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)
Becky said 11:33PM on 11-02-2007
I'm 57, a school psychologist with graduate degrees. I haven't played a video game since "Pong". While simplistic, I did not find the video patronizing due to my total lack of experience with video games. I know that one of AARP's goals is to help the generation that didn't grow up with such technology become more familiar and comfortable with it. This video would serve such a purpose.
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Ed F said 5:05AM on 11-03-2007
I, too, am 57 with 2 graduate degrees including one in spychology, but I thought the video clip silly if not degrading. I've been playing games since Tetris and now on to Wii and thought the clip useless, even insulting. Plus, since when do we hook up CD players to our TV? Did she mean DVD players? That instilled a lot of confidence in the quality of the presentation. Like the author of the article, there could have been so much more even in that short time frame. But, wait, that might have involved more buttons.
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Jennifer said 8:00PM on 11-03-2007
There are a lot of people under 50 who don't know how to play video games either. Sometimes, all it takes is few minutes to get the hang of a
game - I tried some FREE GAMES online and had a lot of fun. http://thedisneychannels.blogspot.com/
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Cecelia Antoinette said 2:29AM on 11-04-2007
I want the video! I want the games! I am an AARP member, how do I get them? How do I get on the survey team? xox C.
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sandy said 2:20PM on 11-05-2007
I don't know how to play video games. I don't
have an interest in playing video games. Even
tho I'm 61, i don't consider myself elderly. I
use all the new tech stuff. AARP gets on my
nerves sometimes and that's why i don't belong
to this group. Who do they consider elderly?
Does "elderly" equate w/"stupid"? I don't think
so. Quit patronizing elder adults AARP
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Bonnie said 2:32PM on 11-05-2007
I'm 54 and I've been playing video games since the very first "ping-pong" game came out for the Nintendo. I now take on my grown kids in RPG games and routinely beat the socks off them. They come to ME for advice. My eight-three year old aunt plays Sponge-Bob with her great-grandchildren--and plays Civilization on her computer in the evenings. Yeah, I think the AARP video was simplistic at the very least.
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Elizabeth Wolf said 2:36PM on 11-05-2007
I am 63 years old, a Registered Nurse working in a trauma center's emergency department, with a BS in Nursing. Not only is this video insulting (I can't believe the younger of the women actually thinks sponge bob is a fun game), but makes seniors look stupid when the older woman talks about hooking up a "CD Player" to the TV. Presumably she means DVD... don't they proof these things?
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Dee Lightner said 2:47PM on 11-05-2007
This is a great idea. I think it would be even better if AARP could link up with some middle-elementary schools and find kids who are willing to make some money teaching older citizens how to use their computers!Aout two weeks ago I ran into an older guy at STAPLES, who had bought a computer. Then he bought a tutorial to help him run the computer, but it did not really help much. I advised him to call his grandchildren, or hook up with some neighbor kid. The elementary/middle school kids are missing a great source of income by not forming a tutorial corps to teach older citizens, and older citizens are wasting their time and money on videos and tutorials! NOTHING can help you like some little kid who will teach you, hands on!
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billiek156 said 2:47PM on 11-05-2007
I'm a month short of being 65.
I've been playing video games since the Nintendo 8-bit system.
I know several other senior gamers, and NONE of us are stupid!
"The box" indeed! WHICH box, Wii, PS2, PS3, XBox360, some older system, or what?
And how about showing how to connect it to the TV and put in and remove game disks?
Jeeze, AARP, get a clue...
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LEE BRIGHT said 3:14PM on 11-05-2007
AARP's primary goal is to make tons of money -- helping seniors is the smokescreen it puts up to lure the aging into dumping funds into its programs. Anything to dupe seniors out of their dollars, frequently earned "way back when" a dollar was a dollar. Video games may appeal to some, but to others an hour listening to Beethoven or Tchaikovsky is better spent.
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Curt said 2:51PM on 11-05-2007
I am 17 years old, and as you might imagine I find this all pretty interesting. "Most games only use one or two buttons". That one was just hilarious. There is a generation gap, but there's no shame in showing interest in sometime like video games. I don't know of anyone elderly who would show such an interest. In fact, my own grandmother does not know how to use her VCR. But that isn't to say anyone doesn't have the right to learn. I'm waiting for the day that they have senior discounts on Halo.
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a1848 said 2:53PM on 11-05-2007
I think it all depends on where you sit. My father is 74 with early onset dementia and he would have a hard time following this video. So quit being defensive and critical and understand that there are others out there who aren't as fortunate as you to have the wherewithall to master something that may be insurmountable for some.
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SW said 2:58PM on 11-05-2007
The video could be improved vastly. I've been playing video games since I was old enough tho know what I was attempting, but the video confused me. If my grandmother were to watch the video, she would be more confused, and less likely to want to play any games.
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Lori said 2:59PM on 11-05-2007
Check out a new online shopping mall, where you MAKE MONEY while shopping! No fees, no catches!!
Check it out now!
http://www.mypowermall.net/cgi-bin/pd/pd.cgi?showmpmcard=11942878260.632781982421875.card
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Kurt Pilker said 4:24PM on 11-05-2007
I sold video games and video consoles for 4 months. It supprised me how many people have never saw a video game or knew what it was. It was not just the elderly. I have had people in there 30's ask me about them.
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Barb said 3:00PM on 11-05-2007
Im 72 and play on the computer all the time, I do have the old super Nintendo and love it even though you cant get games for it any longer I do find some in Pawn Shops. Most of the time I play on POGO on the computer. For any of you that are interested it is www.pogo.com and they have everything from the new games to Chess, Checkers, Harts and anything else you want t play including all kinds of Solitaire. You can play many games for free or if you want to become a member it's $5.99 a month and well worth it. Look into it, I think you will enjoy it.
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dana said 4:15PM on 11-10-2007
Okay, I'm 14 and I dont play video games, but this video is really insulting. They talk with that quirky attitude and the way they explain that gamecube- "this is a box"- is just really degrading. Elderly people(in general) might not understand video games, but that doesn't mean they're stupid. Learn to explain properly AARP, and get better actresses.
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Bob said 3:17PM on 11-05-2007
While I'm not familiar with the video, but I'd like to comment that it's AARP, itself, that became insulting to senior citizens by evolving into an endorser of commercial products. Furthermore, having put its heavyweight support behind Medicare Part D, AARP did a greater disservice to the elderly than arthritis, itself! I relinquished my membership for that reason.
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Bob said 3:30PM on 11-05-2007
Bob says - I'm 94 and don't have the time to fool around with games! Writing and email keeps a person busy. But do wish I could still bowl, play tennis, go golfing, do some more fencing, play more pool, shoot the old 30-30 and pistol more, and wish the old bow wasn't so damned hard to pull back! CW at 40 wpm is getting hard to handle, but 35 is still a cinch. Have trouble putting up antennas tho. Can still drive the old tractor.
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Earl said 3:17PM on 11-05-2007
AARP is a joke, its just a business , not a big help to anyone. its there to make money not help older people.
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