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Facebook Launching Device Intended To Improve Video Calls

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Facebook is launching the first electronic device to bear its brand, a screen and camera-equipped gadget intended to make video calls easier and more intuitive.

But it's unclear if people will open their homes to an internet-connected camera sold by a company with a shoddy track record on protecting user privacy.

The logo of social networking website \'F
File photo of the Facebook logo. (credit: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)

Facebook is marketing the device, called Portal, as a way for its more than 2 billion users to chat with one another without having to fuss with positioning and other controls. The device features a camera that uses artificial intelligence to automatically pan and zoom as people move around during calls.

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The Portal will feature two different screen sizes. It will go on sale in early November for roughly $200 to $350.

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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