您可能已经在百思买(Best Buy)的货架上看到过Facebook 门户网站(Facebook Portal)，或者在电视上看到过最近的广告之一，例如超级碗(Super Bowl)顶级广告中的广告。和许多观众一样，您可能会问自己： Facebook Portal 设备(Facebook Portal device)到底是什么？这款智能设备并没有像其他设备那样得到广泛的媒体报道，Facebook现在正在努力补救这一事实。
当然，门户网站(Portal)也受到 2018 年剑桥分析争议(Cambridge Analytica controversy)和更现代的持续隐私问题的困扰。如果您对该设备感兴趣，本文将准确解释Facebook Portal 设备(Facebook Portal device)是什么以及它是如何工作的。
什么是 Facebook 门户设备？(What Is The Facebook Portal Device?)
Facebook Portal 设备(Facebook Portal device)是一种智能显示器。它的主要目的是通过 Facebook Messenger 的内置视频通话服务与朋友和家人进行视频通话，但Facebook 门户(Facebook Portal)还拥有Alexa 功能(Alexa functionality)。
虽然最初的版本只有一个门户，但现在有四个选项可供选择：10 英寸Portal、8 英寸Portal Mini 、使用电视作为屏幕的机顶门户电视和(Portal TV)Portal+， 15.6英寸显示屏(” display)。
是什么让 Facebook 门户与众不同？(What Sets Facebook Portal Apart?)
如果您进行大量视频通话，Facebook Portal具有一些使其在其他视频通话服务中脱颖而出的功能。
首先，它的智能相机(Smart Camera)会自动平移和缩放，以确保通话中的每个人都留在画面中。它将扩大视野以确保对话的新人留(conversation stay)在聊天中，如果您在房间内移动，相机可以跟随您，使您保持在框架的中心。
Facebook Portal 设备(Facebook Portal device)也有自己的语音命令。用户可以通过说“Hey Portal”，然后说您希望它执行的命令来激活该设备。Facebook Portal可用于查看天气、时间和打电话给朋友。您可以要求它根据与您的关系给某人打电话，或者您可以简单地给它一个名字。您还可以使用“Hey Portal”命令来控制显示屏的亮度并激活各种相机效果。
借助内置的Alexa 功能(Alexa functionality)，Portal还可用于设置闹钟、创建待办事项列表、在线购物(shop online)以及通过您已连接到您的亚马逊帐户的服务(Amazon account)播放音乐(play music)。它甚至可以让用户对他们的智能家居设备进行一些控制，前提是这些设备已链接到他们的亚马逊账户(Amazon account)。
由于亚马逊(Amazon)链接到Facebook 门户(Facebook Portal)，用户也可以访问Alexa Skills。Facebook 门户(Facebook Portal)基本上可以做任何亚马逊 Alexa(Amazon Alexa)可以做的事情，还可以进行视频通话。
Portal 使用哪些服务来拨打电话？(What Services Does Portal Use To Make Calls?)
Facebook Portal可以同时使用Messenger 和 WhatsApp(Messenger and WhatsApp)与朋友和家人进行视频通话。如果他们自己没有Facebook Portal 设备(Facebook Portal device)，电话将直接通过他们的智能手机或平板电脑进行。但是，您需要拥有自己的WhatsApp 帐户(WhatsApp account)才能调用该服务。
在进行视频通话之前，您需要确保您的麦克风和摄像头(microphone and camera)已打开。
Facebook 门户网站安全吗？(Is The Facebook Portal Safe?)
鉴于围绕Facebook Portal 设备的争议以及(Facebook Portal device)扎克伯格在多次访问(Zuckerberg)华盛顿(Washington)后激起的隐私问题，许多人对将Facebook 设备(Facebook device)直接放在家中持谨慎态度。
据该公司称，Facebook 门户(Facebook Portal)非常安全——麦克风和摄像头(microphone and camera)默认关闭。如果您想要额外的隐私，Portal有一个物理相机快门(camera shutter)，可以移动它来挡住相机镜头。
Portal还包括一个用于锁定屏幕的密码。密码可以是 4 到 12 位数字，允许相对复杂的安全性；但是，它仅限于数字。Facebook 还声称( Facebook also claims)，所有Portal WhatsApp呼叫都是端到端加密的，而Messenger呼叫是在传输过程中加密的。
对于那些担心智能相机安全性的人，Facebook表示 AI 是在设备上本地处理的，而不是在他们的服务器上。另一方面，任何使用“Hey Portal”功能的命令都(is )在 Facebook 的服务器上进行处理。门户设置(Portal Settings)中有一个选项可以查看、收听和删除任何录音。您还可以关闭任何命令的存储。
然而，需要注意的是，Portal确实会出于广告目的收集信息。从他们关于安全 的常见问题解答部分：(FAQ section)
“当您使用 Portal 时，我们会以与其他 Facebook 产品类似的方式收集信息。其中一些信息，包括您登录帐户、拨打电话或使用功能或应用程序的频率，可能会用于告知您在 Facebook 上看到的广告。例如，如果您进行大量视频通话，您可能会看到一些与视频通话相关的广告。(“When you use Portal, we collect information in a similar way to other Facebook products. Some of this information, including the fact that you logged into your account, made a call, or how often you use a feature or app, may be used to inform the ads you see across Facebook. For example, if you make lots of video calls, you might see some ads related to video calling.)
Facebook 不会在 Portal 上收听、查看或保留您的视频或音频通话内容，因此您在 Portal Call 上所说的任何内容都不会用于广告。”(Facebook does not listen to, view, or keep the contents of your video or audio calls on Portal, so nothing you say on a Portal Call is used for advertising.”)
我应该购买 Facebook 门户吗？(Should I Buy a Facebook Portal?)
Facebook Portal是一种专用设备。尽管它具有内置的Alexa 功能(Alexa functionality)，但仅此一项还不足以使其成为大多数用户的首选设备。如果您使用 Facebook 或WhatsApp并进行大量视频通话，您可能会喜欢Portal的附加功能。
另一方面，如果您正在寻找智能显示器但不关心(t care)视频通话，您可能会在Amazon Echo Show或Google Home Hub中找到更多价值。
What is Facebook Portal and Should You Buy One?
You might have seen the Facebook Portal on a shelf at Bеst Buy or seen one of the more recent advertisements on TV, like that over the top Super Bowl cоmmercial. And like many vіewеrs, yоu might hаve asked yourself: what еxactly іs the Facebook Portal devіce? The smart device hаs not gotten as much widespread media coverage as others have, a fact that Faceboоk is now takіng pains to remedy.
Of course, the Portal is also plagued by the 2018 Cambridge Analytica controversy and more modern ongoing privacy concerns. If you’re interested in the device, this article will explain exactly what the Facebook Portal device is and how it works.
What Is The Facebook Portal Device?
The Facebook Portal device is a smart display. Its primary purpose is to make video calls to friends and family via Facebook Messenger’s built-in video calling service, but the Facebook Portal also boasts Alexa functionality.
Although the initial release featured only a single portal, there are now four options to choose from: the 10-inch Portal, the 8-inch Portal Mini, the set-top Portal TV that utilizes your television as the screen, and the Portal+, a 15.6” display.
What Sets Facebook Portal Apart?
If you make a lot of video calls, Facebook Portal has a couple of features that make it stand out from other video-calling services.
First and foremost, its Smart Camera automatically pans and zooms to make sure everyone in the call remains in the frame. It will widen its field of view to make sure newcomers to the conversation stay within the chat, and if you move around the room the camera can follow you to keep you centered in the frame.
The Facebook Portal device also has its own voice commands. Users can activate the unit by saying “Hey Portal,” and then the command you want it to perform. Facebook Portal can be used to check the weather, the time, and to call friends. You can ask it to call someone based on their relationship to you, or you can simply give it a name. You can also use the “Hey Portal” command to control the brightness of the display and activate various camera effects.
Thanks to the built-in Alexa functionality, Portal can also be used to set alarms, create to-do lists, shop online, and play music through services you have connected to your Amazon account. It even provides users with some control over their smart home devices, provided the units have been linked to their Amazon account.
Since Amazon is linked to Facebook Portal, users also have access to Alexa Skills. The Facebook Portal can essentially do anything Amazon Alexa can do, with the added bonus of video calling.
What Services Does Portal Use To Make Calls?
Facebook Portal can use both Messenger and WhatsApp to make video calls to friends and family. If they don’t have a Facebook Portal device themselves, the calls will go straight through to their smartphones or tablets. You will need a WhatsApp account of your own to make calls to the service, however.
You will need to make sure your microphone and camera are turned on before making video calls.
Is The Facebook Portal Safe?
Given the controversy surrounding the Facebook Portal device and the privacy concerns that Zuckerberg has stirred up after repeated visits to Washington, many people are wary of putting a Facebook device directly in their home.
According to the company, the Facebook Portal is very secure—the microphone and camera are turned off by default. If you want that extra bit of privacy, the Portal has a physical camera shutter that can be moved to block the camera lens.
Portal also includes a passcode to lock the screen. The passcode can be anywhere from four to twelve digits, allowing for relatively complex security; however, it is limited to numbers. Facebook also claims that all Portal WhatsApp calls are encrypted end-to-end, while Messenger calls are encrypted in-transit.
For those concerned about the security of the smart camera, Facebook says the AI is processed locally on the device and not on their servers. On the other hand, any command using the “Hey Portal” feature is processed on Facebook’s servers. There is an option with the Portal Settings to view, listen, and delete any recordings. You can also turn off storage of any commands.
One caveat, however, is that Portal does collect information for advertising purposes. From their FAQ section on security:
“When you use Portal, we collect information in a similar way to other Facebook products. Some of this information, including the fact that you logged into your account, made a call, or how often you use a feature or app, may be used to inform the ads you see across Facebook. For example, if you make lots of video calls, you might see some ads related to video calling.
Facebook does not listen to, view, or keep the contents of your video or audio calls on Portal, so nothing you say on a Portal Call is used for advertising.”
Should I Buy a Facebook Portal?
The Facebook Portal is a specialized device. Although it has built-in Alexa functionality, that alone isn’t enough to make it a go-to device for most users. If you use Facebook or WhatsApp and make a lot of video calls, you might enjoy the added features of the Portal.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a smart display but you don’t care about video calls, you might find more value in the Amazon Echo Show or the Google Home Hub.
