If you’re looking for an external monitor for your home office, Meta thinks this might be the answer – provided you’ve already purchased one of the most malicious products out there.
The company revealed that its Meta Portal devices can now be used as a second screen for PC and Mac users, offering significant performance gains.
Both Meta Portal Plus (Gen 2) and Meta Portal Go can be used as external monitors, giving users more screen space, allowing them to run more applications, conduct video conferences, edit documents or run more windows.
Second portal screen
The change is made easier with Meta support for the Duet Display app, which already allows users to turn a PC, Mac, iPad or Android smartphone into a remote desktop or wireless second display.
Users simply have to install the free application via the App Store on both their Portal devices and on a PC or Mac. Once set up, users can drag open windows from their main devices to Meta Portal Plus or Portal Go just like with a typical second monitor.
The Duet Display app is available in the US, Canada, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Australia and New Zealand for Meta Portal Plus (Gen 2) and in the US, Canada, UK, France, Spain and Italy for Meta Portal Go.
Portal and Mac
Mac users will also be able to share their screen with a wider range of Meta Portal touch devices by launching the new free Meta Portal Companion app for Mac computers. Users can now connect their device to any Meta Portal device with a touchscreen (Meta Portal Go, Meta Portal Plus, Meta Portal and Meta Portal Mini), allowing screen sharing with one click.
Operating on platforms such as Zoom, Google Workspace, and BlueJeans, the app also allows users to access controls to raise their hand, mute themselves, and adjust volume, as well as send links for viewing on a portal device.
“In today’s hybrid work environment, having a comfortable and comfortable workspace is more important than ever,” the company said in blog post (opens in a new tab) announcing the news. “The Meta Portal is now an even more useful productivity tool in your home office.”
The launch is Meta’s latest move to push the Portal as a business-focused device, months after the company announced it would no longer sell products to consumers.
The portal was originally launched as an impetus to help connect Facebook users around the world, but raised his eyebrows with a few questionable privacy decisions, which meant many consumers stayed away and motivated the company to turn to corporate uses.