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.
The trials and tribulations just don't stop for RIAA lawsuit defendant Jammie Thomas -- or at least the trials, anyway. Ms. Thomas has officially filed her appeal to the findings of the lawsuit brought against her for illegal file sharing, citing "unconstitutionally excessive" damages. Jammie is asking that the RIAA fine her any actual damages it suffered rather than the seemingly arbitrary amount of $220,000, which she was earlier ordered to pay.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Marcia Lynn Neil said 12:13AM on 3-15-2008
Some group is demonstrating a prejudice, such as 'Let's entrap Jammie Thomas'. Decades ago, a cafe in San Francisco, CA, presented a stage show using instrument-type props that had stuff from 'around the house' such as twine and cotton string. The performers strummed and twanged but no music came forth. One of the people in the audience was named James Thomas, a nice guy trying to relax after work. The show was memorable but not recordable, and a family joke has probably been used to pin the defendent.
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FightingBackURNext said 5:03PM on 10-16-2007
I went off and surfed the internet and now, I'm back--still pissed about such ridiculous fines. A note to the RIAA. When you seek such ridiculous fines, the ONLY thing it encourages is people to start selling mixed CDs with YOUR music on it, to turn a profit, to be ABLE to AFFORD the fines. Get what I'm saying? You are encouraging a black market scenario with your actions.....anyone have Timberlake's new one? I have money...
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Susan said 6:10AM on 10-20-2007
While I believe that the RIAA have brought a lot of this on themselves by consistently over- pricing cds for far too long, I also think there are too many people in this country who have absolutely no respect for intellectual property. Perhaps they will now start to understand that music is NOT free, unless the copyright owners
decide that it should be. Musicians, like anybody else, need to earn a living and that should be respected.
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Christopher Kidwell said 4:57AM on 10-17-2007
Frankly, that is the fine that is fair. That is the selling amount of all the songs that she was convicted of 'stealing' or 'offering for download' on iTunes.
In fact, that is MORE than all those songs on iTunes, since each one is $.99.
People are simply getting tired of sharing songs being called 'copyright infringement'. For bleep's sake, we have been sharing recordings off the radio for years, we have been sharing CD's between homes for years, etc. etc. etc.
It's time to realize that the RIAA is trying to prop up a dying business model by suing their customers, and that does not work in the slightest.
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chris goodrich said 8:04PM on 1-22-2008
The RIAA is like King Canute who sat on the beach firmly believing he could turn back the tide. They were offered the opportunity to sit down with the P2P networks four years ago. They refused. Since then they have lost sales and market share and received mere pittances in legal judgements compared to the monies they have paid their legal teams. Great going guys. The tide is still coming in!
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sali said 12:34AM on 1-23-2008
I´m a musician. I am on her side though. and Us musicians were never on the side of the labels anyway. They are just very dirty businessmen. If they cared anything about art and artists, would the industry really be full of tosh like Britney Spears. They have always ripped us off. Give that mney back you thieves.
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OldSchooling said 8:28AM on 1-24-2008
No matter how you slice it the fine was EXCESSIVE
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