Always wanted to preside over your own private surveillance state? Now you can!
If you need a little peace of mind while you're out of the house or away on vacation, consider getting a security camera set up inside your home. It'll provide not only security against intruders but also a watchful eye over pets or kids when you're out and about. One of our favorite models is the Blink Mini, because it's small and inexpensive — and it's marked down even lower during Amazon's Black Friday sale. Plus, it works with Alexa-powered devices, so you can control it with your voice.
Compact enough to fit on a bookshelf or be tucked away on a mantel, the bestselling Mini checks all the boxes for what makes a perfect indoor security camera.
With 1080p resolution, motion detection, two-way audio and so much more, you get a lot for just 20 bucks.
It was already quite affordable at just $35 retail, but now it's marked down 40% at Amazon. The cost to you? A mere $20. Compared to similar models that are twice as much (or more), the sale is an absolute steal.
One of the Mini's many gifts is Full HD livestreaming and two-way audio, so you can talk to house guests via the Blink app. The camera detects motion, too. No wonder it's a fan fave, with over 185,000 five-star reviewers singing its praises.
While the camera tops out at 1080p resolution, you'll be hard-pressed to find another camera of this quality at this price point. And at just 2" × 1.9" × 1.4", the Mini really lives up to its name, making it perfect for hiding just out of sight. Since it has a built-in speaker, it can work as a remote chime for the Blink Video Doorbell.
"I have an elderly family member in a care home and needed some extra peace of mind that she was being cared for properly," shared a five-star fan. "This camera allows me to see what I need to see and also check in with her. I can communicate with her from the talk function, which is wonderful because the cell service is horrible there, so we can communicate perfectly via Wi-Fi on the camera. If you have little ones or elderly family members, this is a perfect buy."
Another said it's worth every penny. "This mini camera was easy to set up and detects motion immediately for me. I have this pointing out my second-floor window toward the street. ... Everything about this camera exceeded my expectations. I turned off night vision and the active lights in order to see through the window at night, and it still provides a clear picture and detects motion flawlessly. I'm extremely impressed and will be purchasing more cameras after only one day of use. Your money is very well spent on this mini camera!"
One customer raved, "If you're a previous Blink customer like me, then connecting these mini cameras is super easy! Simply take a picture of the QR code printed on the camera and log in with your wifi password. Super fast setup that took me 5 minutes in total. I love that I can access the cameras and my doorbell all in one app. The only downside is that I can't move the cameras through the app, which means no zooming in/out or having access to check the surrounding area. I'm still setting everything up, but so far I'm impressed."
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.