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.
_thumbnail.jpg "Vintage Keyboards")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nina Aguilar said 11:26PM on 3-11-2008
I bought one onthe first day, and can't figure out how to use it! Any suggestions as to where, or to whom, I can give it?
I am going to Argentina next month----are there any other users there?
Thanks, Nina The Woodlands, Texas, US
Reply
sunvalley said 3:16AM on 11-06-2008
cool, this is for children compurter, and i like it also.
http://www.babatek.com
Reply
lynn said 10:41PM on 1-08-2009
This is convenient for people who use pc in bed or other place where there is no desk...http://www.papatek.com/
Reply
lynn said 11:12AM on 5-30-2009
Using ebooks, can be automatically sent to everyone who has bought the textbook. http://www.ihappyshopping.com/
Reply
lynn said 11:18AM on 5-30-2009
Also, it will reduce the incredibly heavy load that students and teachers have to carry around. My doctor once weighed my bookbag to see why I had a chronic inflammation of the left shoulder, http://www.laptopspartstore.com/
Reply
bambapuang_edu_foundation said 5:06AM on 6-28-2009
We are from Education NGO, Bambapuang Education Foundation. Since established in 1996, our NGO active in giving / held IT Training for the students, youth, teachers and general community ( 3 times in a year, each 4 months) in small town Enrekang Regency, Sulawesi Selatan Province, Indonesia.
But unfortunately we just have 4 units old computer (Pentium I) while there're many enrolled participants have waiting to joint the training.
We would be very pleasure and happy if could help to donate your old or new computer for us.
We'd send our structure of organization, charter, registration, picture of activities if you may need.
Thank you very much
Bambang H.
Reply
Anne Wingate said 6:50PM on 7-24-2007
This is extremely important, as it makes electronic textbooks economically feasible. When something major happens, such as Pluto's no longer being considered a regular planet, print textbooks containing the changes may take ten years to get into print, whereas the change, using ebooks, can be automatically sent to everyone who has bought the textbook. Also, it will reduce the incredibly heavy load that students and teachers have to carry around. My doctor once weighed my bookbag to see why I had a chronic inflammation of the left shoulder, and found that it weighed 86 pounds! This can reduce costs of textbooks and increase profits at the same time. I'm all for it.
Reply
william said 6:44PM on 7-23-2007
it shouldcost less than $ 100 - using flash drives
Reply
John said 7:18PM on 7-23-2007
The headline is more than a little misleading as the $100 laptop is actually $175 according to the body of the story.
Reply
joey said 5:35PM on 7-24-2007
still could be useful to blog from or something; like on a lunchbreak or something. wouldn't you rather lose 100$ then a more expensive laptop? I would.
Reply
Joshua Fruhlinger said 8:52PM on 7-23-2007
John - it's been nicknamed "The $100 laptop" for some time now, despite the final cost. Sort of how you can buy things for $5 at the "$1 Store".
Reply
dude said 3:25AM on 7-24-2007
Thank God... now even poor children can participate in Nigerian Prince scams and sell child porn of themselves on the internet.
Reply
Teethlady said 8:28AM on 7-24-2007
Great! Now the poor children will be able to send us e-mail saying they are hungry.
Reply
Lee said 11:12AM on 7-24-2007
They won't learn anything off them, except how to do identity theif and to play games like World of Warcraft.
Reply
wayan said 11:13PM on 7-24-2007
Even better news from OLPC - they're going to have XO's for retail sales by Christmas! http://www.olpcnews.com/countries/usa/olpc_xo_sales_christmas_buy.html
Reply
kenneth said 4:29PM on 8-04-2007
Does anyone not notice that all the things like this are for children of other countries? Why not our children?
When are the rich going to promote these ideas for the country that makes them rich?
Reply
Floyd Webb said 3:16AM on 11-14-2007
All them haters out there...you don't know what will happen until the "poor kids" get them. Not every Nigerian is a 419 scamster, not every Indian is a malicious hacker.
It is an opportunity to export something other than munitions. I say give it a chance. $100 or $175, I will buy one and send it to someone I know in Tanzania.
Reply
dalrene said 1:47PM on 1-22-2008
Why not send a laptop to our children here in the USA? In a lot of our schools throughout the nation there is a lack of technology.
Reply