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Amazon has rolled out another sale on smart home devices from its Blink brand, bringing a range of video doorbells and security cameras back down to, or at least near, their lowest prices to date. If you’re comfortable with the idea of having an Amazon camera outside of your home, one highlight is the Blink Video Doorbell for $35. That matches the device’s all-time low, coming in $15 below Amazon’s list price and about $10 off the average street price we’ve seen in recent months. If you’re thinking of picking up a Blink cam for the first time, note that a bundle that pairs the Video Doorbell with the company’s Sync Module 2 — which lets you view the camera’s live feed on-demand and utilize local storage — is down to $59, which is about $15 off its usual going rate and $5 more than the best price we’ve tracked.
Blink is essentially the budget counterpart to Amazon’s other major smart home subsidiary, Ring. Its Video Doorbell is much more basic than a pricier option like Arlo’s Essential Video Doorbell, the top pick from our guide to the best smart home devices, but it still delivers serviceable 1080p video, night vision and the ability to see and speak to people at your door regardless of where you are. The whole thing is relatively easy to install, and it can run off wired power or a couple of AA batteries. Blink says the device can get up to two years of juice, depending on how hard it’s put into use.
That said, the camera’s field of view (135 degrees horizontal, 80 degrees vertical) isn’t as wide as higher-end options, and it only works with Amazon’s Alexa assistant, not alternative platforms like Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant or IFTTT. And while you don’t need any add-ons, the doorbell’s storage and live view options are limited without the Sync Module or one of Blink’s subscription plans. Without the Module, you’ll only receive alerts and a live view when the doorbell senses activity or someone presses its button. Still, this is a worthy option for those looking to install a competent, battery-powered doorbell cam for as little money as possible.
Beyond the Video Doorbell, other notable deals include a two-camera kit of Blink’s Outdoor security cam, another pick from our best smart home device guide, for $104. That’s $5 more than the lowest price we’ve seen. The sale includes several bundles that mix and match various camera options as well.
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Source: www.engadget.com