Blink Indoor and Outdoor cameras promise up to four-year battery life
Amazon has unveiled its latest wireless cameras, the Blink Indoor and Blink Outdoor, promising up to four-years battery life from a single set of AA batteries, which will largely make charging and monitoring wireless cameras a thing of the past.
Amazon has updated the design of the new cameras from the existing Blink XT2, with a sleeker, more streamlined approach. Both cameras look very similar, although the outdoor model has additional weatherproofing to let it sit outside.
Related: Best indoor security camera
As with previous models, the new Blink cameras are powered by two AA batteries, which Amazon says will last for two years. However, there’s a new battery expansion pack (£29.99), which will let you install four AA batteries, extending battery life to four years. If the system holds up, then it means the hassle of charging and managing outdoor cameras has largely gone.
Cameras connect to your wireless network via the Blink Sync Module 2, which is included in the starter pack and supports up to 10 cameras. As well as providing the network connection, the module can take a USB memory stick for local storage, so that you can run the system without a monthly subscription. This Sync Module is also compatible with the Blink Mini, the first wired camera in the range.
Cloud subscriptions are also available, with everyone getting a free trial subscription until 31 March 2021, after which it costs £2.50 a month for one camera and £8 a month for unlimited cameras. That’s quite competitive and is similar pricing to most of the competition.
Related: Best outdoor security camera
Amazon also seems to have nabbed a feature from Ring, which it also owns: privacy zones. These let you black out parts of the image, so that you can’t see what’s happening, and are useful if your camera happens to overlook a neighbour’s property.
To help cut down on notifications, Blink Cameras support activity zones, letting you select the parts of the picture that you’re most interested in recording.
Of course, the cameras are fully compatible with Amazon Alexa, with the voice assistant letting you arm and disarm cameras, watch recorded motion clips, and view a live feed. Video viewing requires a smart display, such as the Echo Show, or Fire TV. All cameras will support Amazon Alexa Routines, too, such as turning on a smart light when the camera detects motion.
Related: Amazon Echo Show 10 outed with display that follows you around
You can pre-order the Blink Indoor for £79.99 and pre-order the Blink Outdoor for £99.99. We’ll bring you a full review as soon as samples are available.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
