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.
After the revelation that relative unknown Chris Pine would be taking the role of Captain Kirk in the next 'Star Trek' film, geeks everywhere revolted -- despite having never heard of the guy. But, Trekkies and Trekkers everywhere, put down your keyboards and stop it with the yelling and screaming: It looks like Shatner will indeed be making an appearance in the film. 
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mark said 11:45AM on 10-19-2007
The original series is STILL the best. Yeah, that's right: I'm OLD!
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Victoria said 12:08PM on 10-19-2007
Star Trek The Next Generation was actually better than the original. It took me 6 yrs to watch it but when I did, I fell in love wtih it. STNG allowed fans to actually get to know the characters in a way the original didn't. The technology was better and the stories more exciting. DS9 and Voyager were also great shows as well. Enterprise on the other hand, really sucked. I'd love to see movies made with the cast of DS9 or Voyager before they get too old. That is, if they aren't already.
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Fred said 3:48PM on 10-19-2007
No way was STTNG best!! There was no action, no adventure here. Deanna Troi (we called her Spiderwoman) had bad feelings. No crap!! Everyone in the universe wants you dead! Riker was a lazy lout. Worf and Data should have run them off the bridge and taken over. The rest of the shows were just as bad. You say the technology was better? What about having people do things? Yeah, it's great to say, "oh no, the Hemorigians are about to destroy us." "Wait, I just invented the anti- Hemorigian device. " "great- make it so!" End credits. BORING!!!!!
Enterprise rocks- only a close second behind original. Scott Bakula is a great actor, and T'Pol, well...........
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An Old Fan said 3:17PM on 10-26-2007
I've totally loved all the Star Trek series, and movies... but Bill.... (I also watch Boston Legal)... I just don't happen to like the "perp" you portray!....
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Anthony said 10:54PM on 12-28-2007
This is athe best move Paramount could have made. "Generations" was a fime movie, but Kirk HAD to see the new Enterprise D with a klingon as tactical officer to show him that his fear of change in ST6 was proven to be a good one for the future. Also, his death should have been on a starship bridge in battle. not on a scene shot on a delapedated mine somewhere.
I hope that Captain Pike gives a young ensign Spock a chance to pilot a starship out of spacedock. It would be a great "bridge" to ST2 when Spock gave Savok the chance to do it.
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John said 1:47PM on 10-31-2007
Bring back Enterprise!!!! It was just getting good.
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Rollando said 4:14PM on 10-31-2007
I've been a Star Trek fan since day one. My loyalty has not wavered a bit. This next novie should be an interesting one. Uhm....since Kirk is a ladies man, I wonder how many women will they cast with him in his Academy days?
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Alan Dahl said 5:13PM on 10-31-2007
You know I had my doubts about anyone else playing the original TOS crew but the folks at the excellent Star Trek New Voyages (http://www.startreknewvoyages.com) have convinced me otherwise. IMHO the whole secret is having a respect for the original, if that respect is there then it really isn't any harder than getting used to the new James Bond or Doctor Who, after a while you just accept it and enjoy the adventure. Hopefully the same will be the case with the new movie...
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Nancy said 8:31PM on 10-31-2007
Well I have been told that this story is B.S.! and I heard it from the one and only Bill Shatner's mouth. As of this date, no offer has been made at all to invite Bill to be a part of the new Star Trek production, and I find it awful that this is being published when it is in fact untrue. Someone made a big booboo. Get your facts straight.
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Leslie said 11:14PM on 10-31-2007
I also heard this past week that Shatner had not been cast, but was still hoping to hear from the producer. It would be terrible if he was not in the new movie. The man was the heart and soul of the show. Actors who can't portray their emotions in a series like this have no value, which is what makes Bill so valuable to the fans who care... Bring back Shatner!!!!!
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jeff24wins4x said 8:41AM on 11-01-2007
FINNALLY USING THEIR HEADS. PUTTING IN THE ORIGINAL KIRK (SHATNER) WAS THE BEST POSSIBLE THING TO DO!!!
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Tom said 10:25AM on 11-01-2007
What they should have done is incorporate the return of Captain Kirk, using the William Shatner books either as a storyboard or at least as the idea. These books (the first few, at least) opened many avenues, allowing for an older Spock and Kirk, plus supporting cast, to be involved with the STNG cast. I agree that the casts of the DS9 and Voyager shows should be brought into future movies, as the actors in the older shows aren't getting any younger.
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Cool L said 12:01PM on 11-01-2007
Glad to here Shatner will be in this film. Kirk and Spock's friendship is Lengendary. "Kirk brought Spock back from the grave." Need I say anymore?
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Gumby said 7:49AM on 11-16-2007
The idea of going back to TOC's academy days MIGHT be a good idea. It depends on how they do it. It might be a movie that only appleals to Star Trek fans, and not the rest of the movie goers who don't care about Kirk and Spock and how they got started. I'm a Star Trek fan, and I have ALL the DVD's of the movies and some of the series shows. So I'll see this one no matter what. But after this movie, I hope they will start a new line of movies with Riker as Captain of the Titan, (Enterprise E or even F as well?) and the DS9 and Voyager crews in there somewhere, and continue into the future from where Nemesis left off. A new series perhaps after the movie? Works for me.
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lou said 9:09AM on 11-29-2007
it's a shame this article isn't true. It's a shame generations was ever made. it's a shame that original trek ever ended. NG was okay, but the later series became simply unwatchable. Berman, Braga and Co pretty much ruined Roddenberry's universe. And called the die ahrd trek fans, names. *shaking head* Why is it the knuckle heads honchos in hollywood never actually LISTEN to the people that PAY them to make these films??? We TELL them what we want to see, and get ignored. And when the franchise fails, rather than give us what we ask for in the first place, we get a frantic, half-assed "re-imagining" of the concept; ruining the original. Hollywood; get a clue. I don't have high hopes for this mess. JJ 's Mission impossible crap-fest pretty much turned me off to him permanently.
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GARY SWEAT said 3:48AM on 12-16-2007
I HOPE THE MAIN MAN STEVE WILKE WHO PRODUCED
DS9,VOYGER,ENTERPRISE WILL BE WORKING WITH
THIS NEW MOVIE HE AND HIS BROTHER HAVE AND
SHELL ALWAYS BE MY FRIEND. GARY SWEAT USS CUTLER RETIRED.
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Barry said 8:35AM on 12-14-2007
DS9 was the best of the spinoffs. It really kicked serious ass when Avery Brooks shaved his hair off & returned to his Hawk persona from "Spenser For Hire" days.
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