Amazon has announced the Blink XT2, the follow-up to Blink’s XT camera that was released in late 2016. The Blink XT2 is built with a new chip, which yields a longer two-year battery life via two lithium AA batteries, and enhanced motion detection over the original. Best of all, it costs less. The Blink XT2 is now available for preorder at $89.99 per camera, each of which includes free cloud storage with no monthly fee tied to it. If you’re planning on installing multiple Blink XT2 cameras around your house or property, Amazon is selling a $99.99 bundle that includes an XT2 camera and a Sync Module, which is necessary for pairing the wireless Blink cameras together. Preorders will begin shipping in the US on May 22nd, and the new camera will be available in Canada later this summer. Best Buy will also stock the new Blink camera. The XT2 looks almost exactly the same as the XT, and, similarly, the XT2 is weather-resistant (IP65 rated), and it can record 1080p footage. Amazon and Blink have incorporated two-way talk into the XT2, and it also works with Alexa voice commands. Beyond simple queries, you can see a live feed from your cameras on your Amazon Echo Spot, Echo Show, or Fire TV device by saying “Alexa, show me the [name of your camera].” It’s still puzzling why the Blink cameras won’t integrate with Ring devices or even its own Amazon Cloud Cam. The XT2 actually competes directly with Ring’s own Stick Up camera. While the new features and lower price of the XT2 are appreciated, it doesn’t change the fact that Amazon has several players in the connected home space, yet they’re currently all at odds with each other.<doc-sep>One-day shipping? Amazon says yes Watch Now 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 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. Disclosure: ZDNet earns commissions from some of the products featured on this page.<doc-sep>
(Pocket-lint) - Amazon has quietly announced a new smart camera for outdoors - but it's under the Blink brand that it acquired a couple years ago. The company has debuted the Blink XT2, a follow-up to Blink’s XT camera from 2016. The Blink XT2 comes with a new chip that enables a two-year battery life. The camera itself runs on two lithium AA batteries, but it works with a new module that plugs into a wall in your home. By letting the module act as a hub, the AA batteries alone can power the camera when it's actively recording. The camera also features motion detection, two-way audio, night vision, and an IP65 weather rating. Oh, and it costs only $89 by itself. Better still, there's no monthly cloud storage fee. Amazon is selling a $99.99 bundle that includes the XT2 camera and a Sync Module, as well. Preorders start shipping in the US on 22 May. The new camera is expected to launch Canada later this summer. To be clear, the XT2 looks nearly identical to the XT. The biggest difference is the two-way talk feature, and it works with Alexa voice commands. You can also see a live feed from your cameras on your Echo Spot, Echo Show, or Fire TV by saying “Alexa, show me the [name of your camera].” Supercharge your home security with Swann's high-performance Enforcer By Pocket-lint Promotion · 27 May 2021 If you don't want to buy this Blink XT2 system from Amazon, for whatever reason, Best Buy will also sell it. Writing by Maggie Tillman.