X
Tech
Why you can trust ZDNET : ZDNET's expert staff finds the best discounts and price drops from reputable sellers on a regular basis. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Our process

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?

ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.

Close

Flash sale alert: The Meta Portal just dropped to less than $50

Hurry, the Meta Portal is on sale for 72% off at Best Buy right now. This fun device can help you stay in touch with family and friends via video chatting, and can be the perfect gift for your loved ones this holiday season.
Written by Rebecca Isaacs, Staff Writer
Reviewed by Emery Wright
Meta Portal

Meta Portal

Best Buy

Miss your friends and family? The Meta Portal is a fun device that can help you stay in touch, by functioning as a video chat smart camera. While it's usually $179, the price just dropped to only $49 – that's 72% off.

This is an unusually great deal, so I'll tell you upfront: run, don't walk to this deal if you're thinking about adding it to your home or gifting it to a family member. It's most likely a flash deal (or an error), since the deal only applies to the black-colored display. Add the Meta Portal to your cart and checkout ASAP to make sure that you get this deal.

With the Meta Portal, you can video call your friends and family on Zoom, Whatsapp, Messenger, and other video chat services. As long as you have an internet connection, you can call friends and even screenshare via Webex, Microsoft Teams, and more. 

The smart camera auto-focuses on you while you move, whether you're walking in a park or cooking in the kitchen. But the AI backgrounds are by far the coolest feature of the Meta Portal. With StoryTime AR, you can add fun animation and music in your background to tell immersive bedtime stories to your little ones at home, whether you're traveling or stuck in the office late.

The Meta Portal can also play Pandora or Spotify while you're spending time at home, and the device is compatible with Alexa, so you can ask her to pull up Facebook Watch to get the latest news. Plus, for an extra personal touch, the Meta Portal can slideshow your favorite moments using Instagram, Facebook, or personal photos uploaded from the Portal app.

Again, hurry to this deal -- We don't know if it's an error or just a surprise flash sale. But for $49 – savings of $130 – this deal is one of the best steals we've seen in a while.

Editorial standards