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.
_thumbnail.jpg "Vintage Keyboards")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
urs said 8:37PM on 3-14-2008
yuck.... not really looking at the picture but anything britney is just.... YUCK!!!!!
sorry
Reply
lisa said 8:36PM on 3-14-2008
I think Britney Spears is still a very beautiful person, what wrinkles OMG! I think you need to comment on postive things regarding high profile Stars & Entertainers. They are only human! Besides have you looked in the mirror lately? Beauty does not last forever and no one is perfect.
Reply
Nastygash said 8:48PM on 3-14-2008
Brittany is one of those one nighter girls. Mothing can make that face look good for long. But some heavy makeup and a couple brews would be like a free night downtown.
I'd give her a courtesy donation maybe a couple times but she's not that attractive.
Reply
toots said 8:42PM on 3-14-2008
I think Brittany looks great and majority of u r jealous of her she hasn't did anything that some of have't done or did or wishes they could atleast she was married when she had her kids and popping out babies unmarried so u tell me whos the ho
Reply
k said 9:26PM on 3-14-2008
ROFL yea being married for like a day really counts as not being a hoe. Grow up toots, Britney is a disgusting, pathetic excuse for a human being and doesn't deserve being called a mother. Any good mother wouldn't run around partying all over town, behing with different guys all the time trying to get attention from the media. And honey, trust me, I am not jealous of the chub that hangs over her nasty little outfits. She's washed up and needs rehab, not people sticking up for her immature attitude. And please, go back to school and take an English class, you sound like a five year old.
Reply
kkat said 9:42PM on 3-14-2008
Wait, "wrinkles" make her look 34 instead of 24? Honey, if you have actual "wrinkles" at 34, you must be doing some hard living, or have vary, very unfortunate genetics. Fine lines, sure, but not wrinkles.
Reply
Steve said 9:49PM on 3-14-2008
Britney is just sooooooooooooooo beautiful, despite all her goings on in the last 2 years.
I think she is one hot momma. I think the people who trash her should look at their own lives, no one is a saint. We all have our own seta of problems, and thing we are not proud of.
Gooooooooooooooo brit
Reply
Sonny389 said 11:44PM on 3-14-2008
SHE LOOKED FIRE BACK THEN ,I hope shes gets back there, being druged held captive ,thought she was going crazy ,they made an old movie called light house ,look it up ,that is what happend to Brit the people closer to her who she thought,where there to help f__ck her over the worst,it had to take a toll,she is lucky it was caught,because greedy scumm don't stop until there caught ,there always the smartest person in the world ego's get them sooner or later,the courts did dont give this girl nothing but bullshit,she was never once caught with illegal street drugs in her system not once, from bulshit rehab that took her money and name,but never took bloodwork, what were they treating her for,THE COURTS, A JUDGE WITH A BRAIN,should have, had a hair plucked and had test done on it,IF HOLLYWOOD OR COUNTY IS TAKING YOUR RIGHTS TO YOUR CHILDREN,they should have done that,if county did'nt have means to pay, I AM SURE SHE WOULD OF HAD THE CASH,this would of saved this girl,or women so much pain,and wear and tear on her health,but there is no brain out there,everything is publicity and $ here NYC,NJ any good company job that is thinking of giving you a job ,they do that cause your an invstment,and that test would have shown ,what day ,hr ,and how much insomnia pills were giving to her and if the drug was in her system on one of those stretcher removal's,please excucuse any mistakes in grammar or type, some out patient surgery today
Reply
Kim said 10:32PM on 3-14-2008
Haha, I see the wrinkles!
Reply
Robert said 10:18PM on 3-14-2008
Its too bad that Britney is so emotionally Jack up and that is UGLY :(
Reply
KMV said 10:29PM on 3-14-2008
Is it that she is cute or rich that pisses you off? HDTV - who gives a crap how you put a picture of a celeb anywhere - the media and the jealous will always pick them apart - why? Because they are less than perfect? Or because they just love the drama of it. Who cares if Brit or Cam have a zit or bags under their eyes - holy hanna - who forgot they were humans? They never said 'I am perfect' nor did they say 'judge me you self righteous pricks' -
They are just doing the job they chose like you and I -
You weren't put on this earth to judge them or anyone else unless you have a clean closet yourself.
Reply
Opinionated said 10:30PM on 3-14-2008
Britney is a lot of things. She's immature, irresponisble, and isn't always the best person. I think this should sound pretty stupid compared to the rest of her problems. If what the media is worrying about is if her skin looks bad on HD TV, maybe they should focus on whether she's going to die of some drug overdose or not. Grow up. It's skin. This is definitly not an excuse for how she's acted in her life. But criticizing her skin will get us nowhere.
Reply
John Malin said 10:37PM on 3-14-2008
If the writer is some Greek god or goddess, let's see their picture. What a load of crap!
Reply
Deidre said 12:18AM on 3-15-2008
I wish everybody would leave Britney alone
Reply
glenn said 10:48PM on 3-14-2008
She looked bad in analog.
Reply
broken wing said 10:57PM on 3-14-2008
Where is the HDTV pic example of this Swann person?
Reply
Marilee said 11:19PM on 3-14-2008
I think that Britney was absolutely adorable when she was younger. Mom and apple pie clean. For years now though she always looks like she needs a shower and shampoo. Her clothes look seedy also. She still has a prettyness about her if she would just clean up herself and her act.
Reply
Whitnee said 11:27PM on 3-14-2008
She looks normal. She has on a little too much makeup but she has to, she's on stage. The people in the back need to see how pretty she looks. Dan must've been having a bad day. He's dissing everyone. No one looks flattering with cameras that close in their face.
Reply
Bob said 11:22PM on 3-14-2008
Excuse ME but, the last time I checked celebrities were appreciated for their "Music" "Acting" or otherwise, why all the concern about a wrinkle or Not. This is someones idea of something to write about when they have nothing better to do. Spare Me
Reply
rose said 11:49PM on 3-14-2008
That hot California sun makes everyone dried up and too orange in color. They need to stay out of the sun if possible remember the old westerns when women used parasols to keep the sun off their faces? Well it was in the wild west they did that and California is west (of Boston )
Reply