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.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Liz said 9:58PM on 6-26-2007
I love it. That is TOOOO great. Assholes need to be called out. Having someone do that to you is BEYOND annoying.
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jordan monclair said 12:06PM on 6-27-2007
I think all of these sites are great. I especially love the I saw your nanny website because I hate to see people getting away with mistreating children- especially when in most cases they are being paid very good money to take good care of those children!
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Oscar Canada said 8:36PM on 6-27-2007
Ok, how do we detect the MISUSE of such sites.
Example:
Ms.Prettygirl doesn't necessarily like Mr.Dont-bother-anyone Geek(for whatever reason), so she has a friend say something to him to get him talking. Then snap a photo of him "Making a pass at friend of Ms.Prettygirl", and there you have it: evidence that the geek is a pervert.
Oh yes, pretty much any man who says 'goodmorning' to any woman can be labeled a 'pervert'.
And a guy can do pretty much the same thing to some female he's not fond of, for whatever reason.
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Tom said 9:07PM on 6-27-2007
I am a middle-aged white male, and I've personally experienced being deliberately lied about, by women who I didn't want anything to do with, and even by women who I didn't even know.
So I could see them "reporting" me for being a "pervert", like if they saw me checking out a beautiful twenty-something one,and ignoring the female perverts,who are watching every move that I make.
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Steve said 9:10PM on 6-27-2007
I'd have to agree with Oscar...catcallers and whistlers are evidently perverts to oust by the above GeekSugar text...next it'll be men who hold doors open for women are just creeps that want to get into your pants. That's not to say there aren't assholes at every turn...my point is that if you go through your day with that attitude it becomes kind of a self-fulfilling prophesy of your own devices.
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Corey said 10:49AM on 6-28-2007
I think its great, but I also think it will be miss used to get some people,just talking to someone can make you look giulty of what ever they want to say you are doing. I think it should be a specific picture or pictures,caught in the act of something that is un undeniable,of something that can be proved by the pics before they can just say you were doing what ever they like, just because they don't like you or you did something they didn't agree with,or office defferences,or someone that lives on your street,and they don't like your yard,old flings,the list can go on and on, something that is not even related to the offence you are said to have done.. really, is there someone out there that might not like you that would go this far??? probably, there are a lot of nuts out there!!
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Belle Starr said 9:57PM on 6-27-2007
Both my housemate and I say the samething . What is sauce for goose is sauce for the gander . All you perverts no matter what sex best mind your manners . Big Brother is watching you .
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Valerie Cook said 1:56PM on 6-30-2007
WHAT A GREAT IDEA
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Grafik said 10:34PM on 6-27-2007
It's too easy to call a guy a perv if he makes any advance and he's not good looking enough or doesn't dress well enough or look like he has a load of cash. All of the women who are offended by such a harmless nuisance should stop and think about how bad most of the women in the world have it. Rape, murder, ritual genital mutilation, general second class citizenship..."He whistled at me!" Oh, boo hoo. Wake up and realize how good you have it here.
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robert said 10:49PM on 6-27-2007
Rosie is a BIG FAT PIG! ..........and so are Ria, Babs & Peanut.
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Eve said 11:22PM on 6-27-2007
It is all a matter of respect. Holding a door open for a woman by a man, or for anyone, is a show of good manners and respect. Cat calling, whistling, making noises of any kind when a woman walks by is disrespectful. Hey, guys, IT'S DISRESPECTFUL! I just don't think men get it. They think it is complimentary. I wonder how you would feel if a group of women, some not so good looking, shouted, "hey baby, shake that money maker", or "like some fries with that shake?" I am not so sure males would welcome that either. Personally, I think men do it for the benefit of other males, to show off that they are some sort of "stud". Very seldom have I ever seen a solitary male, make a cat call to myself or other women. They don't have the kahunas! They move in packs, much like hyenas.
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Lili said 1:16AM on 6-28-2007
I don't know about this. I like the idea of ratting out people parked in handicapped spaces or across two or more spaces, but that's a case of obvious wrongdoing. How do we know that the people pictured are really perverts and not just people that someone with a camera didn't like?
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Hans Roenau said 2:18AM on 6-28-2007
Did you mean "oust" or "out" perverts?
HollaBack NYC actually dates back to 2005, but is continually expanding into other regions such as Arkansas, Boston and Chicago. The sites are all independently run, with no real association to each other other than a common goal: to oust perverts.
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Morris said 4:16AM on 6-28-2007
What about the women "pervs" ? I have been grabbed, told how good my butt looks and been propositioned by women. I just ignored it and went on with my life. I'll bet these women really hate the Ugly Betty episode where she is whistled at and says thank you. Ask any 3 women what sexual harrasment is and you will get 3 different responses. Get over yourselves or report it, don't post it.
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Charlie said 5:34AM on 6-28-2007
Well put Steve!
I'd like to add
I believe some girls wish they had that type of attention. But then you have this type that love tell about how men hit on them. The only way to do it without sounding like they are braggin is to claim harassment.
Which do you think a good looking type B girl would say?
"I had my new jeans on and everywhere I went guys were checking me out"
OR
"I couldn't go 5 feet without some jacka$$ perv trying to have sex with me shheezzzz"
I like a girl that I can be walking with and she smiles or laughs about another man hitting on her. Shows class. I'm like Yeah, that's my girl.
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