| Developers: | Meta (formerly Facebook) |
| Date of the premiere of the system: | November 2018 |
| Branches: | Information Technology |
| Technology: | Office equipment |
Content |
2022: Project Closure
On November 11, 2022, it became known that Meta Platforms (recognized as an extremist organization; activities in the Russian Federation are prohibited) will curtail the production of screens for video calls Portal and smartwatches.
The Portal device was designed to host video chats. Subsequently, Portal +, Portal Mini, Portal TV and Portal Go gadgets appeared. The company also offered the Portal for Business software package, which allows you to use screens in the corporate segment.
The Meta smartwatch originally intended to be released in the summer of 2022, but then the presentation was postponed. This device, according to available information, was supposed to receive two cameras - front and rear. The first was supposed to be used for video telephony, the second - for recording videos in Full HD format (by extracting the main module from the frame).
As it has now become known, both of these projects have been curtailed. The reason is the large-scale reduction in staff: in early November 2022, Meta head Mark Zuckerberg announced the dismissal of about 11 thousand employees, or 13% of all staff. It is known that 46% of the reduced workers participated in various projects related to technology.
It is noted that some surge in demand for Portal was observed at the height of the pandemic, when users needed gadgets to communicate with relatives and colleagues. However, then sales of the devices began to decline, and Meta began to offer them to corporate customers, and not to individual customers. Now it has been decided to curtail the development of displays altogether. Meta itself does not comment on the closure of Portal projects and smartwatches.[1][2]
2019: Way to send silent voice commands to digital assistants using a laser
On November 5, 2019, it became known that a group of specialists from the Tokyo University of Telecommunications (Japan) and the University of Michigan (USA ) developed a way to send silent voice commands to digital assistants using a laser. Scientists have learned using a laser to "talk" with any device capable of receiving voice commands, including smartphones, Amazon Echo smart speakers, Google Home, devices with support for Facebook Portal video calls, etc. Read more here.
2018: Start of sales
In November 2018, Facebook started selling Portal and Portal + video communication devices . Their cost is $199 and $349, respectively. When buying two monitors, a discount of $100 is provided. The products can be purchased from Facebook, as well as Amazon and Best Buy stores .
The Portal camera has wide-angle optics and software with elements of artificial intelligence, which allows you to follow the user when he moves into the field of view of the device. Facebook claims that the new devices are more convenient than ordinary phones that have to be held in your hand, and create the impression of a "common space" where the conversation is conducted.
Using the Smart Call function, the camera automatically zooms and pans the frame so that all participants in the video chat are in it. Smart Sound technology muffles background noise while amplifying the voice of people who speak.
The equipment can be controlled by voice commands. With their help, the user, for example, can find out the weather forecast, order home delivery of groceries and manage a smart home.
The Facebook Portal comes with a 10.1-inch screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels and 10W speakers, while the larger Portal + received a 15.6-inch Full HD rotary display, 20-watt speakers and a 4-inch subwoofer.
The devices are integrated with several music video services including Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio and Facebook Watch. You can use augmented reality elements like animated masks thanks to the Spark AR platform.
During the announcement, Facebook focused on the fact that data collected through Portal and Portal + (information about calls, their duration, and so on) will not be used for advertising or anything else. The company later said otherwise[3]
Notes
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