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 1)
Saad Husain said 3:42PM on 2-24-2008
There is no "War on Terror." There is a war on the middle class and war on freedom which tends to disrupt the status quo. The terrorist are just tools to scare and cause fear in order for the estalishment to increase their power.
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James Roeder said 9:42PM on 12-31-2007
Tyranny comes in many disguises, monarchy & socialism, or any group where leadership doesn't realize the less 'control' they have, the more justice. liberty & freedom for ALL. As all humans are natural born-tyrants, only those who are 'awake' can safely lead w/o tyranny. To bad the leaders of even America don't understand this, obviously the Saudi 'leadership' is ignorant. As Gandhi said, in the end murders and tyrants and their empires are eventually over thrown, and the truth and love of just government takes over. Unfortunately. as the world technologically gets smaller, it'll take longer and longer to overthrow the dam tyrants.
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Riya said 7:43PM on 1-01-2008
Forward this to Amnesty International.
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taylor said 9:18PM on 1-01-2008
Dude - we're oppressed here in the USA; tapping our phones, bugging Google to turn over search trails on random US citizens? All to "fight terror" - which is undefined in terms of length (will it end? it could for centuries!). It is in vouge in the US media to attack the Saudis so we can feel better that things in the US are okay. It is a false security. The rights of US citizens in terms of privacy and free speach are under attack. We need to stop caring about how bad things are elsewhere and see what we can do to improve things in the US.
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TAYLOR said 9:19PM on 1-01-2008
Riya says:Forward this to Amnesty International.
01/01/08 7:43 PM
RIYA - THE US GOVERNMENT HAS DISAPPEARED HUNDREDS OF US MUSLIMS AS TERROR SUSPECTS AND TAKES THEM TO OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE WE [THE US] HAVE OUTPOSTS AND TORUTRES THEM! THEIR FAMILIES OFTEN NEVER LEARN WHERE THE ISLAMIC US RESIDENT OR CITIZEN IS BEING HELD! WHY DONT YOU FORWARD THIS TO AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND TAKE YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR DUMB BEHIND!
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Paul said 11:47AM on 1-02-2008
Taylor, you have no freaking clue what it is to be oppressed. Have you had a family member taken in the night and never heard from them again? Have you worn chains? Have you had your property confiscated because of your religion? Have you and your family been uprooted, transported across country then deposited with only the clothes on your back behind a barbed wire fence? Have you been forced to renounce your beliefs at the end of a gun barrel? You have no clue about what real oppression is or what having, or not having, a right really is. Otherwise, jackboots would be kicking in your door as soon as you make your asinine comment from the comfort of your recliner and your words would never have been read. So wipe your runny nose and appreciate what you have and where you live, because what you have, what you own, what you achieve and where you live is the envy of thousands of millions of people worldwide.
"Most people want security in this world, not liberty." ~H.L. Mencken
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royroberts said 10:16AM on 1-04-2008
i sojourned in riyadh city for three straight years. i believe it is high time for the country to allow free speech.
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ron said 6:40AM on 1-08-2008
Saudi Arabia is the most dangerous country in the world, in the sense that not only does it oppress its own people but encourages countries like Iran and Pakistan to do the same. I don't have to mention the fact that these two countries benefit the most from Saudi oil money.... the same countries involved in Islamic terrorism in one way or the other.
The US govt might have 'disappeared' crazy muslims who have been a major threat to humanity, and my view is that all nations must do the same to stop this evil from spreading.
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