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.
Those text-message based competitions -- the ones that charge you a buck or so for a chance at winning something or another -- may be on the verge of extinction. The text message-based "interactive" games offered by TV shows 'The Apprentice,' 'Deal or No Deal,' and 'One vs. 100' are the source of a class action lawsuit filed in Los Angeles.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
macbwn said 4:18PM on 3-05-2008
WAKE UP AMERICA> THE CELL PHONE COMPANYS ARE BEHINF THIS> WAKE UP> IT'S ALL ABOUT THE $$$$$$$$$$$$$
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tammyd444 said 7:05PM on 3-06-2008
gamblings just that gambling. in any form including lottery.
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cobra said 8:28PM on 3-06-2008
i agree with TJ don't we have more important matters then the lottery?! i mean the lottery is the lottery it is there hardearned money as TJ said. why we wasting aretime worring about how OTHER people waste THEIR money. the goverment should be worring about geting are troops out of Iraq not how people waste THEIR monney!
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Wendy2930 said 12:07AM on 3-07-2008
No one is forcing people to enter these "text" contests. People are participating at their own free will. They are informed in advance that it's for a CHANCE to win and that each message costs $.99 (or whatever they charge) and standard text messaging rates. In my opinion, this lawsuit is the result of someone's temper tantrum because they didn't win
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Jason said 2:37AM on 3-07-2008
Its a game, but one that you'll never win. "Deal or No Deal" has you pick a case then text your guess as to which case # is the winner. Since there is no skill involved, its purely a game of chance. Now if even if you "win" you still have to be randomly chosen out of the thousands of others who also chose the correct case. Its a scam. Almost as bad as the 700 Club.
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tina said 2:43AM on 3-07-2008
sounds to me like the state lotteries dont want tv shows doing these contests because it is taking away from the money those texters could have spent on a lotto ticket. can we say spite?
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Pamela Fusco said 9:54AM on 3-08-2008
In SC it is considered an illegal form of gambling to pay to text message to vote in the TV contests and it's set up so you can't do it. If one reads the NBC rules for entering contests such as Deal or No Deal, you can enter online FREE of charge. That is legal in SC. Why pay to text message when you can do the same thing online for free?
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Jim said 1:07PM on 3-08-2008
The difference between these games and the State Lottery is that the State legislature has passed a law making the Lottery legal.
Really simple.
That is much like asking "What's the difference between someone without a drivers license, and someone with one, driving?
Want to debate the merits of having passed that law?
Well, that discussion has already taken place in the legislature.
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Robert said 5:17PM on 6-26-2007
First off the difference is Lotteries are legal and other forms of gambling are not.
The money not used for prizes are used for education.
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Lenny Dowhie said 6:19PM on 6-26-2007
Lotteries may indeed be legal, however, rare is the state that has used the "income" from lotteries for their original purposes. Here in Indiana, it goes to the general fund-which means education is only one of many competing needs and has no inherent claim, which annoys many people. As to the "phone lotteries" on tv--if a person wants to spend their money that way-I say let them. The government needs not regulate EVERYTHING!!! Nef
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Robert2 said 6:25PM on 6-26-2007
Actually, very little of the money taken in goes for education. The huge profits mostly go into the pockets of the original people who promoted the lotteries, the manufacturers of the systems. Check it out yourself. Ask your state lottery how many tickets are sold, what the actual payout is and how much was spent on "expenses" for tickets, advertising, etc. Why do you think these crooks push for lotteries and why do you think it's illegal in almost every country in the world? It's an overall loss for society, a fact that is known almost everywhere in the world.
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Scott said 6:52PM on 6-26-2007
All of those "text-n-win" deals are scams. I mean really...do the math. A hit show like Deal or No Deal has millions of people watching. Then, they offer you a chance to win "$10,000!!!" via texting in an answer or guess, at about $1 a pop. Just for fun, let's say 3 million people play. They (The Network & those who set it all up) rack up $3,000,000 in fees & charges, while only paying out $10,000...what a great deal!!! (for them). Only idiots play those kinds of games.
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larry said 8:02PM on 6-26-2007
hey Robert... Are you really that stupid?
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TJ said 8:06PM on 6-26-2007
Good Grief! The Lotto is the Lotto..who cares where the money goes? Think about that one! If a person wants to spend THEIR hard-earned money on a"more-often-than-not" worthless piece of paper...it's their CHOICE. The point being....it's a free country and so far, I haven't heard or read anything about anyone being made to participate in either of these events against their will.
Don't we have more important issues to worry about like DRUGS...HEALTH CARE...EDUCATION...etc?
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William said 8:14PM on 6-26-2007
The Game Show NetWork (GSN) Has the first show I ever viewed with call in partisipation called Playmania and every time I called they said I was not selected but "try again Later" and I was charged everytime. Well I found the way to get selected you have to call ten times before you were selected but then they put you on hold and it looked like I made it but noooo! They came back and said "Try again another day" It seems that you can't call more than ten times from one phone # or mobile #. I finnally gave up on this show and all other call in shows. I've been taken for quite a bit of money. Playmania I think is now called Quiznation. I hope they go after them also. Let me know of any class action suit because, I have all my phone bills to prove my losses. Pretty girls as in(HOSTES)don't mean you will win anything.
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Kevin said 8:44PM on 6-26-2007
It's different from state run lotteries because state run lotteries donate a large portion of the lottery money to the Parks and Recreation Department -- which keeps PUBLIC LAND (Land which you are allowed to take part) running and operational.
That's the difference. You DO receive a benefit from your state's lottery.
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Melinda said 8:36AM on 6-27-2007
Lotteries, whether they are phone contests or state run, are nothing more than a tax on people who can't do math! Lotteries keep poor people poor. Every single weekend I see people handing over hundred dollar bills in exchange for those worthless pieces of paper, gambling is the same thing. Perhpas if they kept that money in their own pocket, some could better afford to pay for their own healthcare or medications! You should never, ever gamble or play any lottery with money you could not afford to just throw in the trash!
TJ, it is very easy to say that people should be able to spend their money on lotteries if they want, no one is forcing them to do so after all. But someone IS forcing me to throw my money away when they tax me in order to pay for services for those who throw their money away on lotteries!
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tracey mac said 9:52AM on 6-27-2007
We have gotten way off subject here...the subject was NOT "is it morally correct for people to play the lotto?" The subject was "the rules surrounging lotteries vs gambling vs contest." And yes, the current text messaging for the game shows is a clear violation of the lottery laws. Period. I can't believe no one figuered this out sooner...
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Bigggewyat said 4:37PM on 6-27-2007
I saw through this the first time I saw it. It is such a scam. They should start the whole thing off by saying, "Hey stupid,........ yeah you ....send me some money. NOW"
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