each device the first one the portal go makes sense to me we're not huge fans of the portal line here at the smart home they're generally less useful than smart displays from Amazon or Google Nest they used to have a super unique trick where the cam would follow you as you moved around but now the show 10 and the show 8 can do that for Amazon and the nest Hub Max can do that for Google that said portal gained a chunk of popularity during the pandemic because of its focus on video calls yes you can make video calls on Amazon and Google Nest but portal puts it more front and center on its list of features so people bought in so they could stay connected to folks so if you're already drawn to the portal line a portal option that you can bring from room to room makes sense keep in mind there's no Cellular Connection here so you're not going to be able to bring this thing to the park and for roomto room convenience you still have you know a cell phone but still at least the portal go adds something new to the equation the new portal plus doesn't make any sense to me for one thing it's 350 bucks that's crazy the most expensive options for Google and Amazon are 230 and 250 respectively you do get a bigger screen with the portal plus 14 in versus hand but wait I'm guessing they're going to Sunset the old portal plus that one was $280 and had a 15.6 in screen that rotated this one gives you less and costs more well you might say maybe it has a better camera nope the old one had a 12.5 megapixel camera this one 12 now those minor differences in specs probably won't make a big difference in your experience but the point of a the second gen version usually isn't to downgrade the specs while jacking up the price what is going on maybe I got to see this thing in action or hear it maybe the sound quality is way better I saw the tilting screen feature listed and thought maybe that was like the Echo Show 10 with a motorized screen that automatically follows you nope it just tilts when you move it like any computer monitor please please don't pre-order this device people buy portals for their parents or elderly relatives to help them keep in touch you have better options than this check out the Echo Show 10 or the nest Hub Max but we will of course review it when it comes out to see if it surprises Facebook is also rolling out a few new features for portal along with these devices they're adding Microsoft teams they already have zoom WhatsApp Facebook Messenger obviously and a few others so lots of choices for video calling they're adding Multi-Device support for WhatsApp a new calendar app that supports Google and Outlook there's also a new household mode Facebook assumes you're putting this in a public space so you can set up certain apps and contacts so anybody can access they're expanding the watch together experience so now people who don't have portals can join in as you watch your favorite movies or TV shows and Facebook for business will let employers set up accounts and and devices for employees so honestly some cool new features as before you'll be able to play music and control your smart home since it has access to Amazon's assistant you'll have to use Facebook's separate voice assistant for video calls which is strange but whatever all that said I'm skeptical even the portal go will win me over the portal line just has so much ground to make up to catch up to the competition that said maybe I'll be surprised and the mobility will really seem useful for the $350 portal plus to win me over with a smaller screen and a worse cam I mean I suppose stranger things have probably happened and anything's possible a million dollars could fall out of the ceiling and onto my lap right now it was worth a try what do you think am I being too harsh on the portal let me know in the comments below and thanks for watching please hit that Thumbs Up Button if you found the video helpful and subscribe to CET YouTube channel for more\n"