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)
nicole said 9:25PM on 5-01-2008
This is friggin' awesome! Now put some on Michael Jackson's nose! (He rocks!)
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L R Adams said 8:37PM on 5-01-2008
Totally amazed about his finger growing back, Lee Spievak was at a loss for words. His joyous response was, Oink, oink. He promised BFT sandwich*s - Bacon Fingers and Tomatoes* for everyone.
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Cortney said 8:54PM on 5-01-2008
That's amazing. If it's able to regrow his finger than just imagine what else we could use this for. The possiblities are endless. And that's why i love PIGS!
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Reza said 6:53PM on 10-23-2008
WOW!!! Let me get some of that so I can regrow my amputated arm.
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Alex said 9:38PM on 5-01-2008
Maybe Bob will be lucky enough to lose what little root of a brain he has and try to grow . . . something. What an ass.
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Mary said 9:53PM on 5-01-2008
Research has shown that when just the tip of your finger is cut off, it will regrow on its own. The "pixie dust" did nothing.
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K. Ringo said 10:45PM on 5-01-2008
Not true, I lost the tip of my finger, and it did not regrow correctly.
it may be possible, but since everyone of us is just a bit different it cannot be held out as true for all of us.
sasperilla23 said 3:55AM on 5-02-2008
If you read it again you'd see it said an entire half an inch was cut off... this would mean his finger nail, nail bed, cuticals and all were gone.. or at least most of it. And to grow back that amount of tissue at his age is a break through.
mark said 9:54PM on 5-01-2008
pixie dust or pigsy dust?
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john said 10:37PM on 5-01-2008
Maybe it will grow brain cells in Paris Hiltons head!
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dave said 10:55PM on 5-01-2008
John it cany grow what isn't there!
Robin said 10:43PM on 5-01-2008
This would be so cool if they could grow things such as muscles. My Husband almost died from appendicitis, and paratanitis ate his abdominal muscles, and none of the mesh, or pig skin used worked, so who knows what they will come up with. I do know that at Wake University they are growing things back like finger, etc. and are currently working on more extensive and complicated things such as muscles by way of stem cell. So keep it up you awesome Scientist!!
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Robin said 10:47PM on 5-01-2008
Yeah your right Mary. It's just like cutting yourself, it will eventually heal, as long as the bone isnt cut off, because tissue does grow back. Didnt think about that, and I dont guess they did either. LOL
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Son of Torin said 10:50PM on 5-01-2008
Yeah, cells from some "magical animal."
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Anthony said 8:38AM on 5-02-2008
I cut off the end of my left thumb about 15 years ago. It was at least half an inch of it. You could see the bone. I took the piece to the hospital and the Dr. threw it in the trash can. My thumb was squared at the time. He said it will grow back. I was stunned. You threw away my thumb. Aren't you gonna sew it back on. And he laughed at me. Said don't worry, it will grow back. Put something on it to freeze it so it would quit bleeding. Then wrapped it up in a bandage and sent me home with some pain killers. Now the pain wasnt all that bad I was numb too it after a while. But when I came back to get the bandage changed. They soak it in water and rip it off. You can imagine how this felt. This happened a few times that week. Until It finally didnt need a bandage. Guess what the end grew back just like the Dr. said. You wouldn't even notice it, If I dont point it out. There is some scarring though. And fifteen years later the end is still more sensitive than the other thumb. So I am not buying the Pixie Dust story just on my experience. I think the guys finger would have grown back. As long as he doesnt lose a bone in it the meat will grow back around it.
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Rep J said 11:25PM on 5-01-2008
I sliced the end of my finger off with a razor blade that was left open while reaching in my suitcase. DUH! Anyway, the injury on that finger in the picture looks about the same as mine. The tip of my finger grew back without any magic pixie dust. It still feels funny, but it gets better every day.
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Mike said 11:38PM on 5-01-2008
Will this "pixie dust" work on other parts of the body? I want a new, bigger Hoo-Ha!!
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wally said 12:02AM on 5-02-2008
will jewish people be able to use it ?
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Joan said 12:18AM on 5-02-2008
As a young teenager working in a NY deli 25 years ago, I was slicing boiled ham on the meat slicer. I sliced off the top portion of my right index finger. The surgeon sent the staff back to look for the tip of the finger, so he could re-attach it... but it was not found. Anyway, it grew back pretty nicely. You can't notice it unless I point it out...and the nail is kind of crooked. Anyway, pixie dust? Nah. Just nature doing its job.
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Sue said 12:09AM on 5-02-2008
It's not so amazing. My dad lost tip of his finger when he was a kid and it grew back. I used a meat slicer and chopped 1/4 inch off and it grew back. I think it's something to do with being on the end of an appendage. I'm sure this guy didn't lose any bone (only 1/2 inch) and it was just a model plane. It probably would have came back anyway. Too bad it wasn't two fingers, he could have dusted one and let the other go to see the difference.
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