Kids were augmenting reality before the technology caught up. So when it comes to the burgeoning market of products enhanced with augmented reality technology, some of the best users are the youngest. Elementary schooler Uschi U. joined tech expert Gurpreet Sarin to take Portal TV from Facebook’s AR capabilities for a test run, to see how well the technology could keep up with her active imagination.
Portal TV is designed to sit discreetly near a television screen and transform it into something much smarter, playing music, interacting with other smart home devices, and making better video calls that keep everyone in frame. It also has simplicity built in for young users, with voice control, clear settings, and the ability to easily disable camera and microphone. But there are tons of options on the market and many parents hope to create a mindful relationship with technology for their digital-native kids; it’s fair for families to expect something much more than standard screen time from their screens. The Portal TV, then, is meant to do more than enhance the TV experience. It’s a social device that elevates human connection.
While all video calls deal in reality—what our five senses can pick up on—Portal TV can also enhance what’s right in front of users, adding interactive animation and music. After a video call was initiated using Portal TV, it wasn’t long before Uschi was having fun with the technology, dancing along and exploring the different animations she could pull up on the screen. Things got even more exciting when her mom appeared on screen.
It’s during video calls that augmented reality goes from being a fun plus to an experience all its own. Portal TV and other Portal from Facebook devices offer a Story Time feature that puts the masks, animated characters, and music to good use, as an enriching shared experience. The library of stories is frequently updated with new stories and features favorites like Thank You, Omu!; Little Red Riding Hood; Llama Llama Red Pajama; and Pete the Cat. As Uschi and her mom read one of the most popular stories in the library, How to Eat Pizza, they could connect from afar over the silly animations and become quite literally immersed in the story on screen.
What Portal TV offers is a fairly straightforward concept, combining the classic bonding experiences of reading a book together and having a face-to-face conversation using video calling. But the trick is in the thoughtful touches like playful illustrations, music, and interactive masks, which aren’t just flashy distractions. It’s what augmenting reality should mean, layering features on top of reality that still keep the most real thing at the forefront: people, making memories together.
There are plenty of other multi-generational perks as well: it’s possible, for instance, to view Facebook Watch content together from different locations, a key feature at a time when many families are seeking out new ways to spend quality time from far away. Portal also integrates popular communication apps including Facebook Messenger and Whatsapp. While it’s not necessary for both parties on a video call to use Portal devices (phone-to-Portal calling is even possible), the best experience takes advantage of these flexible features with Portal-to-Portal calling. After all, couldn’t we all add a little whimsy to our long-distance conversations these days? Portal TV, sold at retailers like Best Buy, is one of four devices with these features that enhance what our screens can do at all ages and from any distance.
Check out the rest of this series where we explore Smart Cameras and Productivity with Gurpreet.
This story was produced by WIRED Brand Lab for Best Buy.
