The only reason I use facebook is for the family portal and now I was kicked off of facebook and can't seem to get back on. The portal is useless and so is the one I bought for my son's family. Looks like I'm moving to Echo Show.

I was going to purchase a Portal Plus 15" for my 90+ year old in-laws because it seemed like the best option for elderly with sight and cognitive impairments. After reading these comments I will be getting an Echo Show instead (as much as I hate giving Alexa any access to my life).

Facebook, if you are reading, please note you are now losing customers and revenue. Please provide better accessibility options for seniors.

My 81 year old relative feels exactly the same . It is now harder to use for seniors. If I can’t reverse it somehow , I’m throwing it in the trash and will buy her an iPad. Shame though , before the update, calling relatives and using it was a great thing for her mental well being

You can set up the zoom app on the portal to auto answer by means of the Settings / Collaboration Settings. The recipient user does nothing.

I just got the new Portal Go for my elderly mother and the user interface design is terrible and has this huge rectangle taking up most of the screen that is useless. From the original post, it sounds like the original UI was much more elderly friendly. Please allow layout customization or a simple UI mode that focuses on video calling with big call icons, which is the main reason why any consumer would buy a Facebook Portal.

The current UI also shows the full name with the last name cut off with 3 dots, which is pretty dumb - only the first name should be displayed (people use this with family; there's no need for last names).

Couldn't have written the same any better, just spent an hour trying to convince the portal help line chap to get the upgrade removed..
My elderly mum now has a useless dust collecting "thing" in the corner where she used to use it at least once a day.. most annoying to go from a god send to something useless..
Please remove upgrade and go back to the way it was.. it was perfect already...

Agree completely. Please allow option of full size favorites pictures

This ^^^ all of this. This was such a Godsend for my elderly relatives until the last update. No warning, no on screen help as to why some voice commands no longer work, no way to stop things from moving around or resizing...

Echoing all the comments already given.
94 year old Mum loved it! So easy to use and loved having her photographs scrolling thru then not in use.
Now she’s completely irritated by the Tips and Apps Recommendations. As am I.
Should at least be the option to configure your device to old style.

what? and now my 8 inch screen is carrying 20% off adds for Portal. Give me a break! Lets keep it simple.

I much preferred the contacts being the focus on the home page of the Portal. I think the large Tip Box on the home page now is not only aesthetically unpleasing but unnecessary. My 91 year old Mother can't find who she wants to call anymore. I am disappointed with the "update" It certainly does not help in our situation. I spoke highly of this product before as I worked in LTC. It was a real blessing to many seniors and physically disadvantaged, who, especially through the lock-downs, were able to use this to keep in touch with family. But it's not as simple for them anymore.

I agree 100%, my 92 year old mother was using it fine until this stupid update, she is now confused that all the icons have gone small and you have to swipe across to access all contacts.

100% - this is just a mess - can't find anything, can't turn off the tips screens - option is not there, icons move, contacts are small - my seniors hate it and can't use it now. Once a great video device for keeping in touch and now it's an almost useless piece of garbage.

I agree 100%. I don't like the new home screen at all. The other one was much easier to navigate. If it's not broke, don't fix it.

I agree 100%....the home page needs to go back to how it was a few days ago. The contact icons were much easier to find and much larger. The huge 'most used apps' part that's now been added needs to be removed from that page completely!!!

I agree 100%!!! I own 5 Portals and 3 of them are in use with elderly people which was great until this home page format change the other day!! We should have least been given a choice to keep the old format or use the new format. The icons for contacts now is WAY WAY TOO SMALL for many elderly to even see and forget about seeing the green lite come on anymore. Elderly, including myself...do not need almost 1/2 the home page now showing 'most used apps'!! And if nothing else, at least make it where we can swipe this huge App part so we can remove it where the contact icons would again become larger like they had been. We bought these to stay in touch with relatives and now ...due to this format change...it's impossible for them to use the Portal without help on their side. Please....you marketed these for these situations originally...please stop changing things to more accomodate things only younger people would use. We could already swipe and find the settings/photos/help if we wanted to..we didn't need it to take up 50% of the home page!! Sorry, but I'm really upset by this as this has ruined the reason I purchased so many.