There’s an old remedy for hair loss that’s come back in style — and its effects have been lush for many men and women alike.
Minoxidil, a key ingredient in foams like the brand Rogaine, is being popularized in an oral pill form — just as it once was in the late 1980s and early 1990s prior to scalp-rubbing treatments.
The best part is that it’s substantially cheaper than foam treatments, according to Dr. Amanda Doyle, a board-certified dermatologist with Manhattan’s Russak Dermatology Clinic.
“The pill is typically inexpensive compared to other treatment options; it can be overall more cost-effective for some patients,” Doyle told The Post. “I think it’s good that people are getting a little bit more aware of it. There’s a lot of literature on it, so I’m surprised it hasn’t been more front and center.”
There are new and cheap effective treatments for hair loss, dermatologists boast.Getty Images/EyeEm
Although researchers are still looking into exactly how minoxidil — a chemical first used to treat high blood pressure — does impact hair growth, Doyle said that it’s extremely safe for how the oral pill is currently administered.
“It’s found to be effective in certain patients and, generally, a very safe medication when we use it as such a small dose, like we do for this purpose,” Doyle said. “So when it’s used at a lower dose, in most patients, it doesn’t really have the effects on blood pressure or cardiovascular measures like when it’s used at high doses.”
Generic hair loss drugs containing minoxidil are becoming increasingly popular.Minoxidin
However, the treatment is not yet that well-known, nor has it been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, according to the New York Times. As with many cases in dermatology, minoxidil gets prescribed in an unapproved way known as “off-label.”
But many in the industry are embracing — and succeeding — with the cheap drug and the popularity of off-label practices. “I tell people most things we do are off-label because there is nothing on-label,” Dr. Robert Swerlick, professor and chair of the dermatology department at Emory University School of Medicine told the Times.
However, there is a downside. The pill can make patients grow hair throughout their entire body — as opposed to foams that are applied only to one’s scalp.
“It can stimulate hair growth or what’s called hypertrichosis on the temples and sideburns … So a woman wouldn’t want to get sideburns, or more facial hair, which could happen with this medication,” Doyle told The Post.
Dermatologists are optimistic about new ways to treat hair loss. Getty Images
Yet overall, there seems to be more good than harm coming off recent study figures.
One professor of dermatology at the University of Melbourne in Australia, Dr. Rodney Sinclair reported in 2015 that the low dose minoxidil saw successful hair growth in 100 women, according to The Times. Since then, he’s treated 10,000 similar patients.
Overall, though, Doyle sees optimism about minoxidil for the bevy of ways to deal with balding, she said.
“We’ve got a good amount of things that we can do for hair loss for men and women now, which is great,” she said.
Six Flags revealed it has shed nearly 2 million customers during the past year – a drop that came partly because of an initiative to weed out “rowdy teenagers,” according to the company’s CEO.
The Arlington, Texas-based theme park’s shares tumbled 18% to $21.12 on Thursday after it disclosed that attendance at its 27 parks was down 22% from a year ago to 6.7 million in the quarter ended July 3.
The drop came partly because Six Flags has been steadily hiking ticket prices after offering too many discounts this year, Chief executive Selim Bassoul told analysts on a Thursday earnings call.
“So, we only got the discounter or we became a day care center for teenagers,” Bassoul said. “It was a cheap day care center for teenagers during breaks and the summers.”
In response, Six Flags has been hiking prices to reduce the numbers of “rowdy teenagers running around,” he added.
Videos posted on social media showed young women viciously attacking each other, roofs of cars being trampled on and people smashing windows at the Six Flags in Maryland.CBS News Baltimore
The rowdiness has occasionally turned violent. Last month, a teen was arrested for aggravated assault of a police officer at Great Adventure in Jackson Township, NJ when he pushed a cop who’d been called to the park because of reports of a fight.
Last year, at the Six Flags in Prince George’s County, Md., several fights broke out in the parking lot during Fright Fest. Videos posted on social media showed young women viciously attacking each other, roofs of cars being trampled on and people smashing windows, according to CBS Baltimore.
And in 2017, at the Gurnee, Ill. Six Flags, police were called to the park after teenagers “sucker punched” a 12-year-old when the boy’s mother asked them to tone down their swearing. The teens then attacked the boy’s parents, punching and kicking them, according to media reports at the time.
Multiple fights broke out.CBS News Baltimore
Now, Six Flags is ratcheting prices higher as it focuses on “elevating the guest experience,” Bassoul said. Accordingly, the company now expects attendance to be down by between 20% and 25% this year. Total guest spending per person, however, has increased to $63.87 from $51.94 compared to a year ago, the company said.
“We realized that we had discounted too much and we were filling the park” with the wrong kinds of customers, said Bassoul, who became CEO in November after serving on the board since 2020. Meanwhile, the number of families attending the parks has increased by “multiple percentage points” Bassoul said.
Selim Bassoul was named CEO in November 2021.Takreem
“We want to be a park for the middle class and even the lower middle class,” he said. “We believe our demographic is the average income of the US and I’m migrating a little bit from what I call the Kmart, Walmart [customer] to maybe the target customers, if I want to say that.”
Sea World in Orlando, Fla. charges $116 per ticket, according to its website while a ticket to Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ costs about $45, according to the Six Flags website.
“This is a transitional year for Six Flags, as we reset the foundations of our business model to focus on delivering a premium guest experience, while at the same time, correcting for decades of heavy price discounting,” Bassoul said in a Thursday statement.
Six Flags is also looking to improve wait times at its parks which can add up from up to 30 minutes to park, up to 30 minutes to clear security, 15 to 25 minutes to use the restrooms and one to two hours to get food and get on a ride, Bassoul said.
In July, a power outage at its Great Adventure park in New Jersey forced park goers to wait for more than 90 minutes in the scorching heat to enter the park.
The company is trying to attract more families to the parks and improve the overall wait times for everything from rides to parking. MediaNews Group via Getty ImagesSix Flags is actively courting families and mothers.
During the past year, the company said it has lost about 2 million season ticket holders who did not renew their membership As a result, total revenue for the quarter decreased by 5% to $24 million, fueled by the the lower attendance and $5 million reduction in sponsorship revenues.
Six Flags officials didn’t respond to requests for additional comment.
Summer means many things, including trips to the beach, eating way too much ice cream, going out on vacation, and according to numerous digital stores, large video game sales. I don’t know when the tradition to hold big sales during summer began, but I’m not going to question all the great deals. Instead, I’ll nod quietly, log in to my account, and begin buying far too many games, most of which I likely won’t play anytime soon. This is the way.
The current big sale to check out is the PlayStation Store’s Summer Sale, which started yesterday and runs until August 17. That’s a long time to save on a big list of games, including numerous exclusives, recent releases, and budget-friendly bundles.
In fact, this sale is so massive that it could take you hours to look at everything that’s currently discounted until August. So here are (in no particular order) 25 particularly standout deals I think you might be interested in!
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga | Deluxe Edition – $52
Call of Duty: Vanguard (PS5/PS4 bundle) – $35
Grand Theft Auto V Premium Edition – $15
The Quarry (PS4) – $40
UFC 4 – $10
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – $40
It Takes Two – $20
Batman Arkham Collection (Asylum, City, Knight) – $9
Far Cry 6 – $24
Persona 5 Royal Deluxe Edition (PS4) – $21
Assassin’s Creed Legendary Collection (six games including Odyssey) – $50
Ghostwire: Tokyo – $30
Tales of Arise – $30
Dragon Ball FighterZ – $9
Psychonauts 2 – $30
The Evil Within 2 – $8
The Outer Worlds – $20
Lego Marvel Collection – $12
Soulcalibur VI Deluxe Edition – $13.50
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen – $5
XCOM 2 Deluxe Edition – $7.50
Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory – $30
Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom – $9
Nioh: The Complete Edition – $20
Star Wars Squadrons – $10
Oh, and if you’re looking for Xbox deals, Microsoft is currently hosting a similarly large digital sale as well.
And we put together a list of excellent deals for that sale too, which you can check out here!
You may not have felt like eating fries on National French Fry Day in steamy weather earlier this week, but National Ice Cream Day, which falls on Sunday, may be more palatable.
Like pretty much everything, the price of ice cream is up year-over-year. However, demand is holding steady. Premium brands are losing ground to less-expensive ones and frozen novelties like ice cream sandwiches and popsicles are selling better than regular ice cream.
Here are some more ice cream stats:
According to Cincinnati-based retail data firm 84.51°, the ice cream flavor most Americans scream for is chocolate, which got 36% of the vote, followed by cookies and cream (25%). Mint chocolate chip and butter pecan tied for third with 24% each.
The company says that 72% of us will be getting our ice cream fix at the grocery store while 26% will get theirs at an ice cream shop.
Whichever way you go, there are freebies and discounts to be found:
Skittles maker sued: Lawsuit alleges ‘known toxin’ in rainbow candy
Baskin Robbins
Visit a Baskin Robbins store from July 17-23 and get $5 off any purchase of $15 or more. Shopping online or through the app? Use the coupon code BECOOLER.
Carvel
The ice cream chain is offering a BOGO deal. Buy one small soft serve in a cone or cup and get a second free.
Cold Stone Creamery
Enjoy $4 off purchases of $20 or more as well as free delivery when buying through the mobile app.
Dairy Queen
Get $1 off any dipped cone at participating stores when you order through the DQ app.
Dippin’ Dots
Check with your local store to see when their two-hour window for giving away free mini cips of Dippin’ Dots is scheduled.
DoorDash: Ice Cream Shop
Too hot to even contemplate going outside? Get $5 a pint of ice cream Sunday with the code ICECREAM5.
Haagen Dazs
You can still enter to win free ice cream and merchandise by entering Hagen Dazs’ giveaway by Sunday. Find out how on their social media accounts.
Insomnia Cookies
Get a free scoop with any purchase in store or for delivery.
Gas prices are dropping: States where it’s cheapest – and most expensive
Salt & Straw
Buy any 5 pints and get a free surprise pint and free shipping through Monday. Or if you are dieting, you can enjoy smelling like ice cream with a spritz of their new edible culinary perfumes.
Whole Foods
Get 25% off ice cream and frozen treats through Tuesday.
Yogurtland
Real Rewards members and get triple points on any order in-store or online.
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LONDON/BERLIN, May 30 (Reuters) – The humble wire harness, a cheap component that bundles cables together, has become an unlikely scourge of the auto industry. Some predict it could hasten the downfall of combustion cars.
Supplies of the auto part were choked by the war in Ukraine, which is home to a significant chunk of the world’s production, with wire harnesses made there fitted in hundreds of thousands of new vehicles every year.
These low-tech and low-margin parts – made from wire, plastic and rubber with lots of low-cost manual labour – may not command the kudos of microchips and motors, yet cars can’t be built without them.
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The supply crunch could accelerate the plans of some legacy auto firms to switch to a new generation of lighter, machine-made harnesses designed for electric vehicles, according to interviews with more than a dozen industry players and experts.
“This is just one more rationale for the industry to make the transition to electric quicker,” said Sam Fiorani, head of production forecasting firm AutoForecast Solutions.
Gasoline cars still account for the bulk of new car sales globally; EVs doubled to 4 million last year, but still only comprised 6% of vehicle sales, according to data from JATO Dynamics.
Nissan (7201.T) CEO Makoto Uchida told Reuters that supply-chain disruptions such as the Ukraine crisis had prompted his company to talk to suppliers about shifting away from the cheap-labour wire harness model.
In the immediate term, though, automakers and suppliers have shifted harness production to other lower-cost countries.
Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) was able to fly in harnesses from Mexico to plug a brief supply gap, according to a person familiar with its operations. Some Japanese suppliers are adding capacity in Morocco, while others have sought new production lines in countries including Tunisia, Poland, Serbia and Romania.
THE TESLA MODEL
Harnesses for fossil-fuel cars bundle together cables stretching up to 5 km (3.1 miles) in the average vehicle, connecting everything from seat heaters to windows. They are labour-intensive to make, and almost every model’s is unique, so shifting production is hard to do quickly.
The supply disruptions in Ukraine were a rude awakening for the auto industry. Carmakers and suppliers said that early in the war, plants remained open only thanks to the determination of workers there, who kept a reduced flow of parts moving in the face of power cuts, air-raid warnings and curfews.
Adrian Hallmark, CEO of Bentley, said the British luxury carmaker had initially feared losing 30-40% of its car production for 2022 due to a harness shortage.
“The Ukraine crisis threatened to close our factory fully for several months, much longer than we did for COVID.”
Hallmark said finding alternative production sources was complicated by the fact the conventional harnesses themselves had 10 different parts from 10 different suppliers in Ukraine.
He added that the supply problems had sharpened Bentley’s focus and investment on developing a simple harness for EVs that will be run by a central computer. The carmaker, a division of Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), plans a fully-electric lineup by 2030.
“The Tesla model, which is a completely different concept of wiring, we couldn’t change to that overnight,” Hallmark added. “It’s a fundamental change in the way that we design cars.”
The new generation of wire harnesses, used by electric natives like Tesla, can be made in sections on automated production lines and are lighter, a key factor because reducing an EV’s weight is crucial for extending range.
Many of the executives and experts interviewed said fossil-fuel cars, which face looming bans in Europe and China, would not be around long enough to justify redesigns to allow them to use next-generation harnesses.
“I wouldn’t put a penny into internal combustion engines now,” said Michigan-based auto consultant Sandy Munro, who estimates EVs will make up half of global new car sales by 2028.
“The future is coming up awful fast.”
‘CHANGE OF PARADIGM’
Walter Glück, head of Leoni’s harness business, said the supplier was working with carmakers on new, automated solutions for wire harnesses in EVs.
Leoni is focusing on zonal or modular harnesses, which would be split into six to eight parts, short enough for automation in assembly and reducing complexity.
“It’s a change of paradigm,” Glück said. “If you want to reduce production time in your car factory, a modular wire harness helps.”
Among automakers, BMW is also looking at using modular wire harnesses, requiring fewer semiconductors and less cable, which would save space and make them lighter, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
The person, who declined to be named as they not authorized to speak publicly, said the new harnesses would also make it easier to upgrade vehicles wirelessly – an area Tesla now dominates.
CelLink, a Californian-based startup, has developed an entirely automated, flat and easy-to-install “flex harness”, and raised $250 million earlier this year from companies including BMW and auto suppliers Lear Corp (LEA.N) and Robert Bosch (ROBG.UL). read more
CEO Kevin Coakley would not identify customers but said CelLink’s harnesses had been installed in close to a million EVs.
Only Tesla has that scale, but the carmaker did not respond to a request for comment.
Coakley said CelLink’s new $125 million factory under construction in Texas will have 25 automated production lines which will be able switch different designs in around 10 minutes because the components are produced from digital files.
The company is working on EVs with a number of carmakers and looking at building another plant in Europe, he said.
While the lead time for changing a conventional wire harness can be up to 26 weeks, Coakley said his company could ship redesigned products in two weeks.
That kind speed is what legacy carmakers are looking for as they go electric, said Dan Ratliff, a principal at Detroit-based venture capital firm Fontinalis Partners, which was founded by Ford (F.N) Chairman Bill Ford and has invested in CelLink.
For decades, the industry has not needed to move fast to rethink a part like the wire harness, but Tesla has changed that, Ratliff added.
“On the EV side, it’s just go, go, go.”
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Reporting by Nick Carey in London and Christina Amann in Berlin; Additional reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama in Tokyo; Editing by Pravin Char
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
NEW YORK — If the Carolina Hurricanes were looking to send a message after their Game 3 loss, New York Rangers coach Gerard Gallant cautioned that they might not like the response.
“I wasn’t happy with the bulls— at the end of the game that they initiated,” Gallant said after the Rangers’ 3-1 win on Sunday that cut Carolina’s lead to 2-1 in their second-round series. “We didn’t do that when the games were close. They put their guys out. That’s fine. If they want to play like that, we’ve got the guys that can match them.”
As the buzzer sounded to end Game 3, Carolina forward Max Domi gave Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren a cross-check in New York’s zone. Lindgren responded with a slash on Domi. That brought all the players on the ice together, with Lindgren wrestling Domi to the ice in a headlock.
Meanwhile, at the benches, Gallant could be seen angrily yelling at Hurricanes defenseman Tony DeAngelo as the players left the ice. DeAngelo, whose contract was bought out by the Rangers last summer after a series of behavioral issues, was booed by the Madison Square Garden fans and targeted with derogatory chants throughout the game.
Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said he wasn’t aware that Gallant was jawing at one of his players. As for the incident with Domi after the buzzer, he said, “I didn’t really see what happened so I can’t comment on it.”
Gallant saw it clearly from the Rangers’ bench and bemoaned what he thought was an attempt at message-sending by the Hurricanes ahead of Tuesday’s Game 4 in New York.
“The game is over. They’re not sending any message. We’ve got the guy that can handle all their guys if we want to. We didn’t do it like that,” Gallant said in a not-very-veiled reference to New York enforcer Ryan Reaves, who played 8:24 in Game 3. Reaves — one of the Rangers’ key offseason additions after missing the postseason last year — also played for Gallant with the Vegas Golden Knights.
“Domi took a cheap shot at our defenseman. You’ve got a long memory in this to think about things. It might be on the other foot someday,” Gallant said.
The Rangers won Game 3 with timely defense and outstanding goaltending from Igor Shesterkin, despite his flubbing a stoppable shot from Nino Niederreiter for the lone Hurricanes goal. Shesterkin stopped 43 shots in the win and helped the Rangers’ penalty kill to thwart three Carolina power plays. The Rangers were credited with 17 blocked shots in the game.
New York, meanwhile converted for its first power-play goal in the series from center Mika Zibanejad, giving the Rangers the all-important lead at home.
The loss continued a trend in the postseason for Carolina, which has six wins in Raleigh but has yet to win a game on the road in two rounds, having lost all three games in Boston in its previous series.
“It’s tough to win on the road in this league. They played hard on the road today,” Gallant said. “Hopefully this series goes like (the Boston one), and then in Game 7 we’ll find a way to win that big game in their building.”
Enlarge / Two headset hooks stick out of the Porsche Design | AOC Agon Pro PD32M.
Porsche Design’s new $1,800 PC monitor is certainly more expensive than the typical 4K, 32-inch display, but the luxurious panel is actually relatively inexpensive for the technology it uses.
As spotted by DisplaySpecifications this week, Porsche Design has listed its latest monitor, and like its previous product, it’s a collaboration with AOC, which makes many types of monitors, including high-resolution productivity panels, gaming monitors, and portable options, as well as other PC peripherals like keyboards and headsets.
Porsche Design, a sub-brand of the German company known for fancy sports cars, was founded in 1974. Its electronics lineup currently includes only a $99 Bluetooth mouse made with Acer, but the company also makes a variety of luxury-focused everyday items, from $225 lighters to $1,800 sunglasses.
Porsche design
The Porsche Design AOC Agon Pro PD32M aims to be the Porsche of PC monitors, starting with a look that the brand says was inspired by Porsche cars. This includes an aluminum stand whose trapezoid shape pays subtle tribute to a Porsche steering wheel.
Porsche monitor stand.
Porsche steering wheel (2022 Taycan GTS).
Porsche
However, you probably don’t see too many Porsche cars decorated with RGB lighting. The PD32M’s colorful lighting is on the display’s backside, so there’s a good chance you won’t see it often unless the LEDs are bright enough to cast a light on the wall behind the monitor. Porsche Design’s product page also says the PD32M can display an LED logo onto the desktop, but it doesn’t provide further detail.
The monitor also comes with a remote in case you want to use the display like a TV. While massive monitors worthy of the living room often come with a remote, they’re rarer in a desktop-size display.
The port selection is pretty extensive; you get HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort, USB-C, four USB-A ports (Gen 3.2), and a headphone jack. Accompanying the latter is a pair of hooks that extend out of the monitor’s left and side to give you a place to hang your headset. This is especially handy for those bulky over-the-head cans that are popular among gamers. The panel houses a pair of 8 W speakers.
Impressive specs
The true standout feature, however, is the PD32M’s Mini LED panel. Compared to the standard LED panels you’ll find in most PC monitors, Mini LED monitors use tinier LEDs, allowing a panel to hold a larger number of them. This can result in higher contrast, but it still doesn’t compare to what you can get from a good OLED screen. More dimming zones can also yield better contrast. Unfortunately, Porsche Design hasn’t announced how many dimming zones the PD32M has.
A boost in contrast also helps HDR actually look different from SDR, and the Porsche and AOC monitor backs its HDR aptitude with VESA DisplayHDR 1400 certification, assuring that it will hit at least 1,400 nits of brightness with HDR content. However, Porsche Design claims that the monitor can actually reach 1,600 nits. Color coverage is a claimed 97 percent DCI-P3.
The PD32M has speed specs worthy of most gamers’ setups, from its 4K resolution to its 144 Hz refresh rate, 1 ms (GtG) response time, and Adaptive-Sync.
Not a bad price for Mini LED
If all that doesn’t make the PD32M sound like a Porsche monitor, the price will. The monitor’s $1,800 MSRP is high for a 32-inch 4K monitor, even considering its gaming-ready specs. For comparison, the Dell G3223Q—a 32-inch, 144 Hz 4K monitor—sells for $1,100.
Enlarge / The PD32M turned to portrait mode.
However, $1,800 is actually pretty inexpensive for a Mini LED monitor. The 32-inch Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX Mini LED monitor is currently going for about $2,895. Acer is also planning to release some 32-inch 4K Mini LED monitors with up to 165 Hz refresh rates starting at $1,800. The Acer Predator X32 has 576 zones and is notably limited to the DisplayHDR 1000 certification.
For those who don’t need 4K or 32 inches of screen space, however, a cheaper Mini LED option should also arrive this year. Cooler Master’s 1440p, 27-inch GP27-FQS 165 Hz Mini LED monitor is expected to have an MSRP of $700.
Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.
CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Friday previewed next week’s roster of earnings and advised investors to stick to companies that are profitable yet affordable for investors to own.
“In this environment, you need to own companies that make stuff and do things profitably, but let’s add, also, with stocks that remain cheap on a price to earnings basis,” the “Mad Money” host said.
Even as the Fed tries to tamp down higher prices, “we’ve already seen signs that inflation is peaking in many areas. Unfortunately, so is the rest of the economy,” he later added.
Cramer said that on Monday, he’ll be keeping his eye on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its effect on commodity prices. He also said he’ll be watching the 30-year Treasury bonds.
“The 30-year, not the 20[-year], is where all the action will be once the Fed starts selling its bond portfolio. You need to know that this sell-off in the 30-year is signifying that much higher rates are on the way,” Cramer said. “Get ready for them. Higher long rates will likely hurt the Nasdaq like we saw today, not the Dow, which can hold up just fine because it’s full of tangible companies that fit my criteria.”
The Dow Jones Industrial Average on Friday rose 0.4%. The S&P 500 dropped 0.27% while the Nasdaq Composite tumbled 1.34%. All three declined for the week.
Also on Cramer’s radar is an expected “red-hot reading” in the March consumer price index releasing next Tuesday.
“It’ll be inexorable and nasty until we see the peak in everything. Whatever the so-called consensus is, it’s almost always too low right now, and so that’s going to gaffe the bondholders and put pressure on the stock market that day,” he said.
Cramer also previewed next week’s slate of earnings and gave his thoughts on each reporting company. All earnings and revenue estimates are courtesy of FactSet.
Tuesday: Albertsons, CarMax
Albertsons
Q4 2021 earnings release before the bell; conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: 64 cents
Projected revenue: $16.76 billion
Cramer said he expects great results from Albertsons and is on the lookout for an announcement, whether they’re planning on going private or revealing a big buyback or dividend.
CarMax
Q4 2022 earnings before the bell; conference call at 9 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: $1.27
Projected revenue: $7.5 billion
“Any sign that this endless series of price hikes is over, or that demand has been destroyed … will reinforce my thesis that all the used car companies must be sold,” Cramer said.
Wednesday: JPMorgan Chase, Bed Bath & Beyond, BlackRock, Delta Air Lines
JPMorgan Chase
Q1 2022 earnings release at 6:45 a.m. ET; conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: $2.72
Projected revenue: $30.57 billion
“Every time the Fed raises rates, these guys instantly become more profitable on a risk-free basis,” Cramer said.
Bed Bath & Beyond
Q4 2021 earnings release; conference call at 8:15 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: 4 cents
Projected revenue: $2.08 billion
“The question here is simple: Will big new shareholder Ryan Cohen, of Chewy and GameStop fame, join the board, and will the Buy Buy Baby business be sold to private equity? I think it’s all on the table, and the stock goes up substantially,” Cramer said.
BlackRock
Q1 2022 earnings release before the bell; conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: $8.95
Projected revenue: $4.73 billion
Cramer said he’s interested in hearing about how “individuals might get to vote their index fund shares.”
Delta Air Lines
Q1 2022 earnings release before the bell; conference call at 10 a.m. ET
Projected loss: loss of $1.30 per share
Projected revenue: $8.74 billion
Cramer said he’s in favor of travel stocks but believes airlines are currently a tough sell “given how much money they can lose in a Fed-mandated recession.”
Thursday: Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs
Q1 2022 earnings release at 7:30 a.m. ET; conference call at 9:30 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: $8.95
Projected revenue: $11.98 billion
“I have never seen Goldman Sachs stock this cheap, ever. … I think you’re getting a fairly good chance to catch a bounce here, if not an investment, because by this point, it should be no surprise that Goldman’s first quarter was ugly,” Cramer said.
Most would agree that Sonos offers some of the best speakers and soundbars currently on the market. That’s because Sonos makes speakers that — more often than not — boast great sound quality, support for all the major streaming platforms, and simple multi-room functionality. Unfortunately, however, all of those perks often come at a high price. Sonos products aren’t cheap, and, outside of the occasional rogue discount, they rarely go on sale. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to save at least a few dollars on Sonos gear.
If you’re comfortable buying refurbished, for example, you could save a decent amount. We also occasionally see sales on Sonos’ collaborative series with Ikea and discounted bundles that include Sonos products, which makes it easier to set up an entire home audio system while saving money. And, if you’re a student, Sonos offers a program you can join to get a 15 percent discount when you spend up to $2,500 on full-priced speakers and accessories.
Regardless of their existence, these discounts can be hard to find. That’s why we’ve curated this list of the best Sonos deals you can currently take advantage of. Here, we’ll guide you through the best sales available right now to help you get the best bang for your buck.
Highlights across the range
Model
Model year
Condition
List Price
Sale Price
Retailer
Model
Model year
Condition
List Price
Sale Price
Retailer
Sonos Roam
2021
Refurbished
$179
$154.99
Best Buy
Sonos Five (two-pack)
2020
New
$1,098
$1,049
Sonos
B&H Photo
Sonos Beam (first-gen)
2018
Refurbished
$399
$319
Sonos
Sonus One (two-pack, first-gen)
2017
Refurbished
$438
$419
Sonos
B&H Photo
Sonos Immersive Set with Beam (second-gen)
2021
New
$1,596
$1,499
B&H Photo
The portable Roam offers the best water resistance of any speaker in the Sonos lineup.Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Sonos Roam deals
The Sonos Roam is one of the clearest, most pleasant portable speakers we’ve ever used, and we’d recommend it as a personal speaker for small gatherings. It offers a rugged design, a relatively durable build, wireless charging, and support for both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It’s also compatible with Apple’s AirPlay 2, which lets you stream music from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac over your home network. Plus, it’s the first Sonos speaker with an IP67 dust and water resistance rating, which means you could use it in the bathroom or near pools.
Note, however, Sonos won’t let you pair two in stereo when listening over Bluetooth, unlike other similar speakers, though you can play Bluetooth audio over your entire Sonos system. It also only offers around 10 hours of battery life, which isn’t that great, and it can be challenging to use the speaker’s Wi-Fi features outside of your home.
Nevertheless, it’s a good portable speaker you can currently buy in refurbished condition at Best Buy in white for $154.99 ($25 off) and black for $159.99 ($20 off). If you can make do without the microphones, Sonos has also recently started selling the Roam SL for $159, which is $20 cheaper than the Roam currently retails for. Read our Sonos Roam review.
Sonos Roam (refurbished)
The Sonos Roam is a truly portable Sonos speaker with a rugged design that’s built to withstand the elements. It also features wireless charging and supports AirPlay 2, Alexa, and Google Assistant.
The newer Sonos Five sounds exactly like its fantastic predecessor, the Play:5.Sonos
Sonos Five (2020) deals
The Sonos Five replaced the Play:5 music speaker in 2020 but is actually nearly identical to its excellent-sounding predecessor. It shares the same six custom-designed drivers inside, so it should offer the same high-quality listening experience as the Play:5, which was ideal for large rooms or parties. Other than that, however, there aren’t many noticeable differences. Compared to the Play:5, Sonos says its successor offers increased memory and processing power, as well as a new wireless radio. There are also all-black or all-white options. Note, however, that the Sonos Five lacks a built-in microphone and support for Alexa and Google Assistant — something every other speaker in the current Sonos lineup offers.
The Sonos Five starts at $549, but you can currently pick up a refurbished model for $494.99 at Best Buy, an additional $5 off the speaker’s traditional refurbished price. If you want a pair, you can also buy a new set of two for $1,049 instead of $1,098 from Sonos and B&H Photo. Sonos is additionally selling a Turntable set, which includes the Sonos Five and a Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB Turntable, for $949, a $49 discount.
Sonos HiFi Set
Sonos’s so-called “HiFi Set” consists of a pair of powerful Sonos Five speakers.
Sonos Turntable Set
The Turntable set consists of a Sonos Five and a Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB Turntable you can connect the speaker to.
The last-gen Sonos Beam offers great TV sound quality but, unlike the second-gen model, lacks support for Dolby Atmos. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Sonos Beam (first-gen) deals
Sonos’ entry-level soundbar, the first-gen Sonos Beam, functions as both a smart speaker and a soundbar for smart TVs equipped with HDMI ARC. We praised how well it improves TV sound quality in our 2018 review, as well as how simple and easy it is to set up and use. It’s not as great as other standalone speakers in the Sonos lineup for just playing music, but as a general-purpose speaker, it’s a good buy overall, especially if you’re adding it to an existing Sonos setup. The entry-level Sonos Beam also offers touch controls and support for Apple’s AirPlay 2, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant, allowing for hands-free voice controls. And while it lacks the second-gen Beam’s support for Dolby Atmos and an eARC HDMI port, it remains a competent soundbar.
Right now, you can buy a refurbished, first-gen Sonos Boam from Sonos for $319 instead of $399, which is the price it retails for when sold new. Read our review.
The small Sonos One supports a range of music services and comes with a good microphone.Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Sonos One (second-gen) deals
The Sonos One is a small smart speaker with a good microphone for voice control. It emits balanced, full-bodied sound that’s impressive for its size while integrating well with existing Sonos products. The 2017 speaker also works with a range of music services and supports both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, however, the process for setting up voice assistants can be complicated. The One offers touch controls, too, as well as support for AirPlay 2 thanks to a post-launch software update.
The Sonos One typically retails for $219, and while there are currently no deals available on the standalone speaker to speak of, you can buy a two-room set for $419 instead of $438 from Sonos and B&H Photo. Read our review.
Sonos One (second-gen, two-room set)
The Sonos One emits rich, detailed sound. The compact smart speaker also features good voice microphones, integrates with existing Sonos systems, and supports a wide range of music services.
The Sonos Immersive Set comes with the second-gen Sonos Beam, which supports Dolby Atmos and HDMI eARC.Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Sonos Immersive Set with Beam deals
The Sonos Immersive Set has everything you need for a surround sound setup. First off, it contains a second-gen Sonos Beam, which offers better performance than its first-gen predecessor, supports Dolby Atmos, and comes with HDMI eARC. The package also comes with two Sonos One SL speakers that are similar to the Sonos One smart speaker — minus the microphone — and the apt-titled Sonos Sub, a subwoofer that takes care of the low-end bass while you watch TV shows and movies. Normally $1,596, you can currently buy the entire set in either black or white with delayed shipping at B&H Photo for $1,499 ($97 off).
Sonos Immersive Set with Beam
The Sonos Immersive Set is a 3.1 surround sound bundle from Sonos, one that includes two Sonos One SL smart speakers, a second-gen Sonos Beam, and a Sonos Sub.
If you’re looking for an affordable laptop alternative, Chromebooks are a great option to consider. Yet there are several kinds on the market these days, and it can be overwhelming to pick the right for you and your needs. Some are better suited toward basic work tasks, for example, while some of the higher-end models can even rival some of the best laptops you can buy. Moreover, just because one Chromebook has more features than the other, doesn’t mean it’s the right one for you, nor is it the best value for your money.
That’s why we’ve curated this comprehensive list of the best Chromebook deals. Here, you’ll find discounts on all kinds of Chromebooks, including those from Samsung, Lenovo, Asus, and more. Each varies in price range and come with their own strengths and weaknesses, but all of them come recommended, so you’ll be able to best deal for you. And if you’d like to do even more research before buying a Chromebook, we’ve also compiled a guide to the best on the market, which you can use to help you determine which Chrome OS machine is right for you.
Intel Celeron 5205U processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of eMMc
$429.99
$349.99
Lenovo
Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook 2 is a convertible that boasts a gorgeous QLED display.Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2
If you’re considering a Chromebook, Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook 2 is one of the best Chromebooks on the market right now. It’s the first Chromebook to feature a QLED panel —allowing for vivid colors and high contrast — and it offers better battery life than the convertible’s predecessor, which couldn’t even make it five hours on a charge. Admittedly, we weren’t fans of the Chromebook 2’s plasticky feel or its expensive price tag, but we were happy with the Chromebook overall and liked the red model’s bright, vibrant design.
The base model starts at $549 and offers an Intel Celeron 5205U processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. Best Buy currently is selling that particular model in both colorways for $399, as is Samsung in the red configuration. The $699 model we tested is also on sale at Best Buy, Samsung, and Amazon with an Intel Core i3-10110U chip, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of eMMC storage for $549. That’s this model’s second-best price to date, and only $50 more than its all-time low. Read our review.
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 (64GB/4GB of RAM)
The Galaxy Chromebook 2 is Samsung’s flagship Chromebook, one that is less expensive and improves on its predecessor with better battery life, a packaged stylus, a good QLED display, and a vibrant design.
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 (128GB/8GB of RAM)
The Galaxy Chromebook 2 is Samsung’s flagship Chromebook, one that is less expensive and improves on its predecessor with better battery life, a packaged stylus, a good QLED display, and a vibrant design.
A portable 2-in-1 device, Lenovo’s Chromebook Duet is the best budget Chromebook on the market.Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
Lenovo Chromebook Duet
If you’re on a budget, our top pick for you is the Lenovo Chromebook Duet. The portable 2-in-1 device is a great Chromebook you can take on the go, with a detachable keyboard and kickstand cover. This is especially true given the device’s lengthy battery life, which allowed us to use it for nearly 11 and a half hours while making Zoom calls and running through a variety of tabs and apps, including Gmail, Slack, and Facebook. It also uses a version of Chrome optimized for tablet use and supports a gesture-navigation system, so you can easily switch between apps with a few finger swipes.
Given it starts at just $299, however, there are some tradeoffs. This includes the Duet’s small keyboard, its single USB-C port, and lack of a headphone jack. With its MediaTek Helio P60T processor, 4GB of RAM, and up to 128GB of storage, it’s also not necessarily great for more advanced tasks, either, but it’s fine for browsing and everyday work. Right now, the model with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC storage is on sale for $229 at Best Buy instead of $299. Read our review.
Lenovo Chromebook Duet
The Lenovo Chromebook Duet is the best affordable Chromebook of 2022. The portable 2-in-1 device offers a detachable keyboard and kickstand cover as well as long battery life.
Lenovo’s ThinkPad C13 Yoga looks almost indistinguishable from other premium Windows ThinkPads.Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook
We consider Lenovo’s ThinkPad C13 Yoga to be the best premium Chromebook and one of our favorites. Unlike others — which are often marketed toward students or kids — the C13 also targets adults and professionals. After reviewing it, we concluded it’s the closest thing to a MacBook in the Chromebook world, with a strong processor and a solid, sturdy build that feels and looks premium. The convertible Chromebook also looks similar to premium Windows ThinkPads, with the same aluminum design, a red Trackpoint in the center of the keyboard, and even a tiny webcam shutter.
While there are more affordable Chromebooks with better battery life and the 16:9 screen is disappointing, the C13 does boast an excellent keyboard and a host of business-focused privacy features. Plus, it can smoothly run mobile games and all kinds of other programs, being the first Chromebook to include AMD’s Ryzen 3000 Mobile C-series processors.
Right now, you can buy the ThinkPad C13 Yoga from Lenovo with 4GB of memory and 32GB of eMMC storage for $349 instead of $599 (promo code NEWYEARC13YOGA should apply at checkout). You can also get the same configuration at Walmart and Newegg for the $349, however, Lenovo will fulfill the order in both instances. Note that his model also comes with an AMD Athlon Gold 3150C processor, which is less powerful than the Ryzen 5 3500C we tested in our review unit. Read our review.
Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook
The Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook is a convertible, premium Chromebook that targets adults and professionals, and boasts a strong processor and solid, sturdy build.
The Lenovo Flex 5 looks and feels nicer than its price may suggest.Photography by Monica Chin / The Verge
Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook
The Lenovo Flex 5 — the best Chromebook for midrange shoppers — may typically retail around $400, but it still looks and feels far more premium. It features a sleek, backlight keyboard that’s one of the better ones we’ve used on a Chromebook, along with a physical webcam shutter, front-facing speakers, and a relatively good port selection (for the price) that includes a microSD reader and a USB-C port on each side. The Flex 5’s audio quality and battery life aren’t great, however, with the latter only providing about five and half hours of runtime when we tested it.
If midrange performance is what you’re after, the lower-specced base model of the Flex 5 with an Intel Celeron 5205U processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of eMMc storage is on sale at Lenovo for $334.99 ($95 off) with promo code CHROMEDEAL. Read our review.
The last-gen version of the best Chromebook offers slightly better battery life.Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
Acer Chromebook Spin 713
The last-gen Acer Chromebook Spin 713 from 2020 was our pick for best Chromebook before the newer, 2021 model took our top spot last year. It may lack Intel’s new 11th Gen processors and support for Thunderbolt 4, but it offers better battery life than the 2021 model and still comes equipped with a spacious 3:2 touch display and enough power for handling basic, everyday tasks. It also still comes with other niceties, such as an excellent keyboard and great port selection that includes a USB-A port, two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, a microSD slot, and an HDMI port.
Although the 2021 version — which currently starts at $699 — isn’t on sale right now, Best Buy is selling the previous-gen, 2020 model with 4GB of RAM, a 64GB SSD, and an Intel 10th Gen Core i3 processor for $449.99 instead of $529. Read our review.
Acer Chromebook Spin 713 (2020)
The last-gen Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is similar to the 2021 model, however, it’s equipped with 10th Gen Intel processors and lacks support for Thunderbolt 4.
The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 comes with a comfortable keyboard.Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5
It may not be our top picks as far as Chromebooks go, but the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 comes with a comfortable keyboard attachment and a terrific, 13.3-inch OLED touchscreen. It also excels when it comes to battery life, offering between 10 and 12 hours of use between charges when used for everyday tasks such as browsing, chatting, and Zoom. The Chromebook doesn’t come with a stylus and lacks biometric authentication, however, and functions far better as a laptop than a tablet given its larger size, at least in our testing.
Still, it’s a decent convertible that’s currently on sale at Lenovo with 4GB of RAM and 256GB of eMMC storage for $399.99 ($100 off) when you use promo code DUET5DEAL1. Newegg and Walmart are also selling the same configuration for $399.99, however, like with the ThinkPad C13 Yoga, it’s sold and shipped via Lenovo. If you can do with less storage, its 64GB variant is on sale at Amazon for $349.99 ($80 off), its best price to date.Read our review.
Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (4GB/64GB)
The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 comes with a lovely 13.3-inch Full HD OLED touchscreen and long battery life, but lacks biometric authentication.
HP Chromebook x360 14a
While an older model, HP’s Chromebook x360 14a remains an affordable option with great battery life, one that’s a good fit for students in middle school. The Chromebook’s Intel Pentium Silver N5030 processor isn’t the most powerful, but it’s well-suited for web-based schoolwork, browsing, and basic activities students in this age range are typically required to do. It also shouldn’t be too hard to carry around — the 14-inch laptop weighs a little over three pounds — and comes with a decent array of ports, including a microSD card reader, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a pair of USB Type-C ports. There’s even a USB Type-A port, allowing you to use a wider range of laptop peripherals.
Normally $379.99, HP is currently selling the x360 with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage for $299.99, one of the Chromebook’s better prices to date.
HP Chromebook x360 14a
HP’s 2020 Chromebook x360 14a is an affordable option with great battery life and one of our best laptop picks for students in middle school.
