Blink and you’ll miss it!
Amazon-owned Blink introduced the Mini 2 compact camera to the US back in the middle of March and now the device is heading to UK shores in what is a little treat for those looking for a budget plug-in security camera.
The Mini 2 boasts several upgrades over its predecessor – the Blink Mini, including the ability to be used outdoors thanks to its IP65 water and dust resistance. It does need to be plugged into the Blink Weather Resistant Power Adapter, which is sold separately or as part of a bundle, but we are all for flexible placement when it comes to cameras.
The camera within the Blink Mini 2 features a wider field of view – at 143 degrees – compared to its predecessor too, along with improved image quality and low-light performance, and a built-in LED spotlight for colour night vision.
There’s no familiar face detection like the Nest Cam, but the Blink Mini 2 has a custom-built chip and utilises on-device computer vision (CV) to support smart notifications, including person detection if you have a Blink Subscription Plan.
This means you don’t have to be alerted each time your dog walks into the room or garden – depending on where you have set your Blink Mini 2 up – and you should get less false motion detection alerts too. Speaking of motion detection, this has also been improved for this next-generation model so there should be less lag, and there’s two-way talk too.
Through the Blink app, you can also customise privacy and activity zones, making sure you only record the areas in your home or outside your home that you want to and all image processing occurs locally on the device.
What’s perhaps most impressive about this small little security camera, is the Blink Mini 2 maintains the compact size of the original Blink Mini while packing in more features. It also integrates with Alexa, allowing you to receive alerts, check live feeds, and arm or disarm the camera through compatible Echo devices.
“Mini 2 was rebuilt from the inside out, keeping everything customers expect from Blink while adding even more utility through features like person detection, all at an incredible price point,” Liz Hamren, CEO at Blink said about the Blink Mini 2 when it first launched in March 2024.
The Blink Mini 2 is available in the UK from 30 April, for £34.99. For outdoor use, the Blink Mini 2 and Blink Weather Resistant Power Adaptor bundle will cost just under £44. The Blink Mini 2 is already available in the US, starting at $39.99, with the outdoor bundle costing just shy of $50.
An optional Blink Subscription Plan unlocks features like extended video recording, cloud storage, and quick access to recorded footage. Plans start at £2.50 a month in the UK and $3 per month in the US.
