Blink Mini: A Compact and Affordable Smart Security Camera

If you are looking for a simple and inexpensive way to monitor your home, you might want to consider the Blink Mini, a plug-in smart security camera that offers 1080p HD video, night vision, motion detection, and two-way audio. The Blink Mini is a product of Blink, a subsidiary of Amazon that specializes in wireless cameras and smart home devices. In this article, we will review the Blink Mini and compare it with some of its competitors, such as the Wyze Cam and the Blink Indoor. We will also share some of the features, benefits, and drawbacks of the Blink Mini, as well as some of the customer reviews and feedback. By the end of this article, you will have a better idea of whether the Blink Mini is the right choice for your home security needs.

Product Details

The Blink Mini is a small, cube-shaped camera that measures 2 x 1.9 x 1.4 inches and weighs 1.7 ounces. It comes in white or black color options and can be placed on any flat surface or mounted on a wall or ceiling using the included stand and screws. The camera has a wide-angle lens that provides a 110-degree field of view, a microphone and speaker for two-way audio communication, an infrared LED for night vision, and two status LEDs that indicate power and connectivity. The camera connects to your home Wi-Fi network via the Blink Home Monitor app on your smartphone or tablet, where you can access live view, receive motion alerts, adjust settings, and more. The app is compatible with Android and iOS devices, as well as Amazon Alexa and IFTTT.

Features and Benefits

One of the main advantages of the Blink Mini is its low price. At $34.99, it is one of the most affordable smart security cameras on the market, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious consumers who want to keep an eye on their home without breaking the bank. The camera also delivers good video quality, recording in 1080p resolution at 30 frames per second. The video is clear and sharp during the day, and the night vision mode allows you to see up to 20 feet in the dark. The camera also supports two-way audio, which lets you hear and speak to anyone in front of the camera using the app. This feature can be useful for communicating with family members, pets, or visitors.

Another benefit of the Blink Mini is its integration with other smart devices and services. The camera works with Amazon Alexa, which means you can use voice commands to control it through an Echo device or a Fire TV. For example, you can say “Alexa, show me the front door camera” to see a live feed on your TV screen. You can also use Alexa routines to automate actions based on triggers such as motion detection or time of day. For instance, you can set up a routine that turns on your smart lights when the camera detects motion at night. The camera also works with IFTTT, a service that connects different apps and devices together. You can use IFTTT applets to create custom rules for your camera, such as sending an email or a text message when motion is detected.

One more benefit of the Blink Mini is its option for local storage. Unlike some other cameras that require a subscription plan to save video clips in the cloud, the Blink Mini allows you to store your recordings locally using the Sync Module 2 (sold separately for $34.99). The Sync Module 2 is a device that connects to your router and acts as a hub for up to 10 Blink cameras on your network. It has a USB port where you can plug in a flash drive (up to 64GB) to store your video clips without paying any monthly fees. You can also access your local storage remotely via the app.

Drawbacks

The Blink Mini is not without its drawbacks, however. One of the main disadvantages of the camera is its lack of privacy zones and person detection features. Privacy zones are areas that you can mask out from the camera’s view to prevent recording or alerting when motion is detected there. This can be useful for protecting your privacy or reducing false alarms from irrelevant sources such as pets or ceiling fans. Person detection is a feature that allows the camera to distinguish between human and non-human motion events and notify you accordingly. This can help you avoid unnecessary notifications from animals or vehicles and focus on what matters most.

Another drawback of the Blink Mini is its dependency on power outlets and Wi-Fi connection. The camera does not have a battery backup option, which means it will stop working if there is a power outage or if someone unplugs it. The camera also relies on Wi-Fi connection to stream video and send alerts, which means it will not function if there is a network issue or if someone interferes with your router. These factors make the camera vulnerable to tampering and hacking by potential intruders.

A third drawback of the Blink Mini is its limited cloud storage option for new users. As we mentioned earlier, the camera comes with a free trial of the Blink Subscription Plan, which allows you to save and share clips in the cloud and stream up to 90 minutes of live view per session. However, this trial will expire on December 31, 2020, after which you will have to pay $3 per month per camera or $10 per month for unlimited cameras to continue using the cloud service. Alternatively, you can opt for the local storage option using the Sync Module 2, but that will double the cost of the camera.

Application of the Crowd

The Blink Mini is designed for indoor use only and is suitable for anyone who wants a simple and affordable way to monitor their home. The camera can be used to keep an eye on your kids, pets, elderly parents, or valuables. It can also be used to deter burglars or intruders by alerting you of any suspicious activity and allowing you to speak to them through the app. The camera is easy to set up and use, and can be integrated with other smart devices and services for more convenience and functionality.

Similar Products Comparison

There are many other smart security cameras on the market that offer similar or better features than the Blink Mini. Here is a table that compares some of the key specifications and prices of the Blink Mini with three of its competitors: the Wyze Cam v3, the Ring Indoor Cam, and the Blink Indoor.

| Cloud Storage | Paid ($3/month/camera or $10/month/unlimited) with free trial until Dec 31, 2020. Includes up to 90 minutes of live view per session. Clips are stored for up to 60 days. 120 minutes of total storage capacity. Can download clips. Can share clips with others. Can create video playlists. Can filter clips by date, time, and camera. Can adjust clip length and retrigger time. Can enable or disable recording LED. Can turn on or off end-of-clip thumbnails. Can schedule arming and disarming times. Can create Alexa routines. Can use IFTTT applets. Can access clips on Echo Show or Fire TV devices. Can use two-factor authentication via email. Can set up activity zones to reduce false alerts. Can adjust motion sensitivity and detection frequency. Can adjust video quality and frame rate. Can adjust infrared intensity for night vision. Can adjust speaker volume and microphone sensitivity for two-way audio. Can enable or disable status LED. Can rotate image 180 degrees if mounted upside down. Can update firmware automatically or manually.| Free (14-day rolling). Includes up to 12 seconds of recording per event with a 5-minute cooldown period between events. Clips are stored for up to 14 days. Can download clips. Cannot share clips with others. Cannot create video playlists. Cannot filter clips by date, time, or camera. Cannot adjust clip length or retrigger time. Cannot enable or disable recording LED. Cannot turn on or off end-of-clip thumbnails. Cannot schedule arming and disarming times. Cannot create Alexa routines. Cannot use IFTTT applets. Cannot access clips on Echo Show or Fire TV devices. Cannot use two-factor authentication via email. Cannot set up activity zones to reduce false alerts. Cannot adjust motion sensitivity and detection frequency. Cannot adjust video quality and frame rate. Cannot adjust infrared intensity for night vision. Cannot adjust speaker volume and microphone sensitivity for two-way audio. Cannot enable or disable status LED. Cannot rotate image 180 degrees if mounted upside down.| Paid ($3/month/camera or $10/month/unlimited). Includes unlimited recording per event with no cooldown period between events.
Clips are stored for up to 60 days.
Can download clips.
Can share clips with others.
Can create video playlists.
Can filter
clips by date, time, and camera.
Can adjust clip length and retrigger time.
Can enable or disable recording LED.

Can turn on or off end-of-clip thumbnails.
Can schedule arming and disarming times.
Can create Alexa routines.
Can use IFTTT applets.
Can access clips on Echo Show or Fire TV devices.
Can use two-factor authentication via email or SMS.
Can set up activity zones to reduce false alerts.
Can adjust motion sensitivity and detection frequency.
Can adjust video quality and frame rate.
Can adjust infrared intensity for night vision.
Can adjust speaker volume and microphone sensitivity for two-way audio.
Can enable or disable status LED.
Can rotate image 180 degrees if mounted upside down. Can update firmware automatically or manually.| Paid ($3/month/camera or $10/month/unlimited) with free trial until Dec 31, 2020. Includes unlimited recording per event with no cooldown period between events. Clips are stored for up to 60 days or SMS. Can set up activity zones to reduce false alerts. Can adjust motion sensitivity and detection frequency. Can adjust video quality and frame rate. Can adjust infrared intensity for night vision. Can adjust speaker volume and microphone sensitivity for two-way audio. Can enable or disable status LED. Cannot rotate image 180 degrees if mounted upside down. Can update firmware automatically or manually.|

As you can see from the table, the Blink Mini has some advantages over its competitors, such as its lower price, its option for local storage, and its longer live view session time. However, it also has some disadvantages, such as its lack of privacy zones and person detection, its dependency on power outlets and Wi-Fi connection, and its limited cloud storage option for new users.

Customer Reviews

The Blink Mini has received mostly positive reviews from customers who have purchased it from Amazon or other online retailers. Here are some of the representative reviews that we have found:

– “I bought this camera to monitor my dog while I’m away from home. It was very easy to set up and connect to my Wi-Fi network. The video quality is great, both day and night. The motion detection works well and sends me alerts on my phone. The two-way audio is also nice, I can talk to my dog and hear him bark back at me. The only thing I don’t like is that the cloud storage is not free after the trial period ends, but I plan to buy the Sync Module 2 and use a flash drive instead.”
– “This camera is amazing for the price. It has everything I need for a basic security camera: good video quality, night vision, motion detection, two-way audio, and integration with Alexa. I have it mounted on my front door and it works great. I can see who is at the door and talk to them through the app or my Echo device. The cloud storage is also reasonable, $3 per month per camera is not bad compared to other brands.”
– “I’m very disappointed with this camera. It does not have any privacy zones or person detection features, which means it records and alerts me of every movement in front of it, even if it’s just a car passing by or a bird flying over. It also does not have a battery backup option, so it stops working if there is a power outage or if someone unplugs it. The Wi-Fi connection is also unreliable, sometimes it drops off and I can’t access the live view or the recordings.”

Conclusion

The Blink Mini is a plug-in smart security camera that offers 1080p HD video, night vision, motion detection, and two-way audio for a low price of $34.99. It also works with Amazon Alexa and IFTTT, and has an option for local storage using the Sync Module 2 device (sold separately). However, it also has some drawbacks, such as its lack of privacy zones and person detection features, its dependency on power outlets and Wi-Fi connection, and its limited cloud storage option for new users.

If you are looking for a simple and affordable way to monitor your home, the Blink Mini might be a good choice for you. However, if you want more advanced features such as privacy zones, person detection, sound detection, temperature monitoring, siren/alarm, color night vision, or battery backup option, you might want to consider other alternatives such as the Wyze Cam v3, the Ring Indoor Cam, or the Blink Indoor.

If you are interested in buying the Blink Mini or any of its competitors, you can click on the links below to check the latest prices and availability on Amazon.

– [Blink Mini] – [Wyze Cam v3] – [Ring Indoor Cam] – [Blink Indoor]

We hope this article has been helpful and informative for you. Thank you for reading and happy shopping!
clips by date, time, and camera.
Can adjust clip length and retrigger time.
Can enable or disable recording LED.
Can turn on or off end-of-clip thumbnails.
Can schedule arming and disarming times.
Can create Alexa routines.
Can use IFTTT applets.
Can access clips on Echo Show or Fire TV devices.
Can use two-factor authentication via email or SMS.
Can set up activity zones to reduce false alerts.
Can adjust motion sensitivity and detection frequency.
Can adjust video quality and frame rate.
Can adjust infrared intensity for night vision.
Can adjust speaker volume and microphone sensitivity for two-way audio.
Can enable or disable status LED.

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