Facebook has moved into the hardware field with a couple of alternatives to Amazon's Echo Show.

The Facebook Portal and Portal+ devices are primarily video calling, smart screens for the home. They offer Facebook and Messenger on their touchscreens to connect loved ones and friends over the internet - displaying live video or profile pages simply and hands-free.

You can also access your Spotify Premium account through the new devices. And Pandora, iHeart Radio and other streaming services can be played through the built-in speakers. Both devices have their own voice recognition support plus Alexa compatibility.

The Portal is the closest in style to the Echo Show, with a 10.1-inch 720p screen. It has a 12-megapixel front-facing camera with 140-degree field of view.

A four mic array picks up voices for voice recognition and calling, while the stereo speakers included are capable of 10W total output.

Facebook Portal And Portal Take Aim At Echo Show With Video Calling And Alexa Built-in image 2
Facebook

The Portal+ is a larger device, with a 15.6-inch 1080p display that can be swiveled to a portrait position, as well as landscape.

It too has a 12-megapixel front-facing camera and four mic array, although its speaker output is 20W, provided by two tweeters and a single 4-inch bass unit.

Both Portals come with dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity.

They are only available for pre-order in the US at present, priced at $199 (around £152) and $349 respectively. Both come in white or black.