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 2)
Jodi said 12:17PM on 10-09-2007
Wow, now that's what I call being a bully! How does one justify 24 songs as being worth $220,000??? That doesn't make sense!
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ms. garner said 12:39PM on 10-09-2007
Get a real job to support your children!!
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Ben said 2:29PM on 10-09-2007
Good for you lady, don't back down!
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Regina Greene said 5:48PM on 10-09-2007
That's what you call making a big ole example out this person. Come on... 220K for 24 songs, thats almost 1K for each song, that seems criminal to me. If it's so illegal, how was she able to share these songs.
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Michael said 9:29PM on 10-09-2007
Ask the Ottumwa Iowa scum who they found to poison the Tylenol back in the early 80's.
Who cares who sues, gets paid. It's all scum.
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Michael said 9:28PM on 10-09-2007
Puke in the music business, pukes who buy and listen, to include legal and illegal downloads.
The whole mess are scum.
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Klaus said 11:32AM on 10-10-2007
Regina Greene... 10K Get the math right.
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Luke Alberts said 12:29PM on 10-10-2007
This lady is a loser. Granted that the punishment hardly fits the crime but she's still a thief. Her rationalizations are mostly embarassing. It is because of the actions of people like Ms. Thomas that the music industry is going out of business and why we all suffer from that. I wonder if she's taught her children that stealing is justified.
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james said 11:11AM on 10-11-2007
This is a case of bullying. There is no way this lady can be blamed for causing the music industry to lose money. The people they should be going after are all the bootleggers that sell CDs and movies and the companies (limewire is one of many) that offer freeware, once again FREEware (stressing FREE) to download music. Yeah limewire asks is you intend to use their product for infringment and if you select yes, it won't allow you to download. But with a quick page refresh you can select yes and download the software. Yes i have limewire, no i don't share any of my files, it gives me the option to share my folders or not. I still buy music from the stores if its an artist that i really like and respect their work. Other artist will get downloaded if i think their CD will be crap, why spend $10-$14 on crap?
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Luke Alberts said 4:10PM on 10-10-2007
How is downloading/bootlegging/sampling not stealing? James, your argument that it's otherwise Okay to dowload a cd because most of the songs are crap is bizarre. Is it okay to steal a loaf of white bread just because I prefer wheat?
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Nino said 5:39AM on 10-11-2007
Ay Luke, ur right...it aint okay to steal a loaf of bread...but u aint gona get hit wit a $250,000 dollar fine for stealing bread. People like you are unbelievable luke. You aint going what she's going through thats why its so easy for you to judge harshly, and I dont care what you say you aint no angel. No matter what you say, you've cheated, lied, and stole in your lifetime so relax. I live in California, and if I got caught with 20 pounds of marijuana I wouldnt have to pay half of what they want her to pay for 24 songs....now thats bizarre. Why do you care about the music industry so much neway luke? If I really wanted to I could get on limewire and find upcoming songs that havent even been released to the public yet...Where do these leaks come from smart guy?
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Matt said 7:47PM on 10-10-2007
Even if those 24 songs were gold or platinum records, they still wouldn't be worth $220,000.
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Matt said 7:41PM on 10-10-2007
If the woman bought CDSingles or a CD's or ripped CDs and shared them, the music industry has no way of detecting it. But because she downloaded the songs and shared them over the network, the music industry is able to detect it and it's a crime (at least according to them).
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Taryn said 7:45PM on 10-10-2007
Although I think that stealing is wrong, I do believe that this punishment was way to harsh! That is too much money for 24 songs. She should just pay what you would normally pay to download a song. I think that she has learned a valuable lesson. I'm not hating on her because I'm no angel myself. I do believe that she is being unfairly punished. She should'n have to pay for somebody's new car just cuz she downloaded a few songs.
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MrFixIt said 7:46PM on 10-10-2007
Hey Regina Green...Do the math. It's not almost $1K per song, it's almost $9,200 per song, and that's really outrageous
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Erwin Stoessel said 9:04PM on 10-10-2007
While downloading and sharing is illegal the music industry is picking on the wrong people.Go after the facilitators instead.It is about time the music industr offers the consumer value for their money.One can purchase a CD for $13-18 and get onlt one track worth listening to but the consumer has no remedy.In my view that is fraud but that id just my opinion.
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Kevin said 9:12PM on 10-10-2007
she SOLD each one of those 24 songs about 1000 times each. That is why the high fine. Read the stories!!!
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Chris C said 11:34PM on 10-10-2007
As A much downloaded musician who needs a second job to support the free music many enjoy,I feel it is my right as such to get free photography,free software,free design plans,free clothing designs that I do have made,and any other itelectual property created by anyone anywhere who has an original idea. Tit for tat,you my creations for free I get whatever I want including the rights to patent it if you didnt. Thanks yall! I am looking at deals now from several investors in "my inventions!
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Chris C said 11:45PM on 10-10-2007
Check this out! I can now share with you patterns of 4 major dress designers !! I HAVE the patterns and the link to the fabric supplier in downtown LA!! You girls would love some 480.00 jeams for 30.00 bucks a pair,CUSTOM MADE!! Email me for the FREE patterns and a tailoring shop near 9th and maple in downtown LA! Also 16 different dollbaby tops and where to get the fabrics way cheap. These are 165 to 350 dollar tops.15.00 each custom made 4 U!!
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Chris C said 11:56PM on 10-10-2007
Also free patterns size oo to size 20 (damm thats big!) "boyfriend cut" whatever that is,baggy i think,360.00 a pair on line, major designer including back pocket cut and stitch,dye lot# of denim,the supplier, and the patterns in most sizes,location of big sewing shop in downtown LA to make all you need to "share with your friends",Got some custom hame plans too,FREE! more later!
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