Amazon is making three new accessories available for the budget-priced Blink Outdoor 4 home security camera it shipped in August (read our Blink Outdoor 4 review).
Blink Sync Module Pro
The back of the new Blink Sync Module Pro, which has a microSD slot for local storage of video recordings from compatible Blink cameras.
Jim Martin / Foundry
The Blink Sync Module Pro, pictured above and up top, will extend the Blink Outdoor 4’s wireless range using a new proprietary wireless protocol. And unlike the Blink Sync Module 2 that ships with the camera (if you buy the Blink Outdoor 4 starter kit), this new model has an integrated microSD card slot for storing video recordings locally, versus uploading them to the cloud (you can plug a thumb drive into the current model’s USB port for this, but it’s not nearly as elegant of a solution).
The Sync Module Pro can be used with any Blink camera, but the range extension applies only to the new Blink Outdoor 4. Amazon says the new accessory will cost $49.99 ($59.99 CAD) when it ships in 2024. You’ll need to provide your own microSD card.
Blink Outdoor 4 Battery Extension Pack
Amazon says the new Blink Outdoor 4 Battery Extension Pack will double the Blink Outdoor 4’s battery life with lithium batteries to two years.
Jim Martin / Foundry
Two years of battery life is nothing to sneeze at, but you might find you’re getting considerably less than that if your Blink Outdoor Camera 4 is armed more frequently than most and if it’s detecting a lot of motion, even with Amazon’s default settings. That can be a double pain if you’ve mounted the camera in a hard-to-reach location.
To extend the camera’s up time, Amazon will ship the Battery Extension Pack for the Blink Outdoor Camera 4. The manufacturer says this accessory will double the camera’s up time to an amazing four years and enable you to use features such as two-way audio more often. The Blink Outdoor 4 Battery Extension Pack is available for pre-order now for $29.99 ($39.99 CAD) and is expected to start shipping on October 17.
Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera
Amazon
Lastly, there is no shortage of security cameras integrated into floodlights these days, but most—like the Ring Floodlight Cam—are designed to be hardwired to a home’s electrical system. Amazon says its new Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera can operate on battery power for up to two years (two AA lithium batteries in the camera and four D-cell batteries in the floodlight).
Two LED floodlights mounted on either side of the camera will deliver 700 lumens of illumination in response to motion, while the camera records motion-triggered video in 1080p resolution. A subscription to a Blink Subscription plan enables person a detection feature. Plug a USB thumb drive into the Sync Module 2 (included) and you can capture those recordings locally.
The Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Cam is priced at $159.99 ($209.99 CAD). If you already own a Blink Outdoor Camera 4, you’ll be able to buy a Floodlight Mount accessory and plug in the camera yourself for $39.99 ($49.99 CAD). Both the Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera and the Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Mount are available for pre-order now.
Correction: This article previously contained a sentence stating the Battery Extension Pack was for the Ring Outdoor Camera 4. There is no such device, of course; the author mistyped. The article has been corrected. We regret the error.
Author: Michael Brown, Executive Editor, TechHive
Michael is TechHive's lead editor, with 30+ years of experience covering smart homes, home networking, and home audio/home theater. He holds a BA in Multimedia Journalism, authored the book Desktop Video Production, and was awarded Best Online Review by the Computer Press Association. Michael built a smart home in 2007 and used it as a real-world product-testing lab. Now living in the Pacific Northwest, he is converting his 1890 Victorian bungalow into a modern smart home. Michael has worked at CNET, PCWorld, Electronic Musician, and Maximum PC. As a freelancer, he contributed to New Media, Camcorder, MacWeek, and more.