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)
Stuart said 4:26PM on 2-15-2008
All I can Say is WOW!! This Police Officer must have had a bad day to be acting like this. Threats about having a "foot up your butt", and "not going to live for long" are WAY out of line. I'm sure that he deals with this situation all of the time, BUT this does give him the right to do what he is doing. Unfortunately, the way things are going in society stress levels are at an all-time high. I hope that the Officer gets the reprimand that he deserves and the help that he needs. I could think of other things the 14-year old could have said that would have been worse.
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Andy said 4:48PM on 2-15-2008
What an a**hole?! The sad thing about this, is when this jerk gets fired, he will end up a security guard at a mall-STILL picking on 14 year olds.
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Pete said 10:04PM on 4-12-2009
Shameful doing that to a little kid.He should be fired,slapped by the kids Mom and Trashed by the kids Dad.And then drowned. But hey,over here In London England our police kill people trying to get home and nothing to do with the G20 protest on April 1st.And our out of control police get a pat on the head for assaulting and drawing blood on kids not much older than 14years old.Police everywhere have to shape up to gain respect from tommorrows generation,or ship out.Most are useless at anything else but thuggery,persecution and intimidation.Orangoutans have more brains,TURN LEFT CLYDE!!
mike said 4:56PM on 2-15-2008
Jail or no jail, If I were that kids dad I'd bash that cops head in for throwing my 14 year old son down like he was a murder suspect trying to escape. what a big time loser little traffic cop w/nothing better to do!
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Jen said 5:06PM on 2-15-2008
I'm married to a police detective who deals exclusively with juveniles. A police officer should NEVER lose his temper the way this man did. As an adult, in a position of authority, he sets a very bad example by berating and threatening this 14 year old boy. They already know he's a police officer and there's no good for him losing his cool, hollering and belittling.
Most police officers are hard working, fair and honest men who do not abuse their position. This officers abusive attitude makes it harder good policemen.
As a mother I know I'd be very upset if it was my child he treated that way.
Hopefully he'll get suspended for a few days with no pay and be required to complete an anger management class.
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Josie said 5:20PM on 2-15-2008
Yes the cop was out of line- we all know cops can be hot heads- BUT that kid needs a kick to his butt. What a smart mouth punk. And the nerve of his Mother to go on TV and not comment on her kids rude disrepectful behavior and only condemn the cop. I won't be surprised if this punk ends up in serious trouble one day.
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pat said 5:18PM on 2-15-2008
I am sick to death of punks like this 14 year old running around like they own the world. Maybe we need a few more parents teaching their children how to behave.
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JacobJG1 said 5:25PM on 2-15-2008
How amazing! It never ceases to surprise me. Even in a CLEAR-CUT case of abuse of authority, there are posters who feel it's the kid's fault? The cop has the BADGE AND THE GUN. That means that he or she has to err on the side of caution when it comes to exercising that authority. How can Josie feel that this one even 1% the kid's fault? How on Earth can she justify the cop assaulting the kid the way he did? Why don't we just burn the Constitution while we're at it?
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chaddy said 6:01PM on 2-15-2008
Apparently someone failed to teach this old dude self respect. Not only is he disrespecting himself at this point but the the "badge" he is wearing. Does he know that he is the ID-10-T personality here. He is a disgusting bloat. We are all very lucky there was a camera available. He is not only a nut case but a definite danger to the public. Hooray the the person behind the camera!
As for the kid that was abused and his parents, may God bless you.
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DANIEL said 6:06PM on 2-15-2008
All i know isf that 14 yo had pushed that stupid police officer the way he did he would be going to jail. Now what do u expect from a 14 yo. that is the way they talk to each other. the police officer should be lockeup for assaulting a minor. i had the same thing happen to me when i was his age. i didnt stand for it though, i told him off. t kid was not even mouthing off to the officer. as for josie and pat. YOU BOTH ARE STUPID PEOPLE. what if that was your child and an adult, weather it be a cop or school official pushed them on the ground. you would b pissed. it doesnt matter who it is, an adult should not do that to a child. cops are way out of line and this is way they get no respect.
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lolabull said 6:10PM on 2-15-2008
I swear to all that's Holy, I want to drive to Baltimore, Maryland and jam my boot so far up this cops ass that he would vomit fucking shoe leather for days! I'm sorry, but this kind of crap should never, ever be tolerated! This man is seriously lucky that I don't reside nearby because I would beat him up and down the sidewalk with a metal bat until he cried like a little girl. He needs a serious attitude adjustment, and I would LOVE to be the adjuster. My God, what an asshole!!!!!
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j² said 6:36PM on 2-15-2008
Dude, didn't know being a fatherless 14 year old with an attitude was a crime.
Rivieri needs to learn some basic slang if he wants patrol the streets. I strongly believe Rivieri getting suspended with pay was a small price to pay. Its not enough for you to learn a lesson. I am afraid of what he would do if he confronted a kid actually breaking the law. He would probably shoot the kid as soon as the kid says, "You got pwned, noob!"
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SHUFF said 7:03PM on 2-15-2008
the kid was wrong. disrespectful - mom is and idiot and her kid will be trash - just like you and yours
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SHUFF said 7:03PM on 2-15-2008
my kid would have to answer to me if i saw him or her disrespecting the cop like he did - do you know what respect is? he knew he shouldn't be there in the first place
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Matt said 4:48AM on 2-16-2008
The kid might be disrespectful, but you have a certain standard to adhere to when you wear the badge of a baltimore police officer. Being disrespectful isnt ideal, but neither is slamming a 14 year old to the ground for no other reason.
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Dan said 1:50PM on 2-16-2008
Oh man, the cops in Canada are so much nicer.
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Seymour Hicks said 7:20PM on 3-01-2008
There is a second video now of Salvatore Rivieri pitching another fit like a spoiled child. His comments about Erics father not "putting a foot in his butt" make me wonder what Salvatore Rivieri's father and maybe a perverted uncle or two may have stuck in his butt as a child for him to be so obviously maladjusted. Paid vacation is a gift to this reject, he should be prosecuted for assault on a minor. As for Salvatore Rivieri's "respect" issues, if I ever meet Salvatore Rivieri he will learn how much respect I have for fat slobs that bully scrawny 14 year old diabetic kids while hiding behind a badge, I can only hope someone records that and posts it to YouTube.
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David Irving said 11:20PM on 2-16-2008
All the info you need: http://tinyurl.com/2ltbn5
New Charges Surface for Cop:
http://tinyurl.com/3ajrez
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Leo said 11:46AM on 2-17-2008
frankly i find it shocking that this article reffers to the officer as a casualty.
video evidence of police brutality and borderline child abuse being released to the public domain in no way makes a victim of this police officer.
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D Weeks said 9:47PM on 2-17-2008
No way is this officer a casualty. It appears to me as assault or police brutality. Think of this. If a good police officer came by and witnessed a civilian man treating a young boy this way, he would have arrested the man. Probably even if it was the child's father. What's the difference here? Mistreatment is mistreatment! Inappropriate behavior is inappropriate behavior! Abuse is abuse!
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