Last year at CES, home security company Blink caught our eye with a wireless camera for the yard that runs on batteries to keep installation easy. For this year's show, Blink is bringing this tech a little closer to home with a video doorbell that takes the same, simple approach.
The Blink Video Doorbell connects to your home Wi-Fi and with a built-in HD camera, lets users check the action at their front door via their smartphone. This can come as a regular two-way conversation once a visitor has rung the bell, or it can be set up to record short clips and send through alerts as motion is detected.
These kinds of features are already available in plenty of other home security systems, including audacious solutions like drones and robotic balls. Blink is trying to stand out in what is a very crowded market by making its devices simple to install and use.
When it comes to the wireless, battery-powered Blink Video Doorbell, it means you can literally slap it on anywhere you need it, connect it to your Wi-Fi network and start using it. It can be hooked up to a previous doorbell's wiring if the user desires, but two AA lithium batteries alone should provide two years' use.
There are a couple of other bells and whistles, including infrared night vision and an IP-65 weatherproof rating, and the doorbell integrates with Blink's other systems without any extra hardware or software.
The Blink Video Doorbell will cost US$99 and be on show at CES 2018 in Las Vegas, which kicks off on January 9.
Source: Blink
