The affordable Blink smart home gear ecosystem is getting a brand new piece of kit today with the introduction of the next-generation Blink Mini 2 smart camera. Delivering enhancements across the board over the previous-generation model while maintaining the same simple setup and easy-to-use live monitoring experience, the Blink Mini is launching at $39.99 for indoor use-only and $49.99 for outdoor use when bundled with the Blink Weather Resistant Power Adapter. Hit the jump for more details and some hands-on impressions.
New Blink Mini 2 smart cam debuts today
Update: This post has been updated with the now available for purchase Blink Mini 2 links.
The Blink Mini 2, as the name suggests, is a tiny little smart camera that comes in with a roughly 2-inch cubed form-factor sat atop a mini little stand (it can be used with or without the stand depending on your orientation preferences/needs). It, much like the previous-generation model, is designed to deliver live feeds of whatever it is pointing at whether it be indoors or out with a number of other enhancements this time around.
- All-new Blink Mini 2 $40
- All-new Blink Mini 2 with outdoor adapter $50
- All-new Blink Weather Resistant Power Adapter $10
The system is centered around the company’s custom chip, designed to provide users with gear like this at an affordable price while still delivering the most important features and then some.
Some of the major enhancements over the older version include computer-vision enabled smart notifications like Person Detection as well as a built-in LED spotlight, color night vision, a wider field of view, and enhanced image quality.
Features at a glance:
- Mini 2 is our second generation, plug-in smart security camera that helps you stay connected to what’s happening in your home right from your smartphone.
- See and speak from the Blink app — Experience 1080p HD live view, night view in color with a built-in spotlight, a wider field of view, and crisp two-way audio. Stream live video continuously for up to 90 minutes with a Blink Subscription Plan (sold separately).
- Outdoor use — Plug in Mini 2 outside your home with the Blink Weather Resistant Power Adapter (sold separately or as part of a bundle) and mount with the included kit.
- Motion detection — Get real-time motion alerts on your smartphone so you can react and engage from anywhere.
- Smart notifications — Get intelligent alerts including person detection with embedded computer vision (CV) as part of an optional Blink Subscription Plan (sold separately).
And just so we are clear on the indoor/outdoor situation here. There is only one Blink Mini 2 camera, it is capable of handling both indoor tasks and outdoor conditions, but you’ll need the extra Blink Weather Resistant Power Adapter to use it out in the yard.
While it might have been slightly less confusing to just have two camera units, or at least name them as such for your average consumers general understanding here, just know you need the one with the weather-ready adapter to use it outdoors. All things considered, it does make sense to have the outdoor model cost a bit more than the indoor variant, despite the fact that it is the exact same camera module. However, you can purchase the adapter kit separately from $10 if you’re looking to bring the camera outdoor down the line.
In my hands-on testing of the new Blink Mini 2 over the last week or so, I can say right off the top it is a simple, straight-forward, effective, and somewhat customizable home security and monitoring device with notably low price of entry. The picture quality isn’t going to blow your mind, but it looks just fine, clear, and gets the job done. The high-tech feature set also isn’t something we haven’t seen before elsewhere, but at a $40 price of entry, it might hit above its pay grade for many.
The two-way audio action is relatively flawless as well with very little lag in my testing. Some louder sounds can distort the communication, but it for the most part gets the job done.
Another thing to keep in mind here, it is only compatible with Alexa – it does not play nice (at all) with SmartThings, Google Home, or Apple’s smart home ecosystem.
The person detection and subsequent notifications have worked flawlessly for me – the second the camera sees a person after it has been armed you’ll get a notification to your phone, and you can customize various elements of this process (how long after a detection to send another notification and more). But that might also be the first and only real pain point for consumers. With the purchase of your Blink Mini 2, you’ll receive a free trial to the Blink subscription plan, and you’ll need one of those to leverage its computer-vision Person Detection tech. I guess this is to be expected when it comes to a camera for $40, but still the one thing I really wish was included for the price of entry.
Having said that, the Blink subscription is relatively affordable as well at $3 per month or $30 per year. Most folks aren’t quite as bitter as I am about adding another monthly subscription fee to their budget (I’m blaming this on Netflix and Disney and the rest of them if you’re wondering), but, if you want to use the full feature set (mainly person detection notifications), I might suggest thinking of this as a $40 camera with a $30 per year fee for every year you want to use it when it comes to making a purchase decision. That’s, in the grand scheme of things, still relatively affordable, but it is to be considered.
Buy the new Blink Mini 2
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