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)
Keith said 1:21PM on 3-28-2008
The youth of today is invincible and have no clue what type damage can be done by constantly playing loud music in their ears. I see some people wearing the earbuds and I can hear the music blasting from 10 feet away. One day they'll learn. By then will it be too late?
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Katzenmutter said 6:51PM on 3-28-2008
Sad. I'm seeing more and more rather young people with hearing aids. It was obvious that this would happen back when the loud rock bands with the big amplifiers became popular. Noise kills the auditory nerve. We should be wearing ear protection devices when using many of our lawn mowers, leaf and snow blowers, etc.
How sorry these kids will be one day, and it won't make anyone feel better to say, "I told you so!"
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JL said 11:38PM on 3-28-2008
Could you SPEAK UP PLEASE??????
I sang in a rock band for 20 years and didn't know I should be wearing protection!
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Joe said 12:03PM on 3-30-2008
What the kids are failing to realize is exactly what I failed to realize through my teens, twenties and thirties. Guess what? In my forties I became afflicted with severe bi-lateral (both ears) LOUD HISSING TINNITUS. Kids think deafness means you hear less. In millions of cases deafness means loud noise generated within the inner ear. Let me tell you something. If this post saves one teen; makes him or her wake up and start being more careful with their ears, it's worth it. I have had tinnitus, constantly, day and night, 24/7, for over three years. It has severely affected all aspects of my daily existance. I can no longer work. I have to take medication, probably forever. I have virtually become a crippled person in my forties. How does that song blasting in your ears sound now?
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Lauren said 5:21PM on 3-29-2008
I think that most teens think that it could never happen to THEM, so they will continue to play loud music is their ears. The thing is it CAN happen to ANYONE.
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Shannon said 10:27PM on 3-29-2008
Like it's news that teenagers think they're invincible and immortal? It has to do with cognition-their brains aren't developed enough to properly conceive of their future-according to a class I once took in Adolescent Psychology. That said, Apple should switch over and start giving those over the ear headphones with the Ipod rather than the ones you stick directly in your ear.
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jake said 10:28PM on 3-29-2008
no madder what you say loud music is better by the time we get older ther will be advances and im shure it can all be reversed would u rather listen to your favorite song or turn it up and feel the music with your hole body
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Sal said 4:26AM on 3-30-2008
The IPOD companies should be sued start suing them now
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steve said 11:19AM on 3-30-2008
Aaaaa don't worry about them. If you pay attention to the reports on global warming and climatic changes, they are going to have a lot more to worry about in their 40s and 50s than hearing loss.
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myaf08 said 3:15PM on 3-30-2008
yes, it is true that we teens may ignore the fact that our i-pods and zens are turned up, but occasionally this thought occurs. HOWEVER, we do know that it can hurt us!!! Some of us are smarter than others, it depends on how you look at it. An occasional boost of boom is fun but we keep our ears & eyes [literally] open.
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AMH said 3:35PM on 3-30-2008
I disagree with the statement that, 'It has to do with cognition-their brains aren't developed enough to properly conceive of their future' -- I would go as far as to say that it largely depends on the teen. I've read those articles, as well. As an aside, my teenaged siblings have more of the attituide, "Well, by the time (lung cancer, hearing loss, environmental erosion) ..becomes an issue for me, they'll have a fix." And I remember having that attitude when -I- was a teen -- you think you have all the time in the world, at that age. Funny thing is, to some extent, they just might just be right.
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GuitarZero2010 said 4:45PM on 3-31-2008
While I am a fan of listening to music pretty loud, I do it in a manner that's a little less risky. The iPod/MP3 earbuds are directly over the eardrums, thus making them easily damageable. When I have the music up loud, I either have my large headphones on, I'm in my car, or listening to my stereo in my room. Of course, I don't do this for extended periods of time. Kids, especially teenagers, tend to be defiant towards authority... must be the punk rock they listen to. Just kidding. But really, teenagers do not like to listen to what professionals and experts say because they feel that they know everything and know more than those well studied. I guess it's what we call a superiority complex.
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em said 11:20PM on 3-30-2008
i was already born with hearing loss. i am 15 and honestly don't care how much more my ipod further damages my ears. i will gladly turn the volume down if asked politely by someone i am unintentionally bothering, though.
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ross said 11:33PM on 3-30-2008
teenagers of today are tired of doctors teachers and parents telling them what not to do.The public has this thing that teenagers are dumb and don't what is good and band for them if these doctors would stop telling them what they can and cant do they will be more inclined to do it besides when you buy one of these expensive i pods they come with a warning inside the instructions.
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Samantha Hutchinson said 12:18AM on 3-31-2008
To those suggesting that it doesn't matter as there will be a cure in the future, how irresponsible are you??
It's the same kind of attitude that has brought us where we currently stand with issues of climate change and general collapse of the natural world.
Do we really want to promote this juvenile and nonchalant attitude in current and future generations of young people?
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hms said 10:11AM on 4-18-2008
Just like Joe Mentioned in his post I too hope the youth of today can realize how precious your hearing is.I am 29 and suffer from Severe Bi-lateral hearing loss and Tinnitus. I have just recently developed this and my hearing is decreasing by the month. My life has been completely turned upside down due to this.
It Really is quite sad when you know this could have been stopped by turning the stereo down or avoiding loud places.
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nic said 10:52PM on 2-19-2009
its a balance of enjoyment vs possible damage and 'feeling' the music wins out... plus tomorrow is always very far away
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Joe said 9:28AM on 4-15-2009
The teens really just don't care. From what I've experienced and who I've talked to, they know they're going to get hearing loss, but they just don't care. Its frustrating for me. I use my ears so much in just everyday life- I wish some of them would realize how disabled the would be without their ears.
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hi said 1:58AM on 8-29-2009
A survey shows that teenagers don’t care about hearing loss from iPods and they don’t listen to their parents when they are told to turn it down. So in 50 years iPods may get more and more popular so lots more people buy them and stick the earphones in their ears and get major hearing loss so more kids will be deaf. who cares shame on them
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