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Sony Bravia 7 RGB TV mounted on wall with Sony Trio audio system in living room
A quick look at the May 2026 Sony TV releases

Sony Bravia 7 II True RGB 4K TV
starting at $2,099.99 (55 through 98 inches)
Sony Bravia 7 II TV with abstract orange screensaver

Sony Bravia 9 II True RGB TV
starting at $3,599.99 (65 through 85 inches)
Sony Bravia 9 II TV with red abstract screensaver

Sony Bravia Theater Trio
$2,199.99 (9 speakers total)
Sony Bravia Theater Trio speakers

Sony officially unveiled its highly-awaited True RGB TVs on May 27. The Sony Bravia 7 II and Sony Bravia 9 II enter the crowded arena of fresh RGB TV releases from Samsung and Hisense, as well as the LG Micro RGB TV that's currently available to preorder. (Tell me RGB was one of the biggest TV trends at CES 2026 without telling me.)

Though Sony's flagship RGB TV announcement came later than those of the other big brands, the two new models are making up for lost time by skipping the preorder window. The Sony Bravia 7 II and Sony Bravia 9 II are both available for purchase at Sony.com and Best Buy, along with their new home audio sidekick, the Sony Bravia Theater Trio. Let's dive into the differences.

How are the True RGB TVs different than other Bravia models?

Not to be confused with the mini-LED Sony Bravia 7 or Sony Bravia 9 models without "II" on the end, the Bravia 7 II and Sony Bravia 9 II use a new type of backlighting that we've never seen from a Sony TV.

Sony Bravia 7 II TV mounted on wall in living room
The Sony Bravia 7 II comes in six sizes. Credit: Sony
Sony Bravia 7 II TV mounted above sound bar on wall in living room
The Sony Bravia 9 II comes in four sizes. Credit: Sony

The traditional LCD panels behind those mini-LED Bravia models stream blue or white LEDs through quantum dots to create color. Those hues definitely beat what you'd see from a regular LED TV without quantum dots, but mini-LEDs still don't achieve 100 percent coverage of the color gamut (the full possible spectrum of colors visible to humans).

Sony's True RGB TVs, however, draw their light from true red, green, and blue light sources — the best you could ask for in terms of color accuracy and saturation. Each of those red, green, and blue LEDs operates independently of one another, offering unprecedented picture quality across the screen. According to the press release, Sony's new RGB Backlight Master Drive Pro processor should improve brightness, reduce blooming, and produce purer color than conventional mini-LED displays.

Sony OLED TV and Sony RGB TV, which is brighter and more colorful
A Sony OLED TV on the left vs. Sony's new RGB TV on the right. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable

This means that the screen should appear just as vibrant to the person sitting on the far edge of the couch as the person in the middle, OLED-style. But unlike OLED TVs, these RGB TVs should be much easier to see in a sunny room.

Both Sony True RGB Bravia TVs also include Ambient Optimization, which will automatically tweak picture and audio to the current environment. From there, the Bravia 7 II and Bravia 9 II have a few key differences.

First, here's how much the Sony Bravia 7 II lineup costs:

  • Sony 50-inch Bravia 7 II — $1,599.99 (coming this summer)

  • Sony 55-inch Bravia 7 II — $2,099.99

  • Sony 65-inch Bravia 7 II — $2,599.99

  • Sony 75-inch Bravia 7 II — $3,099.99

  • Sony 85-inch Bravia 7 II — $3,999.99

  • Sony 98-inch Bravia 7 II — $8,999.99

Compared to the RGB flagships from Samsung, LG, and Hisense, Sony will be the only brand to offer a 50-inch RGB model. Until that size launches, the 55-inch $2,099.99 price point isn't outlandish to kick off the tier — that's less than the new 9-speaker Bravia Theater Trio Dolby Atmos system, which costs $2,199.99.

Sony Bravia 9 II TV on TV stand with Bravia Theater Trio speakers
The Sony Bravia 9 II and Theater Trio. Credit: Sony

The Bravia 9 II takes bright room performance up another notch with a special set of advanced backlight controllers and Sony's new glare-free Immersive Black Screen Pro (we saw it in person, and it genuinely is glare-free). The Bravia 9 II may not be an art TV by name or wall mount, but it certainly checks off the matte screen and ambient mode boxes. And yes, Sony has its own art gallery app.

Here's how much the Sony Bravia 9 II lineup costs:

  • Sony 65-inch Bravia 9 II — $3,599.99

  • Sony 75-inch Bravia 9 II — $4,599.99

  • Sony 85-inch Bravia 9 II — $6,499.99

  • Sony 115-inch Bravia 9 II — $30,999.99 (coming this fall)

Sony is no stranger to being the most expensive TV choice in any given category, but both Bravia models seem pretty reasonably priced compared to the competition. Samsung and Hisense's two RGB tiers are slightly more affordable than Sony's, with LG's Micro RGB evo leading the pack. Though operations under Sony and TCL's partnership aren't expected until April 2027, could we already be seeing a shift toward (slightly) more affordable Sony TVs?



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DuckDuckGo and Google apps on mobile device

Google users are flocking to the alternative search engine DuckDuckGo.

According to data provided to Mashable by DuckDuckGo, U.S. installs of the search engine's mobile app are up 18.1 percent week-over-week on average following Google's big I/O event, where the search giant introduced a slew of new AI features into its search product. DuckDuckGo app installs peaked at 33 percent growth on May 25.

Just looking at DuckDuckGo's iOS installs, the growth following Google I/O is even more astonishing, with 33 percent week-over-week growth and peaking at a whopping 69.9 percent on May 25.

According to DuckDuckGo, traffic also spiked to its AI-free search page, noai.duckduckgo.com. This DuckDuckGo search page has every AI featured turned off by default and saw an average of 22.7 week-over-week growth following Google I/O, with a peak of 27.7 percent on May 24.

DuckDuckGo said it wasn't only the timeframe that was relevant, either. The growth happened mainly in the U.S. following Google's "U.S. centric announcement" and does not indicate a coincidental global trend.

The alternative search engine said this growth held throughout the Memorial Day weekend, when traffic usually tends to drop as well.

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"Google is force-feeding AI with no way to opt out," DuckDuckGo Founder and CEO Gabriel Weinberg said in a statement. "As result, their results are getting worse, not better. We want to be the place that puts users in charge and allows them to decide how much or how little AI they want. That's why we're seeing a spike in people coming to DuckDuckGo this week, it's as simple as that.” 

For years, DuckDuckGo has enticed privacy-seeking users to switch from Google to its alternative with a focus on a pro-privacy feature set. Now, it looks like DuckDuckGo has found a market among users tired of AI taking over the internet as well.

“Not only do we respect user choice, but also user privacy: everything you do in DuckDuckGo is private, we don’t collect search histories or chats and nothing is used for AI training," Weinberg said.

DuckDuckGo has previously launched AI features for its search engine. Search Assist, for example, is DuckDuckGo's version of Google's AI Overviews. The search engine also has a Duck.AI product, which is similar to Google's AI Mode.

However, DuckDuckGo has maintained that these AI features are optional and never forced on users. The company has also launched features that actively remove AI as well, such as AI Image Filter, which filters out AI images from DuckDuckGo's search results.

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Ismaila Sarr of Crystal Palace celebrates

TL;DR: Live stream Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final for free on SRF or TRT1. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.


Aston Villa secured an impressive victory in the Europa League final last week, and now the attention turns to the Conference League final. OK, most neutrals are probably looking further ahead to the resolution of the Champions League, but try telling that to fans of Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano. For this dedicated bunch, this is the one that matters.

It's really difficult to pick a winner from this contest. Crystal Palace haven't enjoyed the most fruitful domestic campaign, but they've saved their best for this competition. Ray Vallecano finished in the top half of La Liga, and beat a strong Starsbourg team to make it to this showpiece event. It's going to be a real battle at the Red Bull Arena.

If you want to watch Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano?

Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on May 27. This fixture takes place at the Red Bull Arena.

How to watch Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano for free

Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final is available to live stream for free on SRF or TRT1.

SRF and TRT1 are geo-restricted to Switzerland and Turkey respectively, but anyone can access these free streaming platforms with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Switzerland or Turkey, meaning you can unblock SRF and TRT1 to stream the Conference League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano for free by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Switzerland or Turkey

  4. Visit SRF or TRT1

  5. Watch Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano for free from anywhere in the world

Credit: ExpressVPN
$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Conference League final without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for sport?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on SRF and TRT1, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries including Switzerland and Turkey

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to 10 simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final for free with ExpressVPN.



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New York Knicks fans celebrate their advancement to the Eastern Conference Finals in the Madison Square Garden area

The New York Knicks are headed back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, and that sentence still doesn't feel real.

Think about the timeline: A kid born the last time the Knicks played for a championship is now 27 years old. An entire generation of Knicks fans, including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet, reached adulthood having never once watched their team play meaningful basketball in June.

Now here they are. Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby are four wins away from a championship. Four wins from ending a 53-year title drought. Four wins from becoming the first New York men's team in one of the Big Four sports to win it all since 2011, with the New York Liberty championship banner in 2024 still very much acknowledged and respected.

The strangest part of it all is the vibe. Knicks fans are known for their "passionate" feelings toward their team and other teams around the league (ex. Trae Young). As one X post bluntly states, if the Knicks win it all, "the city might actually become ungovernable."

For right now, at least, New York City just seems happy. Genuinely, quietly, almost disbelievingly happy. Like an immense weight has been lifted off everyone's shoulders, and the city that never sleeps is legitimately just relaxing right now.

After sweeping the Cavaliers, Knicks fans filled the streets of New York, which was fair enough. While the Thunder and Spurs are legit going to war out West, there's no anxiety in New York. Just fans who are genuinely enjoying being fans of their team for maybe the first time in their lives.

Even the city's politics have gotten swept up in it. The city's recently elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani, was seen at Game 2 last week in the nosebleeds at Madison Square Garden, rooting for the Knicks.

After the Game 4 win, Mamdani tweeted NYC Sanitation to report a sweep. It's the kind of corny, earnest post that makes you like a politician more. It also helps that he's been a lifelong fan of England's Arsenal football team, which also just recently broke a championship drought after years of choking allegations.

It's the exact right energy. Meanwhile, former mayor Eric Adams, never one to miss a moment, marked the occasion by posting what appeared to be an AI-generated video of dancing brooms, which somehow perfectly summarizes where his relationship with the city stands right now.

There's a decent comparison to be made with Detroit over the last few years. The Lions finally got good after decades as one of the NFL's favorite punching bags, and something shifted in the city alongside them. Detroit's violent crime dropped to its lowest levels in 60 years in 2023 — the same season the Lions went 12–5 and won their first playoff game since 1991.

Now, criminologists will tell you causation is complicated, and sure, they're right. But there's a kind of magic in an entire city having a team worth believing in again.



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ASUS Chromebook CM30 (2024) Detachable Touchscreen 8GB RAM 128GB eMMC (Refurbished)

TL;DR: Your search for an affordable laptop ends here with this ASUS Chromebook CM30, on sale now for just $149.99 (reg. $369.99).


Some laptops are built to be workhorses. But if you’re looking for one that easily transitions from your work day to mindless scrolling, that’s the ASUS Chromebook CM30. This multi-tasking device goes from laptop to tablet in seconds thanks to a detachable touchscreen, and right now it’s on sale for just $149.99.

We could all use a break every now and then. The ASUS Chromebook makes it easy to sneak in a little “me time,” with a detachable touchscreen that makes it easy to switch from laptop to tablet.

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Whether you’re sneaking in a Netflix session during a busy work day or you like to unwind with some mindless scrolling after hours, this Chromebook lets you knock it all out on one device.

Not only does this Chromebook make life more convenient, but it’s also power-packed, too. A MediaTek Kompanio 520 processor and 8GB of RAM provide smooth multitasking, while 128GB of eMMC storage gives you enough space to save your important files.

This Chromebook runs on Chrome OS, so you can download all your go-to apps. It’s also equipped with dual 5MP cameras on the front and rear, so you can snap pics or video chat with loved ones. And when you’re tired of using the touchscreen, a built-in push-pop stylus is available when you need it.

Made from a military-grade aluminum chassis, so you can rest easy knowing the ASUS Chromebook CM30 is durable. When fully charged, you can also enjoy an impressive 12-hour battery life.

You’re saving $220 thanks to this model’s Grade A refurbished rating, which means it will arrive in near-mint condition with minimal to zero scuffing while you enjoy the deep discount.

Act fast to snag your own ASUS Chromebook CM30 for only $149.99 while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.



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m5 macbook air on display with home screen and sticker that reads 'sale!'
Top Memorial Day Apple Deals at a glance:


Best AirPods Deal
Apple AirPods 4
$99 (save $30 at Amazon)
airpods in case

Best AirPods Pro Deal
Apple AirPods Pro 3
$199 (save $50 at Amazon)
airpods pro 3

Best Past-Gen Deal
apple ipad

Best Deal at Best Buy
Apple iPad Air, 11 inches (M4, 1TB)
$799 (save $300 at Best Buy)
apple ipad air in blue

Best Apple Watch Deal
Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm)
$299 (save $100 at Amazon)
apple watch in rose gold

Best Beats Deal
Beats Studio Pro Noise-Cancelling Headphones
$249.95 (save $100.04 at Amazon)
beats headphones

Best MagSafe Accessory deal
Anker Nano MagSafe Portable Charger
$45.99 (save $9 at Amazon)
Anker Nano MagSafe Portable Charger with iphone

Honorable Mention
Belkin 3-in-1 MagSafe iPhone Charger
$66.49 (save $53.41 at Amazon)
Belkin 3 in 1 charger with apple products

I'm Mashable's Tech Editor, and I drew the short straw as the editor on call for Memorial Day. But I'm kind of glad I did, because we spotted an unexpected price drop on the new M5 MacBook Air.

In my review of the latest MacBook Air, I said that this is a pretty much perfect laptop, though I wasn't in love with the price. So, with the new record-low price of just $899 at Amazon, the MacBook Air just erased my one and only gripe. In the days of RAM-ageddon, this is a phenomenal price — and it's not the only Apple product on sale today.

At Best Buy, you can pick up previous-gen iPad Airs starting at $499, or save $300 on the M5 iPad Airs with 1TB of memory. At Woot, you can score a 4-pack of the original AirTags for only $59.99. And at Amazon, Prime Members can save $50 on iPads and AirPods.

Get your clicking and scrolling fingers ready as we break down the best Memorial Day Apple deals, with big savings on Apple AirPods, MacBooks, AirTags, iPads, and Beats headphones.

Best Apple Deal: M5 MacBook Air

Why we like it

As we mentioned above, we weren't expecting this one. We were excited when the newest MacBook Air dropped to $949, but as Memorial Day weekend draws to a close, this sleek Apple laptop just hit its lowest-ever price: $899. With the lightning-fast M5 chip, Apple's famous Liquid Retina display, powerful and well-balanced speakers, and a svelte form factor, I think this is the best laptop in the world for the money, full stop.

With a worldwide memory shortage causing tons of price hikes in the laptop space, I highly recommend jumping on this price while you still can!

More Memorial Day deals on Apple products:



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