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.
It's one thing to make (tasteless) jokes about exploding cell phones being the ultimate cause of human extinction, but when a robotic device seemingly goes out of its way to kill its operators, then something may be up. It seems a bug or glitch caused a robotic anti-aircraft gun In South Africa to flip out and kill nine soldiers (and injure a further 14).
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Reader Comments (Page 3 of 7)
XN Iraki said 1:10PM on 10-19-2007
It seems all the movies we watch on machines rebelling are real? So did the real sodiers fire back?
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MEL said 1:14PM on 10-19-2007
"BUILT BY THE BLACK MAJORITY "MENTAL GIANTS"!
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FangKamachi said 1:27PM on 10-19-2007
When this is on the news (fox news, cnn, msnbc, ect.) I will then react accordingly.
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J Lea said 1:32PM on 10-19-2007
Everyone just stood there amazed as the gun went on its wild rampage. Except for one man, that is, who was heard to say, "Looks like it's back to the drawing boar......"
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NDB said 1:35PM on 10-19-2007
I'm with Don on this one...
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fred the head said 1:39PM on 10-19-2007
an incident happen like this back in the
late 50 or early 60. a b-52 rear guns malfunciton while it was setting on the run way and the radar tracking guns targeted a jeep with people in it, when it drove into range the guns dumped
a thousnds of round into the jeep and the people
rideing in it...
their was an investigation that the system had
been left on. the results were never published,
it was preaty much hushed up... fact.
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Kip said 1:42PM on 10-19-2007
I wonder when one of these auto cannons will "flip out" and take down a passenger plane.
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Jason said 1:49PM on 10-19-2007
See the robots are starting to take over the world, its just like terminator come to life. Im going to join the war to destroy all machines.
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drac said 1:59PM on 10-19-2007
scripted' AI (that is, a system based on pre-determined actions and scripts rather than a 'heuristic' system, i.e. one which intelligently responds to player actions and attempts to forecast future player actions by recording a log of previous ones in a bid to nullify them thus giving itself a tactical advantage
by implementing a success/failure delta system, where a computer keeps a record of instances where previous scripts were or were not successfully executed to completion, thus influencing the likelihood of them being used again
If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner.- Omar N. Bradley
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"G" said 1:59PM on 10-19-2007
THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOME KIND OF DOOMS DAY DEVICE. AND WHOEVER BUILT IT,I'LL BET THEY USED YOUR TAX DOLLARS TO DESIGN AND PRODUCE THE DAMNED THING ,GENIUS. TYPICALLY, ALL YOUR DR. FRANKENSTINE TYPES TEND TO COME FROM THE ARIAN GENE POOL.
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AvianWondersTLC said 2:08PM on 10-19-2007
I hate to rain on everyone's parade.....but it DID happen.....http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/10/robot-cannon-ki.html
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michael said 7:03PM on 1-30-2008
I wonder if I can get one those mounted on my car?
No more traffic jams for me!!
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Robert Jase said 3:27PM on 10-19-2007
Another successful Dalek plan!
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Mr. WilliamJRountry said 2:31PM on 10-19-2007
SURE: THAT CAN HAPPEN, MANY OF THE STORIES AND INFORMATION ON THIS NEED'S TOO BE CHECKED.
THE NAVY'S {PHLANIX'S} GUN: ALSO SPENT A WHOLE LOT OF TIME TRYING TOO FIX IT: AUTOMATED TARGETING SYSTEMS!. BELIEVED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, BETWEEN WHAT WOULD BECOME "{STATE OF THE ART}" AND EARLIER, OPERATIONAL RADAR SYSTEMS?.
WHICH AT THAT TIME{ me thinks} WAS DISCREET?. MIGHT BE WRONG , AS TO WHAT THEY HAD CALLED IT AT THAT TIME?.
GOOD FOR THEM IF THEY ARE STEALING AMERICAN MILITARY INFORMATION, IT [is] ONLY THERE TOO MAKE SOME DEAD!.
BY AND BY: MINE WORKED EXCEPTIONALLY!: IF I MUST STATE AS SUCH![wjr] 19Oct. FRIDAY 2007.{ automated targeting system- still think it works to this date?}
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Kat said 2:42PM on 10-19-2007
Quick, call Jesse & Al. It sound like a HATE crime to me. Even the Robots get it.
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PAHairston said 3:00PM on 10-19-2007
You people who have to bring up race in any situation are really f***** pathetic and ignorant! What the hell does this tragedy have to do with the color of ones skin? But you know what? When our REAL enemies drop that good ole nuclear bomb on this great country, the color of ones skin won't matter 'cause we won't have any. Peace.
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SWEETPEPPA03 said 2:47PM on 10-19-2007
L
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Ryan said 2:55PM on 10-19-2007
the simple truth about this is that our army is inexperienced...these werent marines...they were typical freaking idiots...the one person who tried to stop it was bs, it was a female and i highly doubt she did anything, considering it hit EVERYONE except her. these day you will find that even unqualified people are in the S.A army...i know what im talking about considering i live in S.A
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Alan W said 10:22AM on 10-21-2007
Number 5 is alive.......
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Dean said 2:57PM on 10-19-2007
Reminds me of ED-209...
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