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 3)
John said 10:07PM on 7-29-2007
July 27, 2007
Sick! Well, I mean, despite the comparison to the scientist Galvani, who I believe was trying to determine whether muscles conduct electricity and the way in which electrical impulses from the brain stimulate movement in limbs, I still think that this new approach repeats history and doesn't really accomplish that much these days, scientifically. (I'm probably wrong, but what a poor reason to watch a frog, in my opinion!)
Why not put a person with a computer and a webcam next to a living frog for a short period of time in the wild (so to speak) and have that human being report daily on a living frog's growth, migration habits and food consumption? That type of data, if arranged categorically by date, measurements of travel and food eaten may provide us with a prediction possibility including frog and assorted ecosystems for Planet Earth's natural and synthetic development in the future and add to the data needed for global warming predictions, too. Thank you!
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Bobby D said 12:23AM on 7-28-2007
Art!!?? If you ask me, it is more like a sick-demented wierdo with a fucked up sense of self!! What a loser some of these morons are...and they call themselves artists!! I call them con-artists!!
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John said 1:29AM on 7-28-2007
This is not art! This is some sick f**k wanting some attention. Probably an art school flunk out. Does PETA know about this? They do now!
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ltcurry said 6:21AM on 7-28-2007
The artist should shoot themself in the head, but duct tape themself to a piece of drywall or panneling first, Now thats art.
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TEHRON said 9:47AM on 7-28-2007
HMMMMM.... YES I SEE....
THE FROG IS TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING.....
BUT WHAT COULD IT BE??
AHHHHH..I CAN HEAR IT NOW...
ITS SAYING....
THIS IS BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!
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K said 10:51AM on 7-28-2007
They didn't kill the frog for the experiment, morons. Get a grip. If high school science classes all across the country are cutting up dead frogs so that kids (who most likely have no interest in biology) can see what their insides look like, I don't see what's wrong with an exhibit like this one. At least interested parties will come see it and perhaps learn something about Galvanism.
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tatooine315 said 11:05AM on 7-28-2007
Ok Sheeple go to sleep....Art is an expression of oneself..All you unartistic sheeple go to sleep and go back to your E network iside edition lives..Go TO SLEEP!
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Cayogal said 11:48AM on 7-28-2007
It just seems so disrespectful to the creature...dead or not.
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AKW said 12:55PM on 7-28-2007
First of all, this is not new. This piece has been part of the "Cyborg Manifesto" for several years. This art movement is about the obsession of perfecting the body- creating the "cyborg" to make a social comment on our cultures obsession with personal evolution. Think of it as an extreme version of a bionic arm or leg. The image is supposed to be disturbing- it is supposed to make you uncomfortable- because the artist wants you to think about our obsession with technology.
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Jose Brawn said 1:35PM on 7-28-2007
This is a very touching sculpture! Very heartwarming and upbeat! We need more artists with this level of creativity! Don't you agree?
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Artapi said 5:18PM on 7-28-2007
I think this is a great piece. I also liked Bodies In Motion. Where they have human cadavers with the flesh removed showing the musculature and organs of the human body. The World of Art is as interesting creatively, as it is sometimes, bizarre. That's why we love to look.
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korin said 10:30PM on 7-28-2007
animals weren't made to stuff computers inside of them.
what crazy person would call that art?
i dont even see how that would be considered art.
to me the only thing i consider art is paintings and sculptures,not that mordern art crap that some lunatic put together.
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Grace said 12:16AM on 7-29-2007
This is really sick..What the hell are they thinking?
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zackery Shoemaker said 2:06AM on 7-29-2007
The person who created it should be doing the twitching via website controls.
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Cyn said 3:03AM on 7-29-2007
This isn't art. This is a poor artist who is trying to draw attention to themselves, by being outrageous. After a couple of minutes in the spotlight, they will be where they deserve to be... forgotten.
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G said 10:48AM on 7-29-2007
Yes, its sick. But the "artist" looks a little retarded...
was this a special ed project?
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eric said 11:01AM on 7-29-2007
I think the intent of the artist was to get the audience to think differently about technology and what it means to be a living creature. By juxtaposing the two in a graphic manner, he forced us to examine our own feelings towards both subjects. That having been said, as a physician, taking a living creature and mutilating it's remains for art is disrespectful. Even though they COULD make this point, they should have found a more respectful way to do it.
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julie said 1:20PM on 7-29-2007
It is disrespectful. And I am for animal rights. But I really like this concept. Yes, it is art. That it is irreverent and disgusting makes it art. It forced me to think about computers and society differently. Will we eventually do this with people? Will there be armies of computerized dead fighting political enemies? The implications are fascinating, and that's the job of art.
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k said 1:40PM on 7-29-2007
korin- People weren't meant to fly, so should we all stop going in airplanes? Come on! Go visit a museum and you'll find that your definition of "art" is extremely limited and outdated by a couple hundred years.
julie- I completely agree. Good stuff.
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dr tim said 5:02PM on 7-29-2007
tHIS IS NOT ART...NOT BY MY DEFINITION. ART SHOULD BE SOME THING BEAUTIFUL, MEANINGFUL, PLEASANT....NOT JUST FOR SHOCK VALUE... TAKE THE FRIG AND YOU WANT ART, INSERT THE FRIG IN THE RECTUM OF THE ARTIST.....
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