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.
There's little more irritating than getting spam text messages on your cell phone, especially when your plan has you stuck paying for each message that comes in. 
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tangerine said 2:31PM on 4-01-2008
There supossed to be the smart ones? pretty damn stupid loophole if u ask me.
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cooldan331 said 3:16PM on 4-01-2008
that was pretty damn stupid if u ask me...arent they the ones who rarer supposed to protect our phones,that is pretty shity!!!!and also, how the hell do u get a spam texcxt o it'll just say"spam text message click here!!!" u frigen retards!!!
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Serves them right said 4:01PM on 4-01-2008
considering all the spyware from china that infiltrates your system this serves those commie a$$wipes right.
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KOOLZ said 4:18PM on 4-01-2008
CHING CHAN WAH??
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David said 5:18PM on 4-01-2008
It couldn't have happened to a nicer country!
(For that matter, it WOULDN'T have happened to a nicer country!)
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Darin said 5:16PM on 4-01-2008
Now attack everything else from or about that Paper Tiger China... Down with oppression and say YES to freedom to all
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samantha said 5:18PM on 4-01-2008
@previous posts: congradulations, you're the scum of america. racism in your comment basically nullifies your opinion, and makes it retarded and worthless to the more educated world around you. also, japan is the asian country popularly known as the technological geniuses, not china. they don't 'protect our phones'. and refering to the people of china as a whole is just like if a foriegner says that americans are retarded thanks to bush. think in terms of individuals. and cool, if you can barely manage to properly spell out half of the words in your insults, then maybe you should take a long, hard look at who really deserves to be called a retard. let me help you with this one: it's you.
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Glena said 5:52PM on 4-01-2008
Thank you for your intelligent comments Samantha. I agree with you.
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Marlee said 6:05PM on 4-01-2008
Thank you, Samantha. I couldn't have said it better myself. I'd probably still be working on it if I hadn't seen your post. LoL
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Chris said 6:12PM on 4-01-2008
Samantha: It's congratulations and foreigner (to "properly spell them")
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bethann said 6:26PM on 4-01-2008
I agree with Samatha, but love, all the board posts are this way...lol people just looking for attention and showing their ignorance is one way to get it... I honestly dont like china in general. I feel that they have blatent disregard for the health of the rest of the world, polluted are their goods and their enviroment. its pretty bad when they will only buy american made toys for their kids, because they know theirs is tainted. okay so they know, but they continue, and the classic money hungry american public trying to save a dollar and spend cheaply is fuel to thier fire. I can not believe we are allowing the olympics to get help there, in light of this disregard for everyone and the pollution, i wonder how many more atheletes will be dropping from something they have been training for all their life, because their enviroment is so screwed.... buy american people
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Sator said 6:48PM on 4-01-2008
Oh well... what more can anyone say? Everybody wants and has different standards of security, everyone thinks theirs is "superior" well wake up people... this event is further proof that we need to work together to protect ourselves from those with no scruples i.e. "spammers, terrorists etc." Time for our countries to stop fighting fronting and posturing and get down to making technology and life safe and secure for everyone. Until the "Blame Game" mentality ceases and penalties are served that fit the crimes events like this will continue to increase in severity and frequency.
---Peace---
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lilacosta22 said 10:38AM on 7-15-2008
well cooldan331 when you get a text you cant choose to recieve it or not you just get it, but yeah china is supposed to be the smartest country but that is a pretty stuid lopehole if you ask me... LOL!!!
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Frank said 6:47PM on 4-01-2008
I hope it was someone on the inside who is a supporter of Tibet.
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H said 7:24PM on 4-01-2008
Considering the highly toxic and dangerous chemicals found in their exports we have been exposed to...Tough noogies on them!
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Page said 7:54PM on 4-01-2008
American retards thanks to Bush, think in terms as individuals. Samantha, I agree with you except for the above statement. You will not agree with me I am sure you see I grew up during world war II. And I believe the best defense is a great offense. As Mr. Bush, President Individuals like you have short memories like 9/11, the war had the backing of the UN. I don't care if Sadam had weapons of mass distructions he paid famlies $25,000 for their son or daughters to murdered Americans and anyone else they murdered. Why is it okay for someone to murder thousands of forieners and get away with it is it because they are not american and only americans have the right to live in pease. Everyone on this earth has a right to life even the unborn. If it were not for Mr. Bush and the volunteers in our military you, realative or a distant friend somewhere in this spoiled country would more than likely would probably be murdered by now. What about all of the homegrown terrious under Mr. Bush's watch has been apprenhended? As regard to China is it China's fault you buy thier products, is it China's fault our union's and the socialist democrates, control and taxes have driven business off shore. Next you we'll tax the weathy offshore also. Then where will the jobs be if the wealthy don't want to risk thier money here in the USA?
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vorerdcty said 8:31PM on 4-01-2008
About as annoying as are TELE-MARKETERS and the telephone calls received from presidental campaigners to vote for their canidate!!! Let them put their phone numbers on the television and we'll call them if/and "when" we're interested!!!
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vorerdcty said 8:29PM on 4-01-2008
IT CAN'T BE ANYMORE ANNOYING THAN OUR TELE-MARKETERS AND THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN CALLERS TRYING TO INVOKE OUR VOTE. THEY SHOULD LIST THEIR TELEPHONE NUMBERS ON THE TELEVISION SO WE CAN CALL THEM IF WE SHOULD DESIRE TO DO SO, ALSO JUST SO WE COULD VOICE OUR OPINIONS, CHOICES, DIRECT THEM INTO VOTING THE RIGHT CHOICES OF THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!
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jane atwood said 12:59AM on 4-02-2008
The Chinese think that Tibetans are ungrateful murderers while treating Tibetans like Jim Crow days. They poison us for a few dollars profit. They are ignorant and greedy. Problem is, that describes us, too - anyone who doesn't agree with our chosen politics, and we're starting to realize that capitalism doesn't equal democracy. Fact is, people can't do what is best in the long run - all pull up the ladder after themselves because we are still too primitive to take care of our communities unless they are homogeneous (check the studies), let alone the planet. We need a LOT less people to remain so us-vs-them, or for everyone to become wise overnight. Good luck mankind.
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