Traditionalists might balk, but the holiday shopping season is already underway. Skeptical? Head to your local department store and you'll be inundated by Christmas trees and ornaments. Bargain hunters, though, know that the real deals are more than a month away.
Black Friday, traditionally, is when retailers truly slash prices. Early birds can save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars off of their holiday bills. Switched.com checked with a few elves, who gave a sneak peek at what you can expect deal-wise this year.
Blu-ray Players and Movies: Blu-ray is shaping up to be the biggest door buster of this year's Black Friday. de Grandpre expects at least one retailer will offer a Blu-ray player for just $49. Look for bargains on Blu-ray films as well, with last year's hit titles (such as "Iron Man") to fall as low as $5.
Laptops: With the proliferation of Netbooks this year, it's never been easier to find affordable portable computing, but Dan de Grandpre, CEO of DealNews.com says it will get even cheaper on Black Friday. Look for well-equipped Netbooks to sell for $199 – and basic 15" laptops to go for as little as $249.
HDTVs (Pretty big): The holidays are typically the best time to buy a new TV – and Black Friday is the time to do it. If you're looking for a normal sized set, you're in luck. Piper Jaffrey analyst Mitch Kaiser says he expects to see 32-inch LCD sets for as low as $299. GottaDeal.com is estimating 37-inch plasma and LCD sets will fall to $399 or less.
HDTVs (Really big): Need something bigger? How about a 46-47 inch LCD set for $599 – a 25 percent savings? Or a 52-inch LCD for $999? Dealnews says you can expect both. Plasma deals will be a little harder to come by, but a 50-inch set should run roughly $899.
HD Camcorders: You've wanted to shoot your child's school play in HD for a while, but haven't been able to spring for the pricey camcorder. This might be the year. Low-end, flash-based 720p models could drop as low as $60 (though you won't be able to zoom with those). Expect a high quality 1080p HD camcorder for $349.
GPS: While navigation systems have dramatically expanded their reach this year – even making it onto the iPhone – there's still a market for car-based systems. Dealnews predicts you'll be able to find a no-name entry-level system for $49, while a Garmin or Tom-Tom brand will be as low as $69.
Digital Picture Frames: Showcasing your digital pictures consistently gets cheaper. This year, skip the 7-inch screens and focus on the 8- or 9-inch ones, which should be available on Black Friday for as little as $30.
Monitors: Computer monitors might not be the sexiest of gifts, but they're usually welcomed with open arms – and they'll be cheap this year. Name brand 22-inch LCD models may go for as low as $99, while 24-inch models will drop below $150.
Memory: Don't know anyone who needs a monitor? External hard drives are always popular, since they're an easy way to back-up data. Dealnews expects a 1TB drive to fall as low as $49 this year. Gottadeal is looking for 8GB flash drives to hit $15.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Catocam777 said 6:06PM on 4-07-2007
LOL nice
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Lynn said 11:30PM on 4-09-2007
Absolutely awesome!!! God, thank you - whether Christian, Muslim, or Jewish - God, thank you... Apple, this man deserves a boost. I'd say that you should give this man of honor a big heaping reward for his courage - and your free publicity. And, Mr. Garrard, I give you my own thanks for being there in Iraq so that my family doesn't have to endure more of what happened on 9/11 and in other places around the world since then. From my family to yours, I thank you.
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Alison said 2:16PM on 4-07-2007
Apple better give him a new iPod!they should offer one to every soldier in Iraq!!!! or at least a discount
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The Retaliator said 2:26PM on 4-07-2007
That was nothing short of amazing.
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Bennett said 3:55PM on 4-12-2007
You people are all forgetting that another man died here. You all focus on the man saved by the iPod, but what about the man who was killed?
Loss of human life is a horrid, terrible thing, but nobody ever grasps it unless it happens to them or someone dear to them.
Articles like this should give the life story of everybody who dies in their articles, so we can understand the human life that was taken away.
It's horrible how quickly we all dismiss human life in order to focus on entertainment and keeping ourselves happy.
Try to look at this article as if the man who was shot and died was your father. Would you be laughing at the fact that one life was spared because of an iPod? I think not.
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Preston said 4:32PM on 11-24-2008
First off, this is amazing. The fact that the man's life was saved by a music player is divine intervention undoubtedly in itself.
Second, this man was a terrorist insurgent in iraq. The man you're trying to put down was defending himself, and his country. You say that you want the insurgent's life story, l ask you, Why? Why do you care about a person who was trying to cause harm? If tomorrow a man killed 40 people, including your father, would you be nagging about how the others were killed, or how your father was? It's a natural emotion to care about family more than strangers, and for good reason. On a different note, what if the terrorist had killed the soldier? Would you be complaining about how he died? Yes. You say any bloodshed is terrible, yet you're acting as if this was a random act of violence. Stop peace preaching where it isn't necessary, and start caring more about those who protect you, not those who threaten you.
M Lem said 5:00PM on 4-12-2007
The other guy should have worn his ipod
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Travis said 5:01PM on 4-12-2007
We are not forgetting, the man that died attempted to kill a U.S. soldier, so most of us don't really care. Death is a horrible thing, but if you pick up a rifle and shoot at other people with rifles... well, you might end up dead. He probably should of thought about that before he attacked an american. If he was my father I would be sad, but my dad isn't that stupid.
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moose said 4:16PM on 5-14-2007
who said braking the rules is always bad, good for you troop. i hope apple does the right thing and good luck,
and remember don't leave base without it.
fellow soldier..............
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muslimhater said 5:29PM on 5-14-2007
Bennett is a bleeding heart liberal who should be in Iraq next to the bad guys. It's people like him that make it soooo much harder for our troops to do their job. So unless Bennett wants to something meaningful with his life, shut up and stop crying about these Godless bastards gettin killed over there.
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Jaybird 6 said 6:52PM on 5-14-2007
Bennett, We all have the freedom of speech.. yeah, the other guy was an INSURGENT, A BAD GUY. You are not Dr.Phil and this is not OPRAH, You are not going to make a Difference in anyone's Life. I am a 3-ID Dogface Soldier In Ramadi, Iraq. I Defend Your "Right" to make Ignor-anus'sly Retarded opinions such as that one.
How about you do this.. Join the military, Get sent to iraq, Get on the opposite end of a 7.62mm Ak-47 and see if the iraqi feels as "Humane" for you, as you do for them.
They will be humane.. Chop your head off with a Rusty butterknife. *Think* before you speak next time. Otherwise have a nice hot cup of Shut the F*%k Up.
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shanmac122 said 6:34PM on 5-14-2007
Not only should Apple give him a replacement IPod (simply for the free PR they're getting from this article) but they should figure out a way to save his playlists from the damaged one.
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joey said 6:36PM on 5-14-2007
I think he should be disciplined for having the i pod on him. It is a distraction. If he wants to listen to it. Listen to it in bunk. There are more important things to worry about over there.
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Geek45 said 7:00PM on 12-30-2008
umm... it kinda saved his life.
Douchebag said 6:50PM on 5-14-2007
Bennett,I Agree with jaybird 6.. You need to think before you speak.. How many people are in the miltary, How many are civilians. Less than 10% of the U.S Population is serving in the Military. 10% drive Tractor Trailers, 20% are members of Law enforcement and other emergency services. 60% are working 9-5 Deadbeat jobs. Which sums up to this simple Equation.. WHAT DO YOU DO TO MAKE THIS COUNTRY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE? The Miltary is a VOLUNTEER organization. We step up when people like you WON'T, be it cowardice, laziness or whatever. WE have Families too.. Don't try to tug on our heartstrings when a terrorist rolls up and kills your family in cold blood, for no reason other than to ferment discord and animosity toward the rest of their people. THEY DIE FOR NOTHING, THEY GET NOTHING, 90% of BOMBERS are innocent Victims that have had their families lives threatened, Not the actual Terrorist that will murder their children and wives.. There is a Method to the Madness, though the Road is bumpy and dark.. The point of the matter is, Reality Sucks Live with it.
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Metzler said 6:52PM on 5-14-2007
We al must remember that this is a war and loss of life will happen. So please suck it up tou hippies i'm hoping that you all realise that this is normal and that other wars are worse and lasted longer. Years ago it was normal for hundreds of people would die every battle/firefight. I think that less than one hundred thousand since '03 is the best war we have had in a long time for us. but no matter what remember, "He who lives by the sword dies by it."
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Martha said 7:03PM on 5-14-2007
Thank you kevin for the work you are doing. I am so happy that you survived this attack. We are so lucky in America to have such fine men and women to protect our country. God Bless You and God Bless America.
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Angel said 8:26AM on 5-15-2007
I say... if it's a bullet protector in the army, its a bullet protector in the ghetto. hahaha. I always had thought that an iPod could possibily save your life... but why did he have his iPod with him on patrol... arent u supposed to be focusing on the work lol
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bjsanj said 9:09AM on 5-15-2007
On Bennett's comment, "..other man who died?" Killing is horrible, but what if he survived & killed our soldier & many more? Good riddance.
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Ron said 1:16PM on 6-03-2007
About the comment "You people are all forgetting that another man died here". This guy did his job by getting rid of a piece of scum trying to kill him. You know the insurgent!! If it wearn't for the military he'd be on the streets of the USA trying to kill you instead. Think before putting that kind of garbage out.
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