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)
Ed Perry said 6:20PM on 3-21-2008
One of these devices actually has been FDA approved as a device to restore hair in certain types of baldness. Just thought you would like to know.
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amount said 2:15PM on 3-24-2008
actually there was a show on Discovery with Specialists in Dermotology that examined 5 people before and after useing several types of restoration but the MD did not know what technique was used. The laser comb actually did better then most of the hair growth aids.
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web jones said 3:02PM on 3-24-2008
"tails"??? I'm hoping this is an attempt at humor, and not more atrocious proof-reading from our hosts at AOL.
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Tom Miller said 3:02PM on 3-24-2008
tale = story
tail = what hangs off end of dog
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andylibby said 3:16PM on 3-24-2008
There is no such thing as going bald gracefully. That's a falacy put forth by those with no experience of hair loss. How about saying to those with dentures, "Why can't you lose your teeth gracefully." Or to women with breast implants, "Why can't you be flat-chested gracefully."
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shar12866pool said 3:34PM on 3-24-2008
"We suggest our friends with receding hairlines just go bald gracefully and not waste their money on gimmicky cures."
Well, what if the one going bald is a woman? Women inherit baldness factors too ya know. How do you tell a WOMAN to go bald gracefully??
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mike said 3:43PM on 3-24-2008
FDA approved means nothing, it doesnt mean that the product works and provides results it means that it will not harm you
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Dan Bickmore said 4:01PM on 3-24-2008
to andylibby comment about losing hair gracefully I say a double Amen.
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Sandy Andrew said 5:40PM on 3-24-2008
I purchased the Australian Laser comb a year ago for $500 and have used it faithfully 3 times a week, 15 minutes each time. Being female and losing your hair is really tough. My husband says he has noticed a little change. As for me, I am still waiting for all that hair to grow back, but I will keep trying.
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Carl Moore said 4:18PM on 3-24-2008
I was a sucker and bought one of these gagets for about $500 ----from a place in Florida --I am ashamed to admit it ,but maybe I can prevent others from being suckered.They have no merit
Hair loss is due to your genes--When I look around I actually see men with hair who are ulgy and would be better looking witout it LOL -Women don,t care --They are more interested in physical health and intellect--Big penises and bald heads are not what attracts them ( a myth)--The con artists are the winners by their scams -- Just keep fit and have good character --that is all that is important--
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Craig said 5:31PM on 3-24-2008
Rogaine and Propecia (finasteride) are the only two things you can safely use that work in preventing further hair loss and allow hair to actually regrow. Competitive pricing for these two products would help men and women to recover from their loss. Shame on those who want to grow old gracefully when there is hope for revitalizing those concerned with how they look.
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Ron Sarson said 4:53PM on 3-24-2008
What an ignorant article. Without any tests or research as to its effectiveness, it just dismisses the gadget. Then as if to verify its ignorance it uses "tail" instead of "tale".
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Tim said 5:47PM on 3-24-2008
When I first met my wife we use to dance to this song in the disco's . Then one day I came home from work and found a note from her saying she was going away with my best mate Dave and our marrage was over . I was absolutely gutted .You would have thought after ten years I would have got over it but I haven't , I still miss Dave as much now as I did then . Great mate and drinking buddy ;-)
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Denver said 8:06PM on 3-24-2008
from personal experience I have found minoxidil the only hope for hair loss but you have to use it before losing your hair. if it's hereditary using it in advance will help keep you from losing your hair. maybe not completely but it may at least give you several more years before to go out gracefully. I do believe it even helped grow some of my hair back but after a while my scalp became so irritated it wasn't worth the results. my advice, take what you would spend on growing hair and invest it in the companys selling these products. in the end you will have something that will always attract the opposite sex, money!!
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Stephanie Oda said 7:11PM on 3-24-2008
Yeah--
Lose your hair gracefully--good one. Get wrinkles gracefully, lose your teeth, hey, while we are at it, die gracefully--yadda, yadda, yadda. I bet whoever wrote that AOL crap has all his/her hair. It's hard to lose what God gave you. You lose a part of your identity, your essential self. I don't blame men for caring, even though I know as a woman there is less likelihood of hair loss, at least according to medical "wisdom."
But I sure can relate. When I was 40, I got breast cancer and my doctor recommended a mastectomy. Go ahead and call me superficial, but the thought of losing my breast was as terrifying as dying from the cancer. Oh, but you should have heard the self-righteous uproar from "friends" and relatives. "How could you be so shallow? Save your life! Get it off right away!" yadda, yadda, yadda. THEY all had healthy breasts, of course, and were not facing mutilation. Joining the chorus was my surgeon: "What do you need breasts for, Hon? They are just two glands." (That was more than 20 years ago, when Drs. could talk to women that way). I needed my breasts because I needed them.
Some men need their hair because they need it, no apologies necessary. And if you are one of those superior people who don't mind losing a your hair, your breast, your teeth, having a flat chest, getting wrinkles, etc., bully for you. I hope you are driven by a deep personal security rather than dimestore psychology in this land where looks are everything and life's prizes go to the conventionally beautiful. Maybe you are a totally secure person. But if you are, don't smugly dictate how anyone should feel about losing a part of what is their essential selves until it's happened to you--or, on second thought--whether it's happened to you or not. Everyone reacts differently. How they react to loss does not make them flawed --just human.
I'm still alive, thank God, but a small mourning will always live inside me.
SO
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Teacher said 7:00PM on 2-16-2009
Great post. You have hit the nail squarely on the head with those who have the nerve to second guess the emotions of a stranger- as if it's any of their business to begin with. Good for you- tell it like it is!
crosby said 5:36PM on 5-05-2008
there is a concoction that will put hair back on your hair: when my youngest son was about 6 or 7 he had sores in his head (pus filled), and i was told that his hair would not grow back. I put some ingredients together and my sons hair started growing like beautiful fine baby hair then his whole head was covered, and has had hair since.
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terry said 7:54PM on 3-24-2008
I bought the Hair Max Lassr comb on Amazon and it works! I have tried rogaine and propecia and I found the Laser Comb to be the best. I bought the adanced one for $489.99 discounted..the retail is $549.99. You have to make the commitment to use it..but if you do you will be thrilled with the results.
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ajroddam said 7:58PM on 3-24-2008
"We've seen laser combs aimed at restoring lost hair before, but have not heard any inspiring tails of success."
It would have been creative if he wrote "...but have not SEEN any inspiring TAILS of success."
("tails" -- hair. "success" -- growth)
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JWH said 8:06PM on 3-24-2008
If you use a Low Light Laser Hair Therapy total head device with 50 to 90 laser diodes(LLLT)it WORKS! FDA has approved technology for what is Light Induced Hair Growth - follicle/gland in the tissue of the scalp with the LLLT Therapy will penetrate the scalp with light to allow the three stages of hair: catagen,telogen and anagen to reverse and strengthen and become thicker, fuller hair, with combination of BIO-MEDIC shampoo/menox solutions appplied as described you will see results. Hand held devices should only be used as a maintenance tool - Visit a Virtual Reality Hair Studio anywhere in US and buy a 1 year program with a industrial Scalp Laser for real performance and use the combs as maintenance. Not all heads will regrow hair that is true, but many people do not realize that the glands in their scalp get clogged from environmental elements w/hair spray, gels etc. A proper therapy regiment as descibed will gain some sort of result worthy of your investment. It takes time to allow enough blood to resurface to the scalp with LLLT for their to be any reduction of DHT that has sucked your follicle dry.
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