[Klathmon]

I know there probably won't be much actual discussion on anything but privacy concerns here on HN (don't get me wrong, it's an important discussion to have, but it tends to push out literally everything else), but I did want to point out that this quote from the article is nice to see:

>We’ve done what we can in this latest generation of products, now with integrated camera covers that are hardware, indicator lights when the microphone is off, and form factors that are less obtrusive and blend more into the background of the home.

I actually really like the idea of a dedicated camera device for communicating with family and friends who aren't nearby. And I've been looking for something that lets us do things like play couch-coop games, watch movies, and just in general act like we are together while not physically being together.

For example, some of my closest friends and a bunch of my family are across the country from me. I've played DnD over video chat, i've watched birthday parties from a phone, i've tried to do the thing where we do a voice call over some service then try to start a streaming service like netflix at the same time so we can watch it together. All those options suck in their own way, from poor-quality mics, feedback, connection issues, needing to hold a phone or device or somehow prop it up, and taking up a device which you might otherwise want to use while with those people.

Granted the Portal looks like it won't get very far without buy-in from companies like Netflix and other streaming services (although that whole ecosystem is so fragmented now and it's only getting worse that i'm not sure my hope will ever actually come true). And without the ability to really integrate with games outside of the facebook ecosystem this is going to be a non-starter for couch-coop as well in most cases.

I really like the idea, but Facebook isn't going to be able to build a better Netflix and a better game console AND be the only one doing video chat with those products. They have the chat/messaging side, but IMO that's not enough to really pull me toward this ecosystem, and I've been looking for something just like this for a long time now. Unfortunately, walled gardens are probably going to kill this just like they've killed countless other things.

[excalibur]

I like the hardware camera covers. My latest desk phone came with one, and it's a good feeling to know that this camera that's pointed at me all day is physically blocked. Tape works, but is ugly.

Of course, given a choice, I'd prefer to have fewer cameras pointed at me.

[555513]

The first Portal devices as well as this Portal TV are using an OS based on Android AOSP.

So porting Fire TV or Android TV apps will be much more easy for developers who want to offer their content on the Portal TV.

[Klathmon]

I just don't have any faith that any of the major streaming services will want to port their services to this device, even if it's simple and straightforward for them to do technically.

In fact it's more likely that they will try to come out with their own hardware IMO. At every step of the way streaming companies have made it harder and harder to actually use their services. From exclusivity deals with one vendor over another, to having shows and movies jump from service to service over the years. Unless I can get some kind of assurance that i'll be able to actually use this to watch a good amount of tv shows and movies with friends and family, i'm not going to gamble on it.

Sure, they might be able to get Netflix on it eventually, but Amazon probably won't touch it, Google will probably steer clear if they can, and the "cable-based streaming services" don't look like they even have the time or ability to maintain the apps and services they already have.

At the end of the day I expect some basic services to come eventually, but they probably won't bother integrating with the more advanced features like simultaneous streaming on multiple devices and other stuff. I'd love to be surprised, but I just don't have much faith any more.

[bryan_w]

They already have integration with Alexa voice commands, so maybe there's some hope of adding prime video