The Blink Mini 2 security cam is an even better value now that it’s on sale for $30
The new Blink Mini 2 adds weather resistance so you can use it indoors and outdoors. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
If you’ve got vacation plans for Memorial Day weekend, a security camera can help you keep an eye on valuables back home so you can really relax during your time off. And right now, one of the least expensive options on the market is even more affordable, with the new Blink Mini 2 selling for just $29.99 ($10 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and The Home Depot. If you want to keep an eye on packages outdoors, you can also buy the wired camera from Amazon with a weather-resistant adapter for just $39.98 ($10 off).
The Blink Mini 2 is an excellent upgrade over its predecessor. It’s still a very basic 1080p camera, but it now offers better low-light performance, a wider field of view, and USB-C support. Most notably, the camera now features IP65 weatherproofing, which means you now use it outdoors when combined with the Blink Weather Resistant Power Adapter.
At the same time, the second-gen Blink Mini remains a great indoor camera with motion alerts, two-way audio, and other basic features. It’s relatively tiny — meaning you can fit it just about anywhere or mount it to your wall or ceiling — and it remains relatively cheap to add cloud storage ($3 a month). The optional Blink subscription fee also grants you access to extra features like the new person detection setting. It’s a shame it doesn’t offer sound detection or compatibility with smart home platforms other than Amazon Alexa, but all in all, it’s a good way to add some extra security to your home if you’re on a budget.
Read our Blink Mini 2 review.
A few more deals worth checking out
You can buy the 10th-gen iPad at Amazon with Wi-Fi and 64GB of storage for $334, which is $15 less than the tablet’s new starting price. The new M2-powered iPad Air might be faster, slightly bigger, and offer support for the Apple Pencil Pro, but Apple’s entry-level tablet is still capable of handling almost everything the latest Air can. Add in USB-C charging and the fact the front-facing camera is now positioned on the long edge of the screen, and you have a great entertainment device most people should be happy with. Read our review.
A new Nintendo Switch is expected to arrive sometime in 2025, but it’s anybody’s guess when exactly. Until then, the best option remains the Nintendo Switch OLED, which is on sale at Woot in its black-and-white configuration for $314.99 ($35 off) through May 18th. The OLED model sports an improved seven-inch OLED display that makes it even better for handheld gaming than the standard Switch, along with a sturdier kickstand. Read our review.
Speaking of Nintendo, Woot is selling the N Edition of 8BitDo’s Retro Mechanical Keyboard with a 90-day warranty for $69.99 ($30 off), an all-time low. Although it’s not an official Nintendo accessory, the mechanical board mimics the original NES controller’s style and even offers a pair of programmable “Super Buttons.” It’s also a good, customizable option with clicky, hot-swappable switches and support for Bluetooth, USB-C, and 2.4GHz wireless via an included dongle.
The new Blink Mini 2 adds weather resistance so you can use it indoors and outdoors. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
If you’ve got vacation plans for Memorial Day weekend, a security camera can help you keep an eye on valuables back home so you can really relax during your time off. And right now, one of the least expensive options on the market is even more affordable, with the new Blink Mini 2 selling for just $29.99 ($10 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and The Home Depot. If you want to keep an eye on packages outdoors, you can also buy the wired camera from Amazon with a weather-resistant adapter for just $39.98 ($10 off).
The Blink Mini 2 is an excellent upgrade over its predecessor. It’s still a very basic 1080p camera, but it now offers better low-light performance, a wider field of view, and USB-C support. Most notably, the camera now features IP65 weatherproofing, which means you now use it outdoors when combined with the Blink Weather Resistant Power Adapter.
At the same time, the second-gen Blink Mini remains a great indoor camera with motion alerts, two-way audio, and other basic features. It’s relatively tiny — meaning you can fit it just about anywhere or mount it to your wall or ceiling — and it remains relatively cheap to add cloud storage ($3 a month). The optional Blink subscription fee also grants you access to extra features like the new person detection setting. It’s a shame it doesn’t offer sound detection or compatibility with smart home platforms other than Amazon Alexa, but all in all, it’s a good way to add some extra security to your home if you’re on a budget.
Read our Blink Mini 2 review.
A few more deals worth checking out
You can buy the 10th-gen iPad at Amazon with Wi-Fi and 64GB of storage for $334, which is $15 less than the tablet’s new starting price. The new M2-powered iPad Air might be faster, slightly bigger, and offer support for the Apple Pencil Pro, but Apple’s entry-level tablet is still capable of handling almost everything the latest Air can. Add in USB-C charging and the fact the front-facing camera is now positioned on the long edge of the screen, and you have a great entertainment device most people should be happy with. Read our review.
A new Nintendo Switch is expected to arrive sometime in 2025, but it’s anybody’s guess when exactly. Until then, the best option remains the Nintendo Switch OLED, which is on sale at Woot in its black-and-white configuration for $314.99 ($35 off) through May 18th. The OLED model sports an improved seven-inch OLED display that makes it even better for handheld gaming than the standard Switch, along with a sturdier kickstand. Read our review.
Speaking of Nintendo, Woot is selling the N Edition of 8BitDo’s Retro Mechanical Keyboard with a 90-day warranty for $69.99 ($30 off), an all-time low. Although it’s not an official Nintendo accessory, the mechanical board mimics the original NES controller’s style and even offers a pair of programmable “Super Buttons.” It’s also a good, customizable option with clicky, hot-swappable switches and support for Bluetooth, USB-C, and 2.4GHz wireless via an included dongle.