Samsung's Galaxy Tab S7 FE is coming to the US, preorders start Aug. 5

Samsung's Galaxy Tab S7 FE is coming to the US, preorders start Aug. 5

Samsung's next big Unpacked event may be set for Aug. 11, but that doesn't mean the Galaxy-maker doesn't have some other new products in the works before then. On Wednesday the company announced its latest tablets, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE and Tab S7 FE 5G. 

The new "Fan Edition" devices, which will be available in the US starting on Aug. 5, will sport 12.4-inch LCD displays with support for the company's S-Pen stylus, which is included in the box. The tablets will also feature 4GB of RAM to go with 64GB of storage (expandable up to 1TB through microSD), run on Android 11 and pack two cameras: an 8-megapixel shooter on the rear and a 5-megapixel main lens upfront. 

The back of the Galaxy Tab S7 FE. 

Samsung

The Wi-Fi variant of the Tab S7 FE will run on Qualcomm's SM7325 chipset while the 5G device will be powered by Qualcomm's 750G processor. 

As with the FE versions of its Galaxy S phones, the Tab S7 FE seems to be a compromise of an existing Samsung device by offering several slightly scaled-down versions of features while costing a bit less. With these new tablets, the reference seems to be last year's Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, which offered a more robust 12.4-inch, 120Hz Super AMOLED display and ran on Qualcomm's 865 Plus chipset.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 appear in leak

That tablet, however, is a little pricier, with a starting price of $850 for the Wi-Fi model or $1,050 for a 5G version. The Wi-Fi edition of the new Tab S7 FE will be available for preorder Thursday for $530, with availability "beginning in September." 

The Tab S7 FE 5G will run $669 and be available for orders starting on Thursday at Samsung.com, AT&T and Verizon. Samsung says that the 5G tablet will also be heading to T-Mobile, US Cellular and "other retailers," with additional details in the "coming days."

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Samsung's ready to update its foldable devices. The company on Tuesday said it will host a virtual Unpacked event on Aug. 11, where it's expected to show off less expensive foldables that aim to move the devices beyond niche products. 

The company sent invites to reporters, saying its virtual keynote will take place at 7 a.m. PT on Aug. 11. While parts of the world are reopening in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, tech companies aren't yet holding product launches in person. The invite touted: "Get ready to unfold."

Samsung's next Unpacked event will be Aug. 11. 

Samsung

While Samsung hasn't yet detailed what it will announce at Unpacked, it has already opened up its Reserve Now system for Galaxy fans to claim a device in advance. Customers who reserve early are eligible for perks such as 12 months free of Samsung Care Plus, up to an extra $100 trade-in credit and a special pre-order offer that Samsung hasn't yet detailed. 

The event on Aug. 11 is Samsung's third Unpacked of the year, and it's expected to continue a trend set by previous launches -- making devices more affordable for consumers. In January, the company unveiled its flagship Galaxy S21 smartphone, which it sold for $200 less than its predecessor. Then in March, it highlighted its inexpensive Galaxy A line of smartphones.

TM Roh, the company's head of mobile, said in a December blog post that Samsung planned to expand its foldable lineup and make the devices "more accessible," which likely means more affordable.

"The Z Fold 2 was praised as a smartphone that reimagines what's possible with mobile technology, and I'm excited to say, it's just a hint of what's to come as we continue to explore, evolve and expand this category-changing space," Roh wrote at the time. 

Samsung's bigger push with making devices more affordable reflects the reality we're all living in. Phone designs aren't changing much from year to year, and consumers are holding onto devices for longer, about three years in the US versus two in the past. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has hurt millions of people financially. While high-end specs and cutting-edge features are nice for attention and buzz, people still care about what they're spending on phones -- especially right now.

Samsung typically uses its August Unpacked event to show off its newest Galaxy Note devices. The Note line, which kicked off the craze for big-screen phones, used to showcase Samsung's latest and greatest technology. But that title now goes to the company's foldables lineup. The devices, which first hit the market in 2019 with the $1,980 Galaxy Fold, incorporate bendable displays that let them expand into tablets or fold smaller to protect the inner screen. While Samsung likely won't introduce a new Note this year, the company has said the line isn't dead. 

Samsung followed up the Fold with its Z Flip in February 2020. That device, which retailed for $1,380, was a clamshell design that folded outward -- a sort of high-tech flip phone. Samsung updated it with 5G connectivity and boosted the price to $1,450 in July of that year. Samsung's latest device, the Z Fold 2, fixed the original Fold's problems and packed in bigger screens and 5G connectivity. Priced at $2,000, it became the company's most expensive phone. 

Samsung's first Galaxy Fold, which folded outward from a phone into a tablet, wowed most people who tested early versions of the device. But foldables have been too expensive to attract mainstream buyers, and so far, they've remained niche products. 

This year, Samsung is expected to introduce a new Galaxy Z Fold 3 and an updated Z Flip 3. The former device is expected to feature a front-facing camera embedded beneath the screen, refined rear-facing cameras and support for a special version of the S Pen, which has gradually moved beyond the Note to work with other devices. The Z Flip 3 could have a new two-tone color scheme and a larger exterior screen for when the phone is folded shut. 

Along with foldables, Samsung's Unpacked is expected to include a new Galaxy S21 FE 5G phone, adding a second device to the less expensive FE lineup. The Galaxy S20 FE, which hit the market in September for $300 less than the S20, proved to be popular with buyers. A Samsung executive told CNET in March that the company planned to introduce future versions of the device. 

Samsung also likely will unveil Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic smartwatches and Galaxy Buds 2 wireless earbuds. 

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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
Smart home compatibility	Alexa	Alexa	Google	Alexa	Alexa
Internet browser	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes

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Facebook Portal Go: A battery-powered smart display that doesn't make sense

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Facebook Portal Go: A battery-powered smart display that doesn't make sense

Facebook, despite its ongoing privacy troubles and Congressional inquiries, is pressing forward with hardware. The second generation of its Portal Plus smart display and the new, battery-powered Portal Go are now available. When I heard the pitch from Facebook representatives for a battery-powered smart display with a camera shutter and a handle, I was optimistic. At least, I thought, Facebook was doing something new -- a portable smart display. 

Molly Price/CNET

After a week of testing, it's hard for me to recommend the Portal Go. Limited apps and unintuitive quirks combined with Facebook's overarching privacy issues are enough for me to steer everyone in another direction. If the $200 Portal Go had wowed me in any facet of my evaluation, I would give it its due praise. It just didn't. It's expensive and unnecessary. Still, there are interesting points and features. If you're going to skip out on the latest tech, you should know why. Let's dive into the details. 

The obvious question

Like most folks, I wondered "Why not just buy a tablet?" After all, Portal has Alexa built-in but is far from focused on the smart home like the Nest Hub or an Echo Show. It's billed mostly as a chatting/meeting device. I asked Facebook directly and here's its spokesperson's response in full: 

The first major difference is that Portal is focused on connecting people and it's built for the home, so we've made design choices that optimize for that. Portal also has a Smart Camera with an ultrawide field of view which is a differentiator for video calling – group calls feel more natural and calls tend to last longer. And with Facebook Assistant and Alexa Built-in, Portal enables hands-free functionality which is increasingly expected in places like the kitchen where your hands are often busy with other tasks. 

We spoke a lot about Portal+ as a great work companion device, but Portal Go is also great as a second screen for work – you can free up your laptop so that you can connect with colleagues and be more productive by taking notes or reviewing other materials. And the audio on Portal is better – it's tuned for video calling and a great speaker when you are not on calls.   

And, Portal is meant to be used as a communal device that is available for everyone in the home. Tablets are really designed as personal devices and aren't typically used in ways where household members can depend on them being available. Household mode is an example of how we are building on this – a computer for the house that can be shared, and anyone can use to make a call and deliver a more personalized experience through our support for multiple users.

There's a fair argument here for Portals being a better shared device than a tablet. Most parents I know don't want their kid handling their personal tablet, but that's also why so many kid-friendly models are out there. Big rubber cases and kid-friendly apps with parental control options deliver everything a family wants and needs in a portable interface. 

The Portal Go includes settings to allow multiple users with customized experiences, so kids won't accidentally Zoom your boss. Not all smart displays include kid profiles in that manner, but many tablets do. Samsung's line of Galaxy Tabs has a Samsung Kids mode. iPads don't deliver as much here, but there is a "guided access" mode that locks out the touchscreen so you can plop on that one episode of Paw Patrol and go about your business.  

The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition is made just for kids.

Amazon

Spec-wise, both the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 and the Amazon Fire HD 10 have a better screen resolution than the Portal (2,000x1,200 and 1,920x1,200 pixels respectively). The ability to download Amazon and Google smart home apps makes them decent tools for operating a smart home. Camera specs vary across tablets and displays, but the Portal Go isn't better than most of them when it comes to megapixels or field of view. 

Design

Here's where Facebook gets a few points. I like the idea of a portable smart display. They're trying something new. It's not a tablet and it doesn't look like one. A built-in handle on the back of the Portal Go makes it easy to pick up. It's lightweight enough at three pounds. The thick base tapers up to the top for a sturdy, but still streamlined look.

The back of the Portal Go features a built-in handle. 

Molly Price/CNET

Fabric covers the body of the display that houses two 5-watt, full-range speakers and one 20-watt woofer. The Portal Go puts out plenty of sounds for casual music and video streaming. I liked the intuitive, physical volume buttons on the top of the device.

It might not beat out a tablet option, especially if you buy a folio cover and prop your tablet up for viewing. It doesn't rotate like the Show 10, or even tilt like its larger sibling, the Portal Plus. Still, it's nice to look at and I enjoyed toting it around the house while I did chores and caught up on my favorite YouTube channels, via the Browser bookmark. It freed up my phone, tablet and my laptop.

Features

This is the limiting factor here for me. The Portal Go just doesn't do as much as any other tablet or smart display on the market. There are so few apps (24) that I have room to list them here. Imagine if I tried to do that with a tablet, Amazon Echo skills or Google Nest compatible apps and devices. We'd need a bigger internet. Here's the entire 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

What's really odd here is what's missing. There's no native Facebook, Instagram, Messenger or WhatsApp app you can click on to open the platform. Features from those apps are built into various parts of the Portal experience. You can link your Instagram account to display your feed photos on the Portal Go's ambient screen. Messenger chat rooms can be created in the Portal Contacts app. You can use WhatsApp to set up the Portal instead of Facebook (but it will disable the "Hey, Portal" voice integration). 

Facebook representatives told me that's because, "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, I suppose. I'm not likely to scroll instagram on a display that isn't small and handheld or hunt and peck on a vertical touchscreen to reply to WhatsApp messages. Just be warned if you think this device is a one-stop shop for all your social apps -- it isn't.

Facebook could choose to add more apps with future updates. Other smart display makers have certainly done so in the past. It's possible that this list will expand. However, as it stands today, these are all your options for apps on the Portal Go. 

Video chatting

You can video chat through Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting and Workplace. Facebook told me that Microsoft Teams support is in the works for later this year. Video calling your contacts happens through the Contacts app, where you'll create a Messenger room to chat. You can add up to seven people to your room, for a total of eight including yourself. The contacts available here are pulled from the WhatsApp or Facebook account you used to set up the Portal. The friends and family you call don't need to have a Portal device. 

The Portal Go's AR camera and add-ins like Story Time are the big selling points here. Tapping the Experiences button in your video calls can add fun filters and special effects. There you'll find the safe effects and filters from the Photo Booth app, as well as access to Story Time, Photo Casting and the Watch Together feature for streaming Facebook Watch content. 

A scene from the Dr. Seuss book There's a Wocket in my Pocket.

Molly Price/CNET

Open Story Time during a call and you'll find dozens of fun stories with filters and special effects that interact with the story teller on camera. Content includes Dr. Seuss, Pete the Cat, Llama Llama, Todd Parr and Jon Burgerman. There are also classic stories like Three Little Pigs, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Little Red Riding Hood. It really is fun and interactive and I wish it were available on better devices.

Alexa on Portal

Alexa is built into the Portal Go. You can access it via voice or from the Alexa app. In the app, a familiar Alexa dashboard displays your devices and has menu options for music, devices and more. Some Easter egg features like Alexa's recent Halloween routine with special effects and sounds didn't work on the Portal Go or Plus. The correct screen appeared, but the audio glitched and skipped most of the content. That's a small thing, but something you wouldn't encounter on an Amazon display. 

Like previous models, the Portal Go has both "Hey, Portal" and Alexa capability. It certainly doesn't simplify anything and it sometimes leaves you wondering, "Wait, which assistant am I supposed to ask for this?"

The Alexa dashboard on the Portal Go shows options for using the assistant.

Molly Price/CNET

"Hey, Portal" commands control things like calling, playing music, putting the device to sleep and even some general knowledge. That means there's overlap between "Hey, Portal" (you can also say "Hey, Facebook") and Alexa, who is primarily present to answer general questions, set reminder, control smart home devices and all the normal Alexa things you'd expect. 

The last thing a smart device should do is prompt more thinking or decision making when you're trying to use it. The split personality here doesn't feel intuitive enough to be useful. 

Privacy

Adjacent to any Facebook hardware is the ongoing saga of Facebook's data and privacy failings. You can dig deeper into the Portal privacy features here, but these are the big takeaways:

Portal devices are listening for the "Hey, Portal" wake word. If it hears that phrase, Portal sends a short transcript and recording of the voice interaction to Facebook. Stored "Hey, Portal" and "Hey, Facebook" voice interactions are kept on Facebook's servers for up to three years, while "false wakes" are deleted within 90 days of detection. 

You can review and delete voice interactions recorded and transcribed from the "Hey, Portal" prompt. You can also choose to disable voice interaction recording all together, though it is on by default. If you only connect your Portal to WhatsApp and not Facebook, "Hey, Portal" won't work at all, due to WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption. 

You can disable the camera and microphone by tapping the mute button on the top of the device or sliding the camera's physical cover. A red light indicates those features are disabled. The Portal Go's camera uses AI technology that is processed locally, not on Facebook servers. The Portal Go's camera does not use facial recognition.

A physical shutter, red light and on-screen notification let you know the camera and microphones are off. 

Molly Price/CNET

The better options

There are two ways you could approach Portal alternatives. If you're looking for streaming, lots of apps, including social media but liked the portability of the Portal Go, get a tablet. Nearly any model from Samsung, Amazon or Apple will give you more capability, processing power and options for streaming and social media platforms. Throw in an Apple Pencil, S Pen or generic stylus and you've got even more flexibility. 

If you're hoping for an Alexa-focused smart home device, the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 10 are both fantastic (and often more affordable) options with broader apps for streaming and video chatting. 

The following charts compare popular tablets and smart displays with the 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	1,200x800	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
Smart home compatibility	Alexa	Alexa	Google	Alexa	Alexa
Internet browser	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes

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