Unfortunately, neither are Google Duo/Meet nor Skype, which means that as clever as the Portal TV is, it’s not a flexible as we’d like. Naturally, because it’s a Facebook product, you can also initiate calls over Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp.Ĭuriously, even though Amazon Alexa is built into Portal TV, Alexa-based video calls are not supported. You can use it to call other Facebook Portal devices, but it also works with other video-calling apps, too, like Zoom, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, or Webex. The smart camera can automatically follow you as you move around the room, and built-in apps like Netflix and Spotify make it a handy alternative to other streaming devices. The company’s $150 Portal TV is a device that incorporates a webcam and microphones and perches atop your TV. It’s weird to think that Facebook, a company better-known for its massive social media and messaging presence than for its hardware, has one of the best ways to video chat on your TV, but it does.
How to make a video call on Facebook Portal TV Some are elegant, some are awkward, but none are perfect solutions. There are, however, several ways to get these calls onto a TV. And when I say ridiculous, I’m talking about how virtually none of the tech companies that make smart TVs, game consoles, or streaming media devices (yes, Microsoft, Apple, and Google, I’m looking at you) have stepped up to make video calling on a TV a task that’s as easy (and versatile) as doing it from a computer or smartphone.