It seems that despite being plagued and bogged down with so many privacy scandals, Facebook ultimately decided to push ahead with the launch of its smart display/speaker device, Portal. Initial reviews of the device were less than impressed as it felt that it was lacking a certain something.
However the good news is that if you’re one of the people who felt comfortable enough to bring a Facebook-made smart speaker with a built-in microphone and camera into your home, you might be pleased to learn that Facebook has recently issued an update to the Portal that will bring about a custom web browser that will let users access the web, as well as support for Instant Games.
Prior to this, as The Verge points out, Portal owners who wanted to access platforms like YouTube would have to do so via a smart TV version of the app. However the introduction of a custom browser means that users can access the “proper” versions of YouTube, Facebook, and more. The support for Instant Games also means that the device just got a lot more interesting and entertaining, if that’s what you want from a smart display/speaker.
Unfortunately it still lacks dedicated streaming apps such as Netflix, but then again perhaps that’s not necessarily what Facebook had intended for the Portal to begin with. The update is said to be in the process of rolling out to both the Portal and Portal+, so keep an eye out for it.
Filed in . Read more about Connected Objects, Facebook, IoT (Internet of Things) and Speakers.