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.
For lefties, the tech world can be tough. Catholics, for example, think you've got the devil in you. Older folks might remember being forced to switch writing hands in school. The Inuits would have thought you were a sorcerer. Even the English word 'sinister' is Latin for left.
_thumbnail.jpg "Vintage Keyboards")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
estella2977 said 6:04PM on 8-13-2007
Okay, honestly, a left-handed cell phone? Some of this stuff is just stupid. Now, I do prefer left-handed scissors and things that aid in activities which require a degree of manual-dexterity, but it's not my eyes that have a problem operating in a primarily right-hand oriented world, it's my actual hand strength and precision, so reversing the orientation of the keys on a keypad only serves to confuse me. I don't read backwards for goodness sake! I must say, though, I do like left-handed pens and pencils...
Reply
themacmog said 9:26PM on 8-13-2007
Catholics don't think lefties have the devil in them. Where did you ever get that stupid idea?
I've been happily married to a lefty for years and none of my fellow Catholics (or anyone else) has ever suggested that. I have a distant cousin who is a Jesuit priest, and he's left-handed.
Reply
Shannon Forbes said 11:33PM on 8-13-2007
There was a Simpsons episode where Flanders starts a shop a the mall carrying only left-handed stuff. I forget what all he had, but there were enought things to fill the shop. I was amazed. You'd have to live in a really big city to support a shop like that. I am from Wyoming. Some people have to go 100 miles to even get to a mall. Peace. Annonshay
Reply
Fran Miller said 11:39PM on 8-13-2007
To whom it may concern: Yes, at one time Catholics considered left handed people as children of the devil. I know, because I was one of those "spawn of the devil." Now at age 74, I wonder what happened to the Catholic Church I once knew. We had to go through sheer Hades to marry a non Catholic; were forbidden to read the Bible; had to go to confession every week; couldn't wear spaghetti strap dresses to church; had to wear a hat or a veil on our head, and on and on and on. So, Mrs. macwog, rethink your thinking. It's about time some technology was invented to improve the lot of we maligned lefties.
Reply
Michele said 12:43AM on 8-14-2007
and in French, a droit (think adroit) means "to the right" while "gauche" (and no one wants to be gauche!) is left! Just remember...the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, and the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body...therefore...only left handed people are in their right mind!
Reply