Blink Indoor Review | The comparison

Blink Indoor Review | The comparison THE BEST DEALS OF THE DAY

One minute review

Setting up a security facility inside the home was a tedious ordeal, with power tools, miles of wiring, and hours of labor required to achieve the ultimate goal. Fortunately, those days are long gone. Today, there are plenty of easy-to-install and maintain security cameras that stream HD content from your home directly to your smartphone, for easy-to-achieve peace of mind. One such device is the Blink Indoor, a minimalist wireless security camera that will appeal to people looking for the ultimate hassle-free setup. Like the Blink Outdoor, its main selling point is the fact that it can last up to two years on a single set of AA batteries, eliminating the need for periodic charging shenanigans. Unlike Blink's other wireless home security cameras, however, it's not weatherproof and can only be used indoors. That said, it offers complete freedom to place it anywhere you want, from the bookshelf to the windowsill, and everything in between, setting it apart from other wired-encumbered security cameras like the Blink Mini, as well as competitors to Eufy, Wyze, and even Ring, Amazon's other home security company. You can find out how the two differ by reading Blink vs Ring. With Full HD resolution and a 110-degree field of view, the Blink Indoor also has infrared night vision, along with other useful features like motion alerts and support for Alexa (but not the Google Assistant). Add in a built-in speakerphone for two-way communication and the included two-way sync module that offers a local USB stick storage option, and you've got yourself a tempting package for your $79.99 / $79.99 price tag. The Blink Indoor is best suited for those looking for a simplistic indoor home security camera that offers a hassle-free solution for keeping tabs on things around the home, or for those who want the flexibility of a wireless device that can be moved around in an instant. However, if you're particularly interested in detecting people, you might want to consider the Ring or Eufy options instead. The Blink Indoor Camera can be purchased for $79.99 / £79.99 and is available direct from Amazon in the US and UK. You can also buy it at Best Buy, Lowes and Target in the US, or Currys, Very and Argos in the UK. At the time of writing, it is currently not available in Australia. Since the Blink Sync 2 module is included in the price, you don't have to buy anything else. . If you want to buy a dedicated one, you can easily get a 256GB USB stick for around $25 / $25. If you're happy with cloud storage, this is also an option, although it won't be free. While Blink Outdoor comes with a 30-day free trial of the cloud storage plan, after which it will cost $3/$2.50 per month. Depending on your needs, you can purchase Blink Indoor packages that contain up to four cameras, and these also include a Sync Module 2. You can also purchase individual cameras that do not include the module if you just want to expand your existing setup in the future.

The Blink Indoor lying face down on a surface

(Image credit: LaComparacion)

Integrated

The Blink Indoor is about as basic as it gets, but that's not a bad thing. A security camera is the last thing you want to draw attention to, and its rounded square white appearance is pleasingly minimal. It feels sturdy and sturdy in the hands despite its plastic construction, and the included stand is easy to set up for even the nervous DIYer, although we opted to simply place it on a shelf. The mount itself is also rigid enough to ensure the camera stays pointing where you pointed it. One thing we need to point out is the fact that due to its plastic body it can be scratched and scratched relatively easily. In actual use this won't be an issue, but having tossed it in our backpack on our travels, it didn't take much for some (cosmetic) scratches to show up. Flip the camera over and you'll find a large screw that can be loosened with an included tool. This allows the back to easily come off, revealing the battery compartment and QR code, the latter of which is needed to link your camera to the app (more on that in a bit).

The back of the Blink Indoor on a shelf that also contains bottles

(Image credit: LaComparacion)

Performance

Blink Outdoor's Full HD camera provides a clear image sharp enough to identify the faces of any intruder. The transmission automatically switches to infrared night vision in low light, lowering the color for a monochrome view. Despite this, things remain clear, even if objects further away lose some detail. There is also the usual levels of distortion around the outer edge of the image due to the wide angle lens, but this is normal and does not cause any real problems. Overall, Blink Indoor's day and night performance is impressive, allowing you to relax in the knowledge that everything is captured in enough detail to be useful. Beyond image quality, the Blink Indoor also has a motion tracking feature that can alert you when motion is detected. You can set dead zones with the app, though it's probably more useful for an outdoor camera that has to deal with things like traffic and leafy tree branches. Chances are, with an indoor camera like this, you'll want to track motion throughout the available area to make sure any trespassers are brought to your attention. If you're the owner of a noisy cat, things can get a little tricky as the Blink Indoor lacks the ability to tell people from pets, making it hard to know when to take movement alerts seriously. If you have an Amazon smart display, like the Amazon Echo Show 10, or any other Fire TV device, you can also ask Alexa to show you your Blink camera(s), casting the image to a larger screen. It works fine, though unfortunately (and unsurprisingly, since Blink is owned by Amazon) this feature isn't compatible with any other smart platform like Google Home. However, you can find a solution to this problem using IFFT, if you want.

The application used to control the Blink Indoor

(Image credit: LaComparacion)

Application

The Blink app addresses the two most important things: it's easy to set up, and it's packed with useful features. Initial setup is as simple as using the app to scan QR codes first on the Sync Module 2 and then on the camera itself, entering your Wi-Fi password to connect and work automatically. After this initial setup, you're good to go and can view live feeds and change settings, like changing the camera name to something that makes more sense than the absurd default numbers it was given. You can also change the motion detection areas mentioned above by selecting areas on a grid where motion will be ignored. As mentioned, this is something you're probably less likely to do on an indoor camera, but the option is available nonetheless. You can also adjust the sensitivity of the motion detection, as well as the reactivation time, in addition to adjusting the duration of the recorded clips, the maximum being 30 seconds. Blink Indoor comes with a 30-day free trial that allows you to save recorded footage to the cloud. Once complete, you will be limited to motion notifications and live streaming only, unless you pay for a cloud subscription. If you'd rather not, there's always the convenient option of plugging a USB stick into the Sync Module 2, allowing you to store video locally. This obviously presents the potential risk of a malicious intruder finding and removing the USB drive, which you may want to consider.

Back of Blink Indoor removed and two exposed AA batteries

(Image credit: LaComparacion)

Battery duration

The notable feature of the Blink Indoor is that it offers up to two years of battery life, provided by a modest pair of included AA batteries, as we've already mentioned. Although the actual time will vary depending on how often motion is detected and how often you use its live view feature, after a few months with Blink Indoor in our house, we see no reason why you can't be at the height of its resistance. focused claims. When it's time to replace them, you can always go for rechargeable deals to avoid buying more batteries in the future, making it a longer lasting option.

Buy it if...

You hate cables
One of the best things about the Blink Indoor is the fact that it's completely wireless. Thanks to its batteries, you can place it wherever you want without having to worry about plugs. You can also easily move it. You already have a Blink subscription
If you've already set up a Blink system and subscription plan, the Blink Indoor will be a welcome addition to your collection. You have a compatible Alexa device
If you have an Echo Show 10 or Fire TV compatible device, you'll be ready for some voice-activated Blink camera shenanigans that will let you watch your camera feed on a bigger screen when you ask.

Don't buy it if...

You want people detection
If you own a pet most of the time at home, you may want to invest in an AI-powered person detection camera to avoid being bombarded with unnecessary alerts. Eufy has a variety of cameras available. Interior at a similar price with this feature. Do you want a remote control?
Blink Indoor is a static camera, which means you can't pan or tilt it to see other areas of the room. You are not a friend of Alexa
If voice assistant support is important to you (and it's in the Siri and/or Google Assistant realm), then you'll want to look elsewhere, because Blink...

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