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.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dawn said 7:32AM on 4-02-2008
WOW! That's my kitten & I took the picture! His name was Oliver. He died at 4 months old from a shunt liver.
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foxwise said 8:01AM on 4-02-2008
i think animals are just great, anykind , even the aligator, i am greaful and glad the good lord ever created them , but i must say one thing , i think god took more time to create all the animals then he took with humans, he could put mor colors in to animals and flowers then us, just look at the beauty around us, we sure are drab looking towards animals and nature,
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JohnnyO said 8:28AM on 4-02-2008
I thought www.catsthatlooklikehitler.com, it's a real site, was funny too.
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oo7dot said 9:09AM on 4-02-2008
WELL, GOOD MORNING TO YOU !
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Becky said 9:15AM on 4-02-2008
well, I'm not a huge fan of cats...but,that is a really cute kitten picture!!!
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debra said 9:29AM on 4-02-2008
ohhhhhhhhh really what a cute kitten.For those saying their not cat people.I wasn't either for years.someone gave me a kitten and i fell in love.I now adore cats.Their funny to.Just give it a try they can be so lovable.Remember have some patience.
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N P Howard said 9:31AM on 4-02-2008
Which end is which?
Kitty Kat
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Patricia Thomas said 10:59PM on 4-02-2008
I think that kitten is so adorable, she is like trying to say, is this my mother or no. Anyway cute kitty.
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Bailey said 12:23PM on 4-02-2008
Check out http://www.PetLifeRadio.com for awesome fun audio podcasts about PETS!
They're really fun! They're free and available in iTunes too!
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Clarence Williams said 1:07PM on 4-02-2008
This one's the BOMB!!!!!
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kathleen shane said 1:31PM on 4-02-2008
they are all precious babies. i have 5 of my own.
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EMERALD said 4:12PM on 4-21-2008
awwww. wat a cute kitten my uncle has a cat like that his name is olive rhes about 10 months... and its kewl u guys are doing this because everyone needs a laugh once in awhile..♥
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she said 5:13PM on 4-29-2008
That was horrible that little girl was just throwing her cat around like a rag doll, it was not cute or funny.
CRUEL
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