Amazon's Blink XT2 outdoor camera gets two-way audio, keeps two-year battery life
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Amazon has announced the Blink XT2. It's an indoor/outdoor camera that runs off of two AA batteries, captures 1080p video, features two-way audio, motion detection, night vision, an IP65 weather rating, and costs only $89. Oh, and there's no monthly cloud storage fee.
- See it now: Blink XT2 at Amazon
The original Blink XT camera lacked two-way audio.
Blink has been relatively quiet with new product announcements since it was acquired by Amazon in late 2017. The company makes completely wireless smart cameras -- some designed for indoor use, some for outdoor use. But where the company's technology really shines is through the ability to power its cameras with standard AA batteries and achieve lengthy battery life.
Part of the magic that makes it possible to get, in theory, a two-year battery life is that Blink offloads some tasks to a sync module that's plugged into a wall in your home. By letting the module act as a hub, the AA batteries only power the camera when it's actively recording.
Amazon is taking pre-orders for the Blink XT2, with deliveries expected on May 22. Adding a sync module to your order bumps up the price of the XT2 to $99. There are bundles available as well, with two cameras priced at $179, three cameras priced at $249, and five cameras priced at $379. One sync module can be used with up to 10 Blink cameras.
Alternatively, you can look for the new XT2 in Best Buy stores in the US and Canada.
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