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The initial units sent to me were designed to be used indoors but there is soon to be an outdoor version which seems to have overcome the one obvious shortfall of looking through glass. This I will of course test as soon as it’s available.

Unlike all the other cameras I have recently tested this has no physical connections so no power required and no visible data transfer method as it is done wirelessly to a ‘Sync Module’ that connects to your Wi-Fi.

The cameras are 7x7x2.5cm with the supplied batteries inserted they weigh just 93grams.

Their portability and their lack or power requirement for the cameras are their USPs (unique selling points).

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Setup is easy, download the App to your iOS or Android phone, then note the nine digit number on the ‘Sync Module’ (three groups of three) before you plug it in to a power socket using the supplied micro to USB lead. Next wait for the LED light combination described in the Getting Started Guide on the ‘Sync Module’. You then name the ‘Sync Module’ and then enter your Wi-Fi password so it can link to it.

Now note the nine digit number on your camera this is inside the case so only install the provided batteries after you have this. The one thing not mentioned in the Getting Stated Guide is to press out the centre portion of the back of the case so you can attach the provided stand, this can be screwed in place via the provided screw or use the double sided glued pad also provided or just fit it under some papers on a shelf edge as I did.

So having entered the second nine digit number the camera talks to the base and the base sends messages to your phone with either still images or videos, that’s it, the whole process takes less than ten minutes from opening the box to having a working system.

I have it setup to watch my front door at the end of my hall walking past the camera to the front door and back takes less than 8 seconds a 12 second ‘motion clip’ has been recorded sent to the cloud and then returned to my phone within 30 seconds. Should you wish the alert could be sent by email or other method to another person.

Even if the Blink App is not open you still receive the motion alert which then allows you to view the clip.

Setting the length of the video clip is just a matter of moving the slider in the camera settings.

The images can be rotated to be viewed in landscape mode and they are clear and sharp.

Unlike other such cameras the Blink system does not use Infra-red instead choosing to use low light technology which works well apart from in really poor night conditions where the alert is triggered but making out the image is hard. However go to the settings in the App and under ‘Illuminator’ there is a control option which by default is Off change this to On or Auto and together with the ‘Intensity’ option choices you can get a very bright light on the front of the camera that makes any image as clear as good daylight.

Two things that I queried from Blink’s excellent UK PR person is that – certainly on Android – it’s the same tone when a movement alert comes in as for other things when a different distinctive tone would be helpful. It would also be nice to directly view images on a PC this would require Blink to set up a web link so that the images can be viewed from the cloud, it must be possible as a couple of other camera manufacturers have this feature. The answer I received was that both are frequently asked questions and are on the list to be implemented in the future.

The Blink Home Security Camera and Sync Module are available from Amazon for £109.99 with free delivery. You can also buy more cameras, for example two cameras and one sync module for £189.99.