As the corporate world embraces its work-from-home future, Meta is stepping up its efforts to transform its line of smart displays into the ultimate video calling devices. This week, the company announced its $349 Portal Plus (second generation) and $199 Portal can now do extra work as a second screen for your Mac or PC thanks to new support for the Duet Display app.
Meta is also launching the Meta Portal Companion app for Mac so you can share your computer screen during a video call and more easily access controls to raise your hand, mute yourself, and adjust the volume.
The 10-inch Portal Go and 15-inch Portal Plus are the latest – and likely the last – additions to the company’s foray into consumer smart displays. Meta has reportedly decided to stop doing it for consumers and is now focusing on the use of portals in the business world, which in today’s landscape also translates into support for working from home.
Duet Display is a third-party app that turns an Android tablet or iPad into a second display for a PC or Mac for a smaller-sized alternative to adding an extra monitor to your desktop. Now it will work with Meta’s Portal Go and Portal Plus, allowing you to drag open windows to your portal and multitask as you please.
The new macOS Meta Portal Companion app connects the Portal to your Mac, showing video call controls on the computer as well as smart display and making it easier to share your computer screen during a call.
The Go and Plus are still available for purchase (and are currently $50 off at Amazon), and Meta said he would continue to support them. I tested the Go, which is the smaller and more portable of the two thanks to a built-in battery, and found it to be an excellent dedicated video-calling gadget – if a smart display dull. This added functionality could make it a good second or third (or, okay, fourth) screen in your home office, especially if you do a lot of video calls.
Both portals work with nearly every video calling system available – Zoom, Cisco’s Webex, BlueJeans, GoTo Meeting, Workplace, and Microsoft Teams – and, of course, Facebook’s own Messenger calls. They also sync with Outlook or Google calendars for quick access to meetings and support Bluetooth to add a keyboard and headset.
Duet Display is now available in the Meta app store for Portal Plus and Go in the US, UK, Canada, France, Spain and Italy (and only for the Plus in Australia and Nova Scotia). Zeeland). You must also download the application on the computer you want to link to the portal by visiting duetdisplay.com. The Meta Portal Companion application is free to download from portal.facebook.com/companion for US and UK only.
