My favorite replaceable-battery powered security camera, the Blink Outdoor, is getting an update! Why is it my favorite? Well, there aren't many. Most outdoor security cameras use some variant of power cables, rechargeable batteries, and perhaps solar to top the power up. Not Amazon-owned company Blink, though, which offers a useful alternative in the form of disposable batteries which have a much longer life but still don't need any cable runs.
Of course it's useful for Amazon too – where do most people go to buy the AA lithium batteries? Nevertheless there are scenarios where they make sense, and the previous generations have proven that.
What does the new Blink Outdoor 4th generation, just announced, bring to the party?
More onboard processing power which enables more features. An on-device AI enables advanced motion detection with customisable dual zones and Person Detection (subscription required). This allows users to receive more specific motion alerts, filtering out unwanted notifications.
There is also the option of even longer life from the same I personally used a Blink Outdoor and found the battery life really did live up to expectations, though I was careful not to over-activate it.
The camera maintains the signature battery life of up to two years on two (lithium) AA batteries. The system includes the new Blink Sync Module Core, which facilitates cloud storage for recorded footage.
You can boost that (perhaps if you're putting the camera in a busier location where it'll be activated more and use the batteries faster) with the new Battery Extension Pack. This doubles the battery life – either to a remarkable four years or, as I said, more likely, more activations in the same time!
Blink Outdoor 4 is currently priced at $49.99 / £69.99 for a single-camera system (which includes the Sync Module Core). A bundle including the camera and the Battery Extension Pack is available for $64.99 / £89.99, and the Battery Extension Pack can be purchased separately for $29.99 / £24.99.
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Check our guide to the best indoor security camera and the best outdoor security camera. We even have a guide to the best 360-degree outdoor security cameras.
