Abhoy Sarkar's Avatar
published in Blogs
Oct 08, 2018

Facebook (FB, $157.33) Is Releasing Smart Speaker and Video Chat Device

Facebook is launching a smart speaker-cum-video calling device. Called Portal (and the larger Portal+), the device comes with a touchscreen and has a user detection system that follows the user anywhere they move across a room, allowing one-to-one/group video chats and providing voice assistant features. To make video calls, the device must be logged into a Facebook Messenger account. While the camera itself doesn't move, it is equipped with a 140-degree purview including panning and zooming softwares.

Having faced major privacy issues in recent times – including the Cambridge Analytica scandal and this month’s hacking of 50 million accounts on its social networking site – Facebook is trying to assure that the Portal has privacy build into "every layer" (according to Facebook's VP of hardware Rafa Camargo’s comments to CNN Business).

For Portal, Facebook is also integrating third-party features such as Amazon's Alexa voice assistant for playing music and controlling connected devices. It will also allow users to listen to music from Pandora or Spotify together during a call. 

Users can also play around with augmented reality tools on the Portal. When not doing video chats, the Portal can show selected photos and birthday reminders, although it will not have full access to Facebook.

The smaller version (10-inch screen) of the Portal comes at $199, while the larger one (15-inch rotating screen on a bulky mount with a camera on top) is priced at $349.  Portal is available for pre-order from Facebook, Amazon and Best Buy, and will ship in November.

Facebook hopes to release more hardware products in the future.

 

 

 

 

Related Tickers: META
Related Portfolios: TECHNOLOGY ETFs
John Jacques's Avatar
published in Blogs
May 16, 2022
A.I. Stock Market Predictions: Head & Shoulders

A.I. Stock Market Predictions: Head & Shoulders

Statistics for the Head-and-Shoulders Bottom Pattern The days where only hedge funds used algorithms to trade stocks are officially over. Now retail investors can use Artificial Intelligence (A.I.  Here’s an example of the algorithm in action: Late last year, Tickeron’s A.I.
Edward Flores's Avatar
published in Blogs
Apr 29, 2022
How to Become the Millionaire Next Door

How to Become the Millionaire Next Door

The Golden Gate Bridge is always a fixture of these walks too, one of man's most beautiful creations.  As we were walking, at one point she turned to me and said, "Man, I'll never have a million dollars."" My girlfriend is 27 years old and works as a graphic designer, making about $75,000 a year.
Sergey Savastiouk's Avatar
published in Blogs
May 16, 2022
When Is the Next Recession Coming?

When Is the Next Recession Coming?

However, we also know that economists predicted 22 recessions out of 11 that took place since 1945. Are there real recession signs we should watch for?Indeed, the answer is yes, and here are a few very important ones: The first one is almost obvious and known to everyone – it is the Fed.
Sergey Savastiouk's Avatar
published in Blogs
Mar 14, 2023
How to Start Trading Penny Stocks

How to Start Trading Penny Stocks

Penny stocks have long been marginalized within the professional investment community, oftentimes being painted with a broad brush of simply being “too risky.” Leonardo DiCaprio’s depiction of the penny stock peddling conman, Jordan Belfort, in the Wolf of Wall Street certainly didn’t help.Here are four reasons to start trading them now. Reason #1: Let’s State the Obvious -- Penny Stocks are Cheap A single share of Apple Inc. costs over $350.
Dmitry Perepelkin's Avatar
published in Blogs
Mar 14, 2023
5 Habits that Lead to Successful Investing

5 Habits that Lead to Successful Investing

To consistently make money in this industry, you need emotional fortitude, an analytical mind, and a willingness to self-reflect. Despite trading and investing being two different activities, these principles can be applied to both.Conversely, investors with good habits often become great traders.  Rather than full sentences for titles, we’ve labeled each of our top-five investing habits using a single word principle.
Allana's Avatar
published in Blogs
Mar 23, 2023
What’s the Difference Between Data Analytics and Machine Learning?

What’s the Difference Between Data Analytics and Machine Learning?

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is developing rapidly.Data mining can deliver raw numbers, but it does not necessarily provide actionable insights. Structure is necessary to taking abstract information and extracting commonalities, like averages, ratios, and percentages.
Sergey Savastiouk's Avatar
published in Blogs
Mar 13, 2023
4 Tips for Fast, Effective Stock Analysis

4 Tips for Fast, Effective Stock Analysis

With just a few clicks, an investor can search for individual stocks, categories of stocks, sectors, or investment themes, and then he or she can conduct a full range of technical and fundamental analysis within seconds.All powered by Artificial Intelligence.  Below, we give you 5 tips for fast, effective stock analysis using Tickeron’s Screener.
Sergey Savastiouk's Avatar
published in Blogs
Mar 20, 2023
5 Golden Principles in Investing

5 Golden Principles in Investing

You have enough faith in that stock, based on research, that the return will equal or exceed the investment.  Do unto others.The principles outlined here will ensure that happens.  Principle #1: Diversification Investors can’t be one-dimensional when constructing a portfolio.
John Jacques's Avatar
published in Blogs
Mar 24, 2023
If Hedge Funds are Using AI to Invest, Why Shouldn’t You?

If Hedge Funds are Using AI to Invest, Why Shouldn’t You?

Some of the world’s biggest financial institutions have devoted multi-million dollar budgets to developing algorithms that can find patterns in the market, identify trends, and perform automated trading designed to take advantage of even the smallest price movements. The AI revolution is so big that as it stands today, the world’s five biggest hedge funds all use systems-based approaches to trade financial markets.Indeed, quantitative trading hedge funds now manage $918 billion (according to HFR), which amounts to 30% of the $3 trillion hedge fund industry – a percentage continues to grow with each year that passes.
Sergey Savastiouk's Avatar
published in Blogs
Mar 15, 2023
The five most important Lessons Learned After 10,000 hours of Trading

The five most important Lessons Learned After 10,000 hours of Trading

Ten thousand hours of active trading, broken down into forty-hour weeks, amounts to almost five years. Having surpassed that milestone myself, I now understand why it's significant for any trader's journey. The early years taught me valuable lessons that have shaped my approach to trading. It's a misconception that great traders are born with innate talent. The truth is that it takes years of...