Facebook's big Portal update adds livestreams and 'Mic Drop' karaoke

Facebook is adding a slew of new features to Portal, and just in time for all the video calling the holiday season demands. First up, Facebook Live -- you'll now be able to livestream from Portal directly to your Facebook profile, a feature which is arguably overdue given what Portal is all about. Watch Together is now available on all Portal devices -- not just Portal TV -- so you and your loved ones can snuggle up in front of videos together even if you're apart.

Other new features include the introduction of WhatsApp login, which opens up Portal to those without a Facebook account, and Mic Drop -- a brand new lip-sync experience that lets you sing along to popular tracks and perform them on an AR stage during a call. Photobooth is now available on Portal TV, too, letting you snap selfies and videos, add effects and share them via Messenger from your TV. Facebook has also introduced a Workplace feature, designed to help remote workers better collaborate with colleagues.

Finally, Portal is getting some new Story Time stories -- including new renditions of classics such as Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks ­-- plus new partners in the shape of Amazon Prime Video in the US, UK, Canada and France, as well as FandangoNOW and Sling TV, which were previously only available in the US. Portal TV owners can now also stream music, podcasts and audio shows from Deezer, plus music from Crave in Canada and video from France Télévisions in France.