Bad news if you bought one of those video chat devices called Portal. Meta has decided to cut development on those entirely. I bet you’ll see them offered as Black Friday deals for really low prices soon. Meta is looking to put money in better places because this didn’t take off like they imagined. Honestly, what does it do that you can’t already do with a phone or tablet? Oh yeah, it can follow you from left to right for 8 or 9 inches if you move. Yay.
Remember how Facebook talked about putting out a smartwatch for a couple years? I wouldn’t count on that ever seeing the light of day. And then there were the smart glasses they said would revolutionize everything. That was 4 years ago, I think. Meta seems to be placing their bets on the idea of a metaverse………… which I have yet to see do anything more than be a gimmick.
Instead of a Portal, check out the list of biggest tech gifts for Christmas from Mental Floss. A 3-D printer for $189 is featured. There’s a smart reusable notebook. It’s literally a spiral notebook that you can write on the pages, upload it to your phone, and then wipe the notebook clean to use again. It’s just 30 bucks, great for students.