Gadget of the Week – Triby

Published on July 27, 2016

It’s no secret that our team is a huge fan of the Amazon Echo and its voice-controlled digital assistant, Alexa.

So we were excited to discover that the power of Alexa is finally being opened up to third-party developers. The first to take advantage of Amazon’s Siri-beating tech? Invoxia’s new Triby, an adorable “family communication gadget” that offers a lot of features for geeks young and old.  

Meant to be housed in your family’s kitchen, the Triby looks a bit like a cross between an old transistor radio and an etch-a-sketch. It features a convenient handle and magnets (allowing it to be hung in a central location, like your fridge), comes in a variety of bright colors, and boasts an e-ink screen and a large, powerful central speaker.

But what exactly does Triby do? A lot of things, as it turns out!

On the one hand, Triby works like a more kid-friendly Echo, boasting many of the same features, including voice-controlled access to news, weather, calendars, VoIP calls, and smart home tech like Nest thermostats and Philips Hue lighting. In addition, the Triby is an effective music device; boasting both WiFi and Bluetooth support, it gives listeners access to preset internet radio stations, Spotify Connect, and Amazon Prime music. 

Want even more? The Triby app comes with a messaging feature perfect for families, allowing users to send “doodles” to the device – including messages, reminders, and shopping lists -  and even respond on the Triby box itself, in the form of preset emoji.

Ready to give the Triby’s unique features and “spectacular” speaker a spin in your home? The device retails for right around $200 through Amazon or the Invoxia website.