The New Blink Mini 2 Camera Works Outside Too
Almost every time I notice a friend’s camera, it’s the Blink Mini. I myself have found them very useful – that is, inside the . That was the headline for the Mini , Amazon’s small, affordable and easy-to-install indoor camera. You can mount them on a pan/tilt stand, place them in an empty space, or hang them on the wall. They simply worked without much frills or fanfare. What they didn’t do was go outside, which wasn’t a real problem since Blink has plenty of outdoor cameras for that purpose, and they worked well too. But yesterday, Amazon announced the new Blink Mini 2 , and unlike its predecessor, it can be worn anywhere, indoors or outdoors.
According to Amazon, the team rebuilt the Mini from the ground up, but promises it retains everything customers love. Prices have certainly held steady, with the Mini 2 costing $39.99, although the price jumps to $49.99 if you add a weather-resistant adapter. This is comparable to the original Blink , which has dropped to $29.99, but is still a great buy in my opinion, especially when paired with a pan-tilt mount.
The new Mini 2 includes a major computing overhaul and now uses a custom-built chip. Using on-device computer vision, new features such as smart notifications and people detection are now possible. This allows the user to know through notifications whether the camera detects a person, a pet, or a package if you have a Blink subscription plan .
In previous Blink models, you could avoid the subscription plan by using the Blink Sync Module ($49.99) with a USB drive for local storage, and the same applies to the Mini 2, making it much more attractive. I usually prefer cameras without cloud storage and without a subscription fee, but with a Blink subscription you get AI features, so that might be useful. Plans start at $3 per month for a single device and go up to $10 per month for multiple devices.
Video quality has also improved, which is nice, including low-light performance. The new Blink model also has a wider viewing range than the original and a built-in LED spotlight for color video at night, even in the dark. I’m really excited to see this in practice as it’s really nice to see color video instead of black and white at night.
I’m attracted to the opportunity to have a reliable camera that’s weather-resistant for under $50. It can be used in areas that larger cameras can’t reach, and since it’s plugged in, you just need access to electricity rather than a wire. In my opinion, it does serve certain situations well, but most people’s outdoor camera needs may be better served by other cameras on the market.