Amazon updates Blink Video Doorbell with wider view and person detection
Amazon has released a new Blink video doorbell that comes with a few new features and updates to the cameras. And at $60, the new doorbell cam remains affordable — essential, since it has to compete with Ring, which Amazon also owns, to be among the best video doorbells.
If you already own a Blink Video Doorbell, the upgrades may not make you rush out and pick up a new one, but if you’re looking for a new one or an update, there are some notable improvements.
To start, the latest Blink Video Doorbell features a new “head-to-toe” HD live view with a 1:1 aspect ratio. This means you should get a more complete view of what’s going in outside your door.
The camera also has a 150-degree field of view, a decent bump from the 135 degrees in the previous generation. The camera is also getting a higher resolution of 1440p, compared to 1080p.
Lastly, it has an improved IP65 rating to resist inclement weather better.
The Blink is rated to last up to two years on a trio of AA batteries, the same as the previous generation.
One new feature is person detection, which sends you alerts when a human being is at your door, rather than an animal or other detected movements. This does require a Blink subscription plan.
Sync Module required
One big difference between the new Blink and the old one is that you need to have a Sync Module Core hub which is required to use the doorbell, and is sold separately.
By itself, the doorbell costs $59.99, with the cost rising to $79.99 when bundled with the hub. Basically, this hub lets you store your video feeds locally. If you don’t mind the cloud, you can sign up for the $3-a-month Blink subscription which can store up to 60 days of video.
There are expensive options to increase your local storage including the Sync Module 2 ($50) which can have a 256GB USB flash drive attached or the Sync Module XR ($70) which has a microSD card slot. If you care about local storage, those are your best bets. The hubs do let you control other Blink devices like the Blink Mini and Mini 2.
