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WhatsApp's new camera features let you doodle on pics, video
WhatsApp's new camera features let you doodle on pics, video
WhatsApp on Monday rolled out a host of new camera features for customizing photos and video, including adding the ability to draw on images and support for taking "the perfect selfie."
WhatApp's new camera features let you customize your images.
WhatsApp
One new feature, which should be familiar to anyone who has used Snapchat, adds the ability to add your favorite emoji "to express yourself," the app's makers said in a blog post Monday. The editing tools also let users add text, choosing their own colors and fonts.
Those intent on sharing more of themselves on Facebook's popular messaging app will be drawn to its new support of your phone's front-facing flash, promising a better selfie, be it captured in low light or at night. Video buffs will welcome a new feature that will zoom in and out on your subject while recording video with the swipe up or down of your finger.
The new features began rolling out to Android users on Monday with support for iPhones promised soon.
WhatsApp testing new fact-checking feature for messages, report says
WhatsApp testing new fact-checking feature for messages, report says
WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new fact-checking feature for messages. In the beta version of the Android app, users have been able to select an option to check the web for more context after receiving a message, according to a report from TechCrunch on Saturday. Previously users could only fact-check images sent on the app.
WhatsApp is an instant messaging and calling service owned by Facebook.
"We are working on new features to help empower users to find out more information about the messages they receive that have been forwarded many times. This feature is currently in testing, and we look forward to rolling it out in the near future," a WhatsApp spokesperson told TechCrunch in a statement.
CNET has reached out to WhatsApp, and we'll update when we hear back. Features in testing are not always a guarantee that they'll be launched to the public.
WhatsApp Status: Everything you need to know about the Snapchat clone
WhatsApp Status: Everything you need to know about the Snapchat clone
WhatsApp is rolling out a new Status feature to all users. Instead of the text-only status that lets people know whether you're busy or available to chat, the new Status feature uses photos, text, emojis and sketches to show what you're doing. If that sounds familiar, it could be because it appears to be inspired by Snapchat.
And unlike Snapchat and Instagram, WhatsApp can protect your Status updates with end-to-end encryption.
Here's what you need to know about the new feature.
When will I get the Status feature?
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
When your account gets access to Status, you won't have to download or install an app update from the App Store or Play Store -- it'll just show up.
You'll know if you have access to Status on iOS when the Contacts tab gets replaced with a camera icon (see photo above), and the far-left tab reads "Status." Android users will see a new Camera icon to the left of the Chats tab, next to a new Status tab.
Who can see my Status?
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
WhatsApp includes privacy settings, giving you complete control over who sees your Status. By default, only your contacts can view your Status, but the privacy settings let you change that.
With the Status tab selected on an iPhone, tap on Privacy. Android users, tap the menu button > Status Privacy.
You are given three options:
My Contacts: All of your WhatsApp contacts can view your Status.
My Contacts Except...: Select the people you don't want to show your Status to. This still shares your Status with the rest of your Contact list.
Only Share With..: Select only with the contacts you want to show your Status to.
If you change your privacy settings after uploading a Status, keep in mind the new settings will only impact future updates.
Viewing your friends' Statuses is a lot like Snapchat
If you already use Snapchat Stories or Instagram Stories, then you'll feel right at home with Status. Here are the basics:
To view a Status uploaded by your friend, open the Status tab. A list of friends who've shared a Status will fill in.
Touch the screen to pause a Status, giving you more time to view it, tap to skip through a Status, or swipe left to go to the next person.
Swipe up on a status to reply to the the Status you are currently viewing.
...And so is updating your Status
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
WhatsApp Status includes all the familiar features of Snapchat and Instagram Stories -- stickers, text captions, drawings and more. Here's how to update your Status:
To add a photo or video to your WhatsApp Status, open the app and tap the camera icon. Take a photo or video, or pick one from your camera roll.
You can draw, write and place emojis on the photo. There's also an option to add a caption that will be shown on the bottom of the photo or video as your contacts watch it.
Finally, tap the paper airplane icon. You can either send your Status directly to a friend, as a photo or video within a conversation thread, or you can tap My Status at the top of the list to update your Status.
Videos can go longer than 10 seconds
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Instead of limiting your video status updates to just 10 seconds (like Snapchat), videos you record and share as a Status can be as long as 45 seconds.
And you can upload GIFs!
In the year 2017, supporting animated images, or GIFs, in an app is a requirement. As such, WhatsApp Status will accept GIFs you've saved to your camera roll or photos app. Select a GIF, trim it down if you need to, and share just as you would a regular, boring, photo or video.
Your Status will remain active for 24 hours, after which it disappears.
Sadly, there doesn't appear to be a way to save a Status to your phone. Whatever you capture and create in WhatsApp is limited to WhatsApp.
Find out who's viewing your Status
A view counter is placed at the bottom of your screen, showing you how many people have watched or looked at your status. You can swipe up on the screen to view a list of contact names who have viewed your Status.
You can get away with screenshots
Unlike Snapchat, WhatsApp does not alert you when a contact takes a screenshot of your Status. In other words, be conscious of exactly what you are sharing to your Status, just because it disappears from your Status after 24 hours doesn't mean no one saved a copy.
Check out our complete guide to Instagram Stories.
Snapchat's Spectacles are now available for purchase online. Here's our review.
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WhatsApp Messenger review: Text for free, with some useful extras
WhatsApp Messenger review: Text for free, with some useful extras
Editors' note, February 19, 2014:This review has been updated with information from Facebook's announcement that it acquired WhatsApp.
WhatsApp Messenger (iPhone|Android) lets you chat for free with anyone else who owns the app and offers a few extra useful features to make text messaging more fun. With this chat app installed on your smartphone, you'll save a little money on text charges through your carrier and across platforms. The only catch is that you'll have to persuade your most frequent texting buddies to download the app, too, but once they see WhatsApp's advantages, they'll probably give it a try.
WhatsApp Messenger was recently acquired by Facebook, and while that doesn't mean a big change to the app in the near future, it makes me wonder how Facebook plans to use it. Whatsapp is already incredibly popular around the world, so any news about changes to the app will be watched closely. Should we expect WhatsApp to continue in its current form alongside Facebook's own separate messaging app or will Facebook's offering suddenly have the same features, as Whatsapp rides off into the sunset? It's hard to know at this time, but check back here for more information and an updated review when any new Facebook chat app becomes available.
Natural navigation
Like iMessage for iOS, WhatsApp Messenger shows your chats in little text bubbles, gives you a time stamp for messages, notifies you when a text has been viewed by your recipient, and lets you include photos, audio notes, and videos within your conversations. But with WhatsApp Messenger you can also change your background and send your GPS location to an interactive map. You can use premade away notes such as "I'm busy" or "Available" or even "My battery is about to die," and you can block specific contacts from within the app. You also can easily send a friend's contact information to another user without leaving the app. So, while the app is not leaps and bounds ahead of other messaging apps, there are some nice extra features here.
Great for conversations among multiple users
One thing WhatsApp does exceptionally well is group messages. You can use the Broadcast Message feature to bring up your entire list of contacts, then click radio buttons to quickly add contacts for a message blast. There's also a New Group feature, which lets you add contacts for a group message much as you would in iMessage or another chat app. But you can also look back over the group messages and list just the locations or just the media added to the group chat by all members. These are not amazing or groundbreaking features, but they are a bit more than what you can get with the standard messaging features on most phones.
So the real advantage of WhatsApp Messenger is the money you save when communicating with Android (if you use iMessage) or while communicating internationally. In other words, with WhatsApp Messenger, and a little cooperation from your most-texted friends and family, you could easily get the lowest-cost texting plan with your carrier and save some money every month on your smartphone bill. It shouldn't be that hard of a sell either, since your friends will save money on their phone bills as well.
A note about pricing
WhatsApp Messenger is free to download for iOS and Android users. In the past, the app cost 99 cents, but the developers moved to a newer pricing model in the middle of 2013. Now, the app is free initially, but after a year of use, you'll need to pay a 99-cent subscription fee for another year. This is the first time I've seen such a pricing scheme, but it's hard to argue with only $1 per year for a solid messaging app that works cross-platform.
Overall, WhatsApp Messenger is not much different from the text-messaging services you get on your smartphone, offering a few neat extras that make it a little more fun and useful. At this point in time, it's hard to say what will happen now that Facebook is taking control. Until we find out, if you do a lot of texting, this app is still a must-have, giving you unlimited free texts with all your friends, whether iOS- or Android-using, without having to worry about extra charges, even internationally.
Facebook-owned WhatsApp launches new WhatsApp Business app
Facebook-owned WhatsApp launches new WhatsApp Business app
WhatsApp is king of the messenger apps, with over a billion daily users. Now, the Facebook-owned company looks to better expand its reach to businesses.
WhatsApp Business is a free Android app released Thursday in the US, UK, Mexico, Italy and Indonesia, with more countries coming soon. WhatsApp did not state when or if an iOS version would be available.
The app is for businesses to download -- the customer side will be integrated into the existing WhatsApp app. Business has a suite of features that makes it easier for small businesses to communicate with customers, including the ability to get verified business profiles, set up frequently asked questions, a quick reply feature and more. It'll also have desktop support.
WhatsApp Business could be a big boon in developing nations, where more informal platforms, like WhatsApp, are used by small businesses to advertise, liaise and sell to customers. WhatsApp, pointing to a study done by Morning Consult, said over 80 percent of small businesses in India and Brazil use the app to help them grow their businesses.
WhatsApp is the second biggest messanging app in the world -- second only to Facebook Messenger, which had 1.2 billion users as of late April.
WhatsApp has been contacted for information on when an iOS app will be released.
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What is Signal? Everything you need to know about Elon Musk's app recommendation
What is Signal? Everything you need to know about Elon Musk's app recommendation
Tech mogul Elon Musk -- known as widely for slinging cars into the sun's orbit as he is for advocating against COVID-19 safety measures -- took to Twitter earlier this month to slam Facebook over its latest privacy policy updates for its supposedly secure encrypted messaging app WhatsApp. Musk instead recommended people choose encrypted messaging app Signal.
The tweet was then retweeted by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. Shortly after, Signal tweeted that it was working to handle the surge of new users.
The Signal app was downloaded almost 1.3 million times on Jan. 11, according to data from Apptopia, a tracking firm. The app had been downloaded an average of 50,000 times a day prior to Musk's tweet. A Signal spokesperson said the report undercounted the number of downloads the service is experiencing.
Signal also attributed a temporary outage later that week to the surge in new users.
"While we have been working hard all week to keep up with all the new people switching over to Signal, today exceeded even our most optimistic projections. We are working hard to resolve [the issue]," the spokesman told CNET in an email.
Musk's Twitter endorsement also incidentally led shares in the biotechnology company Signal Advance to soar, despite the fact that it is completely unrelated to Signal, which is not a publicly traded company.
This isn't the first time Musk has publicly sparred with Facebook over privacy concerns. In 2018, he not only had his own personal Facebook page removed, but those of his companies Tesla and SpaceX. His take on the long-fought battle between Signal and WhatsApp isn't off-base, though.
Both of the encrypted messaging apps have been found to have security bugs over the years that have been resolved. For years, WhatsApp has openly collected certain user data to share with parent company Facebook. Its latest policy change just expands that. Signal, on the other hand, has a history of fighting any entity that asks for your data, and adds features to further anonymize you where possible.
Read more: Signal vs. WhatsApp vs. Telegram: What to know before you switch messaging apps
Soon after Musk's tweet, WhatsApp published an FAQ aimed at clarifying its data collection policy, emphasizing that neither it nor Facebook can see users' private messages or hear their calls. Following mounting privacy concerns, WhatsApp announced Friday it would delay the rollout of its new policy by three months.
"We're now moving back the date on which people will be asked to review and accept the terms. No one will have their account suspended or deleted on February 8. We're also going to do a lot more to clear up the misinformation around how privacy and security works on WhatsApp. We'll then go to people gradually to review the policy at their own pace before new business options are available on May 15," the company said in a blog post.
Here are the basics of Signal you should know if you're interested in using the secure messaging app. Plus, here are all of the differences between Signal, WhatsApp and Telegram.
Signal is a typical one-tap install app that can be found in your normal marketplaces like Google'sPlay Store and Apple'sApp Store, and works just like the usual text messaging app. It's an open source development provided free of charge by the non-profit Signal Foundation, and has been famously used for years by high-profile privacy icons like Edward Snowden.
Signal's main function is that it can send text, video, audio and picture messages protected by end-to-end encryption, after verifying your phone number and letting you independently verify other Signal users' identity. You can also use it to make voice and video calls, either one-to-one or with a group. For a deeper dive into the potential pitfalls and limitations of encrypted messaging apps, CNET's Laura Hautala's explainer is a life-saver. But for our purposes, the key to Signal is encryption.
Despite the buzz around the term, end-to-end encryption is simple: Unlike normal SMS messaging apps, it garbles up your messages before sending them, and only ungarbles them for the verified recipient. This prevents law enforcement, your mobile carrier and other snooping entities from being able to read the contents of your messages even when they intercept them (which happens more often than you might think).
When it comes to privacy it's hard to beat Signal's offer. It doesn't store your user data. And beyond its encryption prowess, it gives you extended, onscreen privacy options, including app-specific locks, blank notification pop-ups, face-blurring anti-surveillance tools, and disappearing messages. Occasional bugs have proven that the tech is far from bulletproof, of course, but the overall arc of Signal's reputation and results have kept it at the top of every privacy-savvy person's list of identity protection tools.
For years, the core privacy challenge for Signal lay not in its technology but in its wider adoption. Sending an encrypted Signal message is great, but if your recipient isn't using Signal, then your privacy may be nil. Think of it like the herd immunity created by vaccines, but for your messaging privacy.
Now that Musk and Dorsey's endorsements have sent a surge of users to get a privacy booster shot, however, that challenge may be a thing of the past.
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iPhone photos just got a big update: What you need to know
iPhone photos just got a big update: What you need to know
With all the new camera features coming to the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, it's no surprise the company included major changes to the Photos app in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, which will work for many older devices, too. The Photos app has a new look and editing tools that are designed to make your photos -- and, for the first time, videos -- look better than ever.
Beyond new edit tools, the Photos app now takes a more interactive approach to curate your past photos and videos, and improved search tools give the app a more personal touch.
The update to the Photos app joins a new swipe keyboard, a ton of hidden features, and the ability to block all unknown callers.
After using the new Photos app, one thing is clear: Apple wants you to view Photos as an app you should visit daily to discover old pictures and videos you'd all but forgotten about. Oh, and there are some fancy new video editing tools you should probably take advantage of.
Let's take a look at what's new in the Photos app in iOS 13.
There are now four different views of your organized photos, based on time.
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET
New Photos tab features help organize your pics
The Photos app has a new look overall, and it's most apparent in the new Photos tab. When viewing the Photos tab, you'll find four options at the bottom of the screen: Years, Months, Days, All Photos. You can move between the various options to narrow down a specific time frame for viewing your pics.
Each option has its own way of showing photos from that specific time. For example, selecting Years will show you photos taken as close to today's date, only in 2018, 2017 and so on. It's kind of like Timehop, but built into your iPhone or iPad.
Here's another example of the Photos app creating special views for you. If you use the People album to identify friends and family members and have entered their birthday in their contact information card, the Photos tab will highlight the person on their birthday with various photos of that person.
Editing a picture in iOS 13 is familiar, yet slightly different than it was in iOS 12.
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Photo editing tools you should care about
Apple updated the tools you use to edit a photo. The new look and layout of the tools will take some adjustments on your part, but shouldn't be too jarring.
When viewing a photo you want to edit, the Edit button is still in the top-right corner. Selecting Edit opens the default edit tool where you can choose auto adjustments, or scroll through various settings such as brightness, brilliance, exposure, and so on.
To adjust any of the options, you can move the line of bars just below each button to the left or right.
The filters tool still works the same as it did in iOS 12, only now you can adjust its intensity. Once you select a filter, drag the line of bars to the left to decrease the impact of the filter on your photo.
The crop tool now does more than just allow you to crop a photo. You can now also change a picture's perspective, which means you can adjust the viewing angle of the photo. This gives you total control over how the picture looks, and it a lot like a popular Instagram tool.
The biggest change to the Photos app in iOS 13 is the addition of video editing tools.
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET
All-new video editing tools
Perhaps the most notable addition to Photos in iOS 13 is video editing. I'm not talking just about trimming a clip and saving it, but the ability to adjust everything from brightness and exposure to applying a filter or cropping and perspective.
With true video editing tools now included in the Photos app, you're no longer forced to find a more complicated (and oftentimes expensive) video editing tool in the app store or on your laptop. Instead, you can quickly and easily edit a video in this built-in app you're likely already familiar with.
The tools for video editing work the same way as the photo editing tools do, only the first screen you'll see is the option to trim the clip. The trim tool works as it always has -- drag the yellow ends of the video to set the start and end time of the clip you want to save. This is great for snipping off false starts and awkward endings.
With your video trimmed, you can then adjust and fine-tune the overall look of your clip and save it back to the Photos album.
What's more, any edits you make to a video are nondestructive. This means if you add a filter and crop the video, only to decide a few days later that you're not happy with the changes, you can go back and undo it all. The original video will remain intact.
There's plenty more to iOS 13 than updates to the Photos app. so make sure to check out our complete guide to iOS 13 for all the latest details.
Originally published earlier this year. Updated with new information.
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Facebook Messenger adds more features, continues focus on encryption
Facebook Messenger adds more features, continues focus on encryption
Facebook has been moving forward with plans to integrate messaging on Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp, but those efforts are still far from over.
Facebook Messenger users can already reach people through Instagram direct message and vice versa without downloading a new app. The company also wants to make cross-app communication between Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, an encrypted messaging app, possible. That work, though, involves encrypting messages on Facebook Messenger by default so that only the participants of a conversation can view a chat.
"We always were very clear that it's a long journey because there is a lot of things that we need to work through," Stan Chudnovsky, who oversees Facebook Messenger, said in a video chat with reporters on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the company continues to add more features to Messenger. On Wednesday, Facebook Messenger said it introduced 10 new features to celebrate the app turning 10 years old. Some of the new tools include poll games in which users ask their friends who is more likely to do a certain activity in a chat, a feature to share Facebook contacts in a chat and a way to get words to trigger an emoji. Messenger also added other features to celebrate birthdays such as a soundmoji, new stickers and effects like virtual balloons that pop up when you give friends a cash gift.
From encryption to Facebook's metaverse ambitions, Chudnovsky also provided more insight into how Messenger is thinking about its future.
Voice and video calling: Facebook is experimenting with bringing voice and video calls, features available in Messenger, back to the main social network. Facebook started asking users to download Messenger as a standalone app in 2014. Chudnovsky said the test is about making these calls more "convenient" for the user. If a user is conversing publicly on Facebook, for example, having to jump to a messaging app could disrupt their talk.
Encryption: Facebook Messenger already offers users the option to encrypt their text messages, voice and video calls but adding this protection by default comes with challenges, Chudnovsky said. Since Messenger includes features that aren't available in encrypted messaging threads, encrypting the app by default too quickly would result in the loss of certain capabilities. That means the company needs to rebuild features in an end-to-end encrypted environment as new tools also get added. The company is trying to address safety concerns that encrypted messaging could be used by criminals as well. Chudnovsky didn't say when it plans to make Messenger encrypted by default but noted it's trying to do so "responsibly."
The Metaverse: Facebook is building a virtual environment known as the metaverse where people can interact with people in digital spaces. Messenger's technology, Chudnovsky said, is being used to power other Facebook apps including the virtual reality workrooms it's testing on the Oculus Quest 2. If Facebook's vision as a metaverse company comes to fruition, Chudnovsky still expects messaging to grow because people will need to communicate with others outside of the virtual space. Instead, he envisions people in these virtual spaces will consume messages in the metaverse. "Someone needs to enable that and that's going to be us," he said.
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Facebook Portal Plus review: A decent video-chat display marred by its maker
Facebook Portal Plus review: A decent video-chat display marred by its maker
In 2019 we reviewed Facebook's Portal, Portal Plus and Portal TV devices, video chatting displays and cameras that included fun AR, but left us scratching our head about their real practicality. We didn't feel comfortable recommending them due to Facebook's questionable data privacy issues in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica breach.
Fast-forward to today and things haven't improved for Facebook. Despite continued investigations into how Facebook uses and shares data, the company is pressing forward with new, camera-focused hardware. The $350 Portal Plus is Facebook's most expensive display. The 14-inch touchscreen comes with AR features, video chatting and a handful of streaming music and media services. Alexa is built in for smart home commands and general knowledge inquiries.
Molly Price/CNET
Even without the dark cloud of Facebook's branding hovering over the Portal Plus, it isn't a device worthy of anyone's $350. Apps are limited, controls aren't always intuitive and the dual-assistant setup of "Hey, Portal" and Alexa doesn't simplify anything. For the same (or likely less) money, you'd be better off with a tablet and folio stand or a smart display, depending on your wants and needs.
I've included two charts at the end of this review comparing tablets, displays and Portals. For now, let's dive into the details of the Portal Plus. One note: I reviewed the new, $200 Portal Go alongside this larger model and the two are extremely similar save for a few details of the physical design and of course the size and price. For that reason, several sections in this review are similar to my observations about the Portal Go.
The Portal Plus is large and looks good displaying my favorite photos.
Molly Price/CNET
Design
The Portal Plus' second generation has an entirely different look than the first. It's sleeker, with a slightly smaller 14-inch display with a 2,160x1,440-pixel resolution mounted on a rectangular speaker base. You can tilt the display up or down. A physical camera shutter and mute button offer manual privacy for the 12-megapixel front-facing camera that has a 131-degree field of view and will pan and zoom to keep you in frame.
Beneath the fabric base, a four-mic array listens for your "Hey, Portal," "Hey, Facebook" or, "Hey, Alexa" commands. Two 5-watt full range speakers and one 20-watt woofer put out plenty of sound for music, video streaming and chatting. The Portal Plus uses what Facebook calls "Smart Sound" AI to reduce background noise for the person speaking to Portal.
The first-gen Portal Plus was big and bulky, but its screen could rotate.
James Martin/CNET
The design is a sure improvement over the bulky, original Portal Plus. However, this screen can't rotate between landscape and portrait orientations.
Features
Nearly everything about the Portal Plus is identical to the Portal Go, only on a larger and corded scale. The limited amount of apps available on these two devices is a disappointment. These new Portals just doesn't do as much as any tablet or smart display and the Portal Plus costs more than many of those. There are so few apps (24 to be exact) that I can list them all right here. If I tried to do that with a tablet, Amazon Echo skills or Google Nest compatible apps and devices we would need a bigger internet. Here's the full list, in alphabetical order:
Alexa
BlueJeans
Browser
Calendar
CBS News
Deezer
Facebook Live
Food Network
GoToMeeting
iHeartRadio
Newsy
Pandora
Photo Booth
Plex
Red Bull TV
SideChef
Spotify
Story Time
Tidal Music
Watch
Webex Meetings
Workplace
Workplace Live
Zoom
The odd thing about this list is what's not on it. There aren't apps for Facebook, Instagram, Messenger or WhatsApp. Instead, features from those apps are built into various parts of the Portal experience. You can link your Instagram account to display your Instagram feed photos on the Portal Plus' ambient screen. Messenger chat rooms are used when you video-call your contacts. You can use WhatsApp to set up the Portal instead of Facebook (but doing so will disable the "Hey, Portal" voice integration).
I asked Facebook representatives why these in-house apps aren't available. Here's what they had to say:
The core use for Portal is video calling and to make it easier for people to connect with their family, friends and colleagues. You can use the web browser on Portal to access your favorite Facebook apps. People have other devices they typically use for browsing Facebook, Instagram, etc.
That makes sense. My first instinct wouldn't be to scroll Instagram on a display that isn't handheld like my phone or tablet. I probably also wouldn't choose to hunt and peck on a vertical touchscreen to reply to WhatsApp messages. All that to say, just be warned if you think this device primarily for your social media apps -- it isn't.
Facebook could add more apps to the Portal Plus with future updates. Smart displays from other brands have taken this approach. I expect this list to expand, but for now these are the only for apps available on the Portal Plus.
Video chatting
You can video chat with BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Webex, Workplace and Zoom. Support for Microsoft Teams is in the works for later this year. Video-calling your contacts begins in the Contacts app, where you'll create a Messenger room in order to chat. The contacts available here are pulled from the WhatsApp or Facebook account you used to set up the Portal. However, if someone you want to call doesn't have a Facebook or Messenger account, you can send them a link to join the room.
The Portal Plus's AR camera and Story Time are the headlining features of this device. When you're in a video call, tapping the Experiences button brings up a menu to access Story Time, Photo Casting, Watch Together or Effects. This is where you'll find fun filters and special effect backgrounds.
Here's a collection of the weird and wacky filters you'll find in the Portal Plus Photo Booth app and in Messenger room effects.
Molly Price/CNET
Open Story Time during a call (or on your own without a call ongoing) and you'll find stories with filters and special effects that interact with the person in front of the camera. The story text appears in the top left corner of the screen and little instructions pop up here and there to show you how to initiate some special effects.
Stories include popular series like Dr. Seuss, Pete the Cat, Llama Llama, Todd Parr and Jon Burgerman. You can also select classics like Three Little Pigs, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Little Red Riding Hood. Story Time is the most fun you can have on Portal. I just wish it were available as an app on third-party devices like tablets or other displays.
Privacy
We can't really review Facebook hardware without pointing out the ongoing saga of Facebook's data and privacy issues. Dig deeper into the Portal privacy features here if you like, but these are the big takeaways.
The Portal Plus is listening for the "Hey, Portal" or "Hey, Facebook" wake word. If it detects the phrase, Portal sends a transcript and recording of that voice interaction to Facebook. Those "Hey, Portal" and "Hey, Facebook" transactions are kept on Facebook's servers for up to three years, while "false wakes" are deleted within 90 days of detection. That's if you don't take any action. If you choose to, you can review and delete your voice interactions in the Portal Plus's settings.
You could choose to disable voice interaction recording entirely in the device's settings, but it is turned on by default. If you only connect your Portal to WhatsApp on initial setup, "Hey, Portal" won't work at all, thanks to WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption.
A physical camera shutter and mute button add some peace of mind. A red light indicates the microphone is muted. The Portal Plus's camera uses AI technology that is processed locally, not on Facebook servers. The camera doesn't have any facial recognition abilities.
A physical shutter, red light and on-screen notification let you know the camera and microphones are turned off.
Molly Price/CNET
Better options
There are two ways you could approach Portal Plus alternatives, but you need to know what exactly you're after. If you're looking for a device that's great for streaming video, has thousands of apps, including social media, get a tablet.
There are plenty of 10- to 15-inch tablets available that provide a big enough screen and a good camera. Nearly any model from Samsung, Amazon or Apple will give you more features, processing power, apps for streaming and social media platforms. Treat yourself to an Apple Pencil or S Pen for Apple or Samsung models, and you've got even more options.
If you're looking for an Alexa-focused smart home screen, the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 10 are both far better (and often more affordable) options with broader apps for streaming and video chatting. Both are often available for less than the Portal Plus' $350 list price.
The following charts compare popular tablets and smart displays with Portal Plus and Portal Go.
Portals vs. tablets
Portal Go
Portal Plus
Galaxy Tab A7
Amazon Fire HD 10
iPad (2021)
Price
$200
$350
$650
$150
from $329
Screen size
10.1 inches
14 inches
11 inches
10.1 inches
10.2 inches
Resolution
1,280x800
2,160x1,440
2,560x1,600
1,920x1,200
2,160x1,620
Camera
12 megapixels
12 megapixels
8 megapixels front, 13 and 5 megapixels rear
2 megapixels front, 5 megapixels rear
12 megapixels front, 8 megapixels rear
Physical shutter
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Field of view
125 degrees
131 degrees
80 degrees
Not listed
122 degrees
Portable
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Kid mode
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Limited (Guided Access)
Video apps
Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace
Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace
All available from the Google Play Store
All available from the Amazon app store
All available from the App Store
Music apps
Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio
Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio
All available from the Google Play Store
All available from the Amazon Appstore
All available from the App Store
Streaming apps
Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex
Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex
All available from the Google Play Store
All available from the Amazon Appstore
All available from the App Store
Smart home compatibility
Alexa
Alexa
Alexa app, Google Assistant app
Alexa
Siri, Alexa app, Google Assistant app
Internet browser
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Portals vs. smart displays
Portal Go
Portal Plus
Nest Hub Max
Echo Show 8
Echo Show 10
Price
$200
$350
$229
$100
$250
Screen size
10.1 inches
14 inches
10 inches
8 inches
10.1 inches
Resolution
1,280x800
2,160x1,440
1,280x800
1,280x800
1,280x800
Camera
12 megapixels
12 megapixels
6.5 megapixels
13 megapixels
13 megapixels
Physical shutter
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Field of view
125 degrees
131 degrees
127 degrees
110 degrees
110 degrees
Portable
Yes
No
No
No
No
Kid mode
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Video apps
Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace
Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace
Zoom, Google Duo
Zoom, Skype, Chime
Zoom, Skype, Chime
Music apps
Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio
Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio
Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Deezer
Apple music, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Audible, SiriusXM, Headspace, NPR and more
Apple music, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Audible, SiriusXM, Headspace, NPR and more
Streaming apps
Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex
Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex
Netflix, Youtube, CW, HBONow, Starz, Red Bull TV, Crackle
Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Food Network, Red Bull TV, Tubi
Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Food Network, Red Bull TV, Tubi
