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Triby, the fridge friendly family phone

This magnetic speakerphone for your fridge includes an e-ink messaging display, radio, and a hefty one month battery life.

Seamus Byrne Editor, Australia & Asia
Seamus Byrne is CNET's Editor for Australia and Asia. At other times he'll be found messing with apps, watching TV, building LEGO, and rolling dice. Preferably all at the same time.
Seamus Byrne
2 min read

Speakerphone plus messaging via app to the Triby e-ink display. Josh Miller/CNET
LAS VEGAS -- There have been many attempts at redefining 'family messaging', but few hit a sweet spot like Triby. This clever little radio-style box is a VoIP speakerphone along with a 2.9-inch e-ink display that lets you send typed or handwritten messages to the device from anywhere through an associated app.

Triby takes a private call service approach, with only those authorised with the specific Triby (through the iOS and Android app) able to call or be called.

The Triby also supports Bluetooth connectivity for making calls or playing music from your smartphone (up to five devices can be linked), and an adapter will be available to make it work with your standard landline.

Watch this: Triby puts the phone on your fridge

It is designed with a magnet in back so it sits happily on your refrigerator, giving it prime position as a hub device for a family home. When it's not making and taking calls, Triby is also an FM and Internet radio.

Triby is made by French tech company Invoxia, best known for its conference phone technology. Invoxia also acquired home telephony company swissvoice in 2013. With that pedigree, the Triby is running with a range of high quality speakerphone audio features, including full duplex hands free with acoustic echo cancellation and noise reduction technologies, as well as HD Voice support.

Triby is also a radio, delivering both FM and Internet radio services. Josh Miller/CNET
For audio playback, you have a pair of 4-watt speakers and it's designed with a custom acoustic cavity and a passive radiator to boost bass and deliver an overall good quality sound from such a small package.

Invoxia is claiming the Triby's battery is also big enough to run on a single charge for around a month, making it exceptionally easy to manage as a set and forget device that lives on your fridge.

As for pronunciation, Invoxia says they'll leave that to the masses -- but it was coming at the name from a family as your 'tribe' angle, so it seems a 'try' up front sounds best.

Invoxia is launching the Triby here at the new TechWest section of CES 2015 with a suggested retail price of $199 (which converts to around AU$245 or £130), with the landline adapter box at $99 (roughly AU$120 or £65). Triby will be available mid-2015.

Check out more stories, videos and galleries from CES at CNET's CES 2015 hub.