For online video conferencing, Zoom has become a part of many workplaces and organizations and has even surpassed Skype. However, Facebook Portal, a device designed specifically for video calling, has also gained popularity recently.
But how exactly does it work? And is there a way to use Zoom with the Facebook Portal device? In this post, we’ll take a closer look at Zoom and Facebook Portal and see if there’s a way they can work together.
Are Zoom and Facebook Portal Compatible?
If you’ve recently browsed a tech supply store or website, you may have seen the elegantly designed Facebook Portal Devices. Unlike your computer, tablet or phone, you don’t need to download any software or apps to use Portal. Everything is built in.
This means you cannot use Zoom with the Facebook Portal. When it comes to Zoom and Portal, they’re just rivals for now. And there are no signs that it will change soon. In fact, Facebook wants to replace Zoom in the office environment – a development that will be interesting to follow.
For now, Facebook Portal is a great device to have at home to enhance the video calling experience. But how do you search through the Portal? Facebook has not one but two popular video messaging apps of its own.
WhatsApp is part of the Facebook group, so is Messenger. Both apps come with purchased Facebook Portal device. And they are equally popular and widely used internationally.
Live Stream a Zoom Webinar on Facebook
If you want to find a way to use Zoom with the Facebook platform, there is a link you can explore. But it has nothing to do with the Facebook Portal device. What you can do is broadcast live webinars or meetings on Zoom to your Facebook page. Here’s how it works:
- As you prepare to start your Zoom webinar, select the “More” button at the bottom of the window.
- Select the “Live on Facebook” option.
- Zoom will open your web browser. Login to your Facebook account and allow Zoom.
- On the next page you can:
- change the title of your webinar
- choose where to send the webinar
- Who can see the webinar
- Click “Go Live”.
Zooming in will open the correct Facebook page where you will see a red “live” icon at the top of the window. You can check out the Zoom webinar here. You can stop Live Stream, View Stream on Facebook and Copy Stream Link.
Once your Zoom webinar goes live on Facebook, it will start playing on your device as well. It is recommended to turn the volume down to avoid any background noise. Also, keep in mind that your stream will count as a webinar viewer link.
And the people watching your webinar on Facebook are not the same as the attendees of your Zoom meetings. No matter how many participants are in the Zoom webinar, only the host can link their Facebook page to Zoom. This is a fairly simple process, but it’s probably a good idea to test it out at least once before going live.
Search from Facebook Portal
As mentioned, you can use a Facebook Portal device to access your WhatsApp or Messenger account to make calls. The first thing to remember is that Portal searches will only work if your contact has a Facebook account or uses WhatsApp.
You can receive Portal calls on all Portal devices as well as any device that supports these two video calling apps. When it comes to web browsers, only Chrome and Opera support the Messenger search feature. Also, both you and the person you are calling must be online at the time of the call.
You can talk directly to the Facebook Portal to make the call. You can simply say “Hey, Portal, call my dad”. When you’re ready to end the call, you can say “Hey, Portal, end call”. The voice feature is currently only available in English in the US, UK and Canadian markets.
Zoom and Facebook Portal Are On Their Separate Ways
The only way to see Zoom and Facebook collaborating right now is with the live streaming feature in Zoom. And while it has found its way into many households, Facebook is still a force to be reckoned with.
It is too early to say whether these two companies will work together and whether Zoom will be part of the firmware in Portal. For now, everyone is doing their own thing and it’s up to you to choose which one you prefer.
Have you tried Zoom or Facebook Portal before? Let us know in the comments section below.
