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)
keg said 12:22AM on 3-16-2008
The effect likely cuts both ways, meaning affecting both men and women, but sperm quality is more easily measured. When was the last time we read something about "poor egg quality"? The point is that if the radiation is there, both ganders and geese are getting cooked. But the fellas have continually renewed supplies, whereas the gals have only one batch per lifetime. Rather than wait for longitudinal studies, why not drastically cut the use for posterity's sake--men, six weeks before the nuptual night, and ladies, from this very moment until past child-bearing.
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Kat said 1:17PM on 3-18-2008
To see many studies offering definitive proof about the harmfulhealth effects of cell phones, go to www.powerwatch.org.uk. There are many such sites on the web, but this is one of the best andeasiest to use. France, Germany, and England government officials have all stated that cell phones should not be used by teenagers.
Only in America are we so ignorant about the research, due to the power of the industry and their influence on the media. Please, you owe it to yourself to get the facts -- look at the studies, review the charts on industry bias in study results, read the recommendations on precautions you can take. It's about more than sperm count, folks.
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jay.heyser said 6:26AM on 6-07-2009
www.powerwatch.org.uk. doesn't exist
It's more about being honest folks
Leo said 1:10PM on 6-11-2008
I read only 9, where is 10th one?, am i going blind? or web dislexic?
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Ron said 6:59PM on 6-11-2008
actually Leo its just that radiation from so much cell phone use has burned so many brain cells the author can not count to ten
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sonofabush said 11:12PM on 11-14-2008
Short term memory! I guess!!