Facebook developing ‘Portal’ gadget which will let it put microphones and cameras in people’s homes
Facebook developing ‘Portal’ gadget which will let it put
microphones and cameras in people’s homes
You’ve heard of Big Brother – but are we all about to
encounter Big Zucker?
By Jasper Hamill Thursday 11 Jan 2018 2:35 pm
In George Orwell’s 1984, the oppressive rulers of Oceania
use devices called telescreens to closely monitor and repress citizens. Now
Facebook looks set to follow in the Party’s footsteps by putting its own firm’s
microphones and cameras into people’s homes.
The social network is planning to release its first ever
piece of consumer hardware which will be called Portal and cost a whopping $499
(£368), a website called Cheddar has claimed. The device will feature a 15 inch
screen, a wide-angle camera with facial recognition and microphones to allow
voice control.
It’s expected to use facial recognition to allow people
to log into their accounts without having to type in passwords and will be
dedicated to video chat. The gadget has been designed by a shadowy Facebook
department called Building 8 that’s also working on mind-reading technology.
‘Rather than position the device as a smart assistant
akin to Amazon’s Echo speakers, Facebook intends to pitch Portal as a way for
families and friends to stay connected through video chatting and other social
features,’ the website wrote.
‘Facebook plans a formal product introduction in early
May at its annual developer conference and hopes to ship the device in the
second half of 2018.’ Apart from the potentially grave privacy implications of
letting Facebook’s cameras and microphones into your home, there’s another
clear fault with the gadget: it costs almost as much as an iPhone or iPad but
probably does a lot less.
Building 8 is a top secret Facebook division which used
to be headed up by Regina E. Dugan, former boss of Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA), which is dedicated to military research. Last year,
Facebook admitted its own research wing was working on technology which can read
people’s minds at 100 words per minute. Will Big Zucker end up watching us all?
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