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)
John C said 8:13PM on 7-16-2008
Stop putting your Trojan loading weblinks on these sites. You are a coward.
O. T. said 3:06AM on 4-17-2008
The photo for No. 1 is a slicer, NOT a shredder. (You would not expect to see printing with a shredder.)
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John connor said 7:01PM on 4-16-2008
my Trojan Comment was for Alex with the fake Britent S site, that w3ill load a trojan on your PC using Active X
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bighognpin said 8:01PM on 4-16-2008
if you catch an identity theif you can hit him over the head with your empty Monavie bottle...http://mymonavie.com/daveandrocio
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elsie said 9:49PM on 4-16-2008
You warn me not to give out my ss # then you turn around and as me for it in order to opt out of junk mail!!!!!!!!!!!! You take all my time to fill out the thing then won't accept it without my ss #!!!!!!! I am very disappointed.
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Jonathan Block said 11:54AM on 4-17-2008
The company that I work for helps people find where their personal information is being listed and sold on the internet. I've got a free coupon code if anybody would like to try it out. You can go to www.reputationdefender.com and sign up for the service called "MyPrivacy" and enter in coupon code "JBROCKS" (that's the coupon code they gave me for family and friends). After you're finished signing up, the system will check about 35 open databases and show you what parts of your personal information are being listed out there and help you have it be removed. It finds information like your family members, all of the places you've ever lived, your home and cell phone numbers, and more. Hope this helps someone.
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Gene said 3:42PM on 5-04-2008
The "Reward/Punishment" approach to people living on the same continent worked when Man stepped out of the cave and it will work now.
If a person goes to jail ( to an Arizona-New Mexico type jail) for a guaranteed 20 years for stealing someone's ID, there will be fewer people
involved in the activity.
The "slap-on-the-wrist" apprach to law enforcement is the reason most crime is committed.
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Truth said 11:00PM on 4-19-2008
The so-called government has stolen all of our "NAMES" CAPITALIZED!!!! Watch the Jordan Maxwell videos!!!!!
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Truth said 11:04PM on 4-19-2008
The government has stolen ALL of our "NAMES" CAPITALIZED....into
fictitious corporations!!!!!! Talk about identity theft!!!! Watch the
Jordan Maxwell videos!!!
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Ed said 7:06PM on 4-25-2008
Please go to this web site: prepaidlegal.com/hub/ejohnson43
This company that I am a Independent Associate with, has the answer
to your Identity Theft problems, also your legal problems that come
from people using your identity in serveral states at once.
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kyle akers said 9:45PM on 4-28-2008
As broke as i am ....i would rejoice at someone stealing my identity...Theyd kill themselves in a week
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Reg Martin said 2:22PM on 1-22-2009
That's the way I feel. If someone stole my identity, they would hunt me down and pay me to take it back.
Pat said 2:55PM on 5-13-2008
I agree with all of the above!
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Joann said 11:55AM on 5-17-2008
I found this to be really helpful in providing some tips to stop and prevent your self from identity theft. I also got a lot of good information at this place called IgotMyIdentityStolen.com which was useful with tips and updates about identity theft.
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Laura said 11:33AM on 6-10-2008
Sometimes it doesn't help to do it all.
My ex husband and his girlfriend got my SS# from our divorce papers, ran up a nearly 1000 dollar phone bill, and they are still trying to get the money from me!
I had moved away, out of state, and I have to file a police report in the town it happened in... I live 400 miles away!!
I sent all pertinent info to a friend, but they would not let him file for me. What a crock.
I hope they don't put the full SS# on papers like that anymore... at least not on the copy that they give your ex!!
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Wayne said 3:51PM on 1-04-2009
Suddendly, ID theft all-but-completely Stops! Why? Wayne's new law take effect, to wit: If you are caught with someones stolen ID, on-site and sudden; without any free Medical help, Snip-Snip, off goes your right arm, just above the elbow.
The ONLY extra expense to We the SHEEPle is the wide Media coverage. IF you are aware of this new, sudden, (NOT 10 years from now), Law, you have no excuse!
Don't even ask about my new laws concerning Car-Jacking, Auto-Theft, and many others. They are seriously frightening!
Result! The 'Law Enforcement Growth Industry loses many 'Customers', but the beneifit to We the SHEEPle, (the Silent Victims, who are of 'no-effect'), is fantastic!
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AnA said 8:30PM on 1-21-2009
The TJX Corp Breech is biggest crooks in USA and Canada , I was snagged in the Would You Like to Safe 10% on your Purchase today? , my ADVISE DO NOT DO IT. !! It cost me 545,000.00 Dollars and I am still fighting creditors, My Identity was stolen and TJX wants ro re_imburse me for my DRIVERS LIC, heck with that Crap...once you been had, it does not matter your Credit is shot to Hell....and TJX does not give a HOOT ---------they hire fellons, truck in Illigal Aliens from a Location, I seen and asked most employess of TJX are , from other Countries and not citizens of US" Hey H&S "look for Illigals there Marshalls, TJMAX, HOMEGOODS,A-J WRIGHT< BOBSRORES< HOMESENSE , WINNERS , T-K-MAXX
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Older and Wiser said 3:00PM on 1-22-2009
As long as our cards can be scanned onto a computer system and we shop online using cards we will be in the open for anyone to get our information. Modern technology is good in some ways but for the most part using credit NOT.
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Clifford E. Easden said 3:33PM on 1-22-2009
It would seem to me that any company that keeps personal data that can be stolen by COMPUTER HACKERS such as identity theft, would be using an ENCRYPTION PROGRAM on the computers etc.
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