Facebook has unveiled two new Portal devices that will sit alongside the existing 10″ Portal and Portal TV.
The first and most interesting to us, is the updated Portal+. The Portal+, as the name suggests has always been the plus sized digital hub from Facebook and the new model boasts an all new design with a large 14″ HD display and high-fidelity audio. We really like how this thing looks, the design is very modern and the bezels of the display are kept to a minimum. You can pre-order the brand new Portal+ for £349 today on the Facebook Store.
The 2nd new Portal device for 2021 is the smaller Portal Go. This is everything you love about the other Portals, packed in to a more portable form factor with a 10″ Screen rechargeable battery so you can take it from room to room! The Portal Go is available to pre-order now for £199 in the UK, but Facebook are currently offering £100 off when you buy any 2 Portal devices. This sounds great in theory, but we have to wait and see what the Portal Go offers above carrying your phone or tablet around the house with you… perhaps better audio and camera?
The Portal range support video calls via Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Zoom, the other person doesn’t need to have a Portal device in order to receive your video calls though. They all have with Alexa built in too so you can use your usual Alexa voice commands to control set alarms, timer and control your smart home. Facebook also supports video streaming apps on the Portal+ like Netflix and Amazon Prime (although these seem to be missing from the Portal Go). Prices start from only £149 for the Portal TV and you can shop the range via the Facebook Store or Amazon.
We’ve never had the opportunity to use any of the Facebook Portal range for ourselves, but we’re hoping to be able to review the new Portal+ in the near future and we’ll be able to compare how the new Portal+ compares with the Google Nest Hub Max, so keep an eye out for that!
