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)
Sweatshirt said 7:03PM on 5-19-2008
There is nothing entertaining about being egged or pied or soaked. The poll attached to this item should include the choice "No one" should be hit with an egg.
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ED said 7:34PM on 5-19-2008
I know I don't have much of a sense of humor, however I consider an egg or a pie a physical assault. Would you lauugh if someone threw a punch at a speaker? Most of us would be outraged why can we throw a pie and invoke humor?
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wako said 8:04PM on 5-19-2008
Yeah, im failing to see the point of him that guy egging him. He sure didnt change anything, the Microsoft corporate machine will continue to chug on, and he will just be a pissed off kid in his basement. Congrats to him for achieving... nothing...
For the poll though I definitely rather see Tom Cruise get egged. I love watching him snap :)
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j wagner said 8:49PM on 5-19-2008
its not about getting egged and how meen it was of some one to do that. it was about standing out and being heard, about what is right and wrong.
the egg got your attention right. now listen to reason .
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steve said 9:02PM on 5-19-2008
well J, 10 year olds throw food in schools everyday. It doesn't exactly scream maturity, so why would I want to listen to an older kid do it? He could have brought a gun, would that have gotten more attention?
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White working blue collar man said 9:04PM on 5-19-2008
What a question!!!!! How about we egg every reporter and news- person. That probably would stop[ the dumb poll questions that are loaded to pick a person the reporter wants us to select. This sounds as if someone from MSNBC thought up this question, maybe the Edward R. Murrow wanna-be
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saltzman21 said 4:57PM on 5-20-2008
He satold billons of dollars of their money. Yhey should have held him for ransom, and returned him dead after they payoff.
At the very least they should have killed him with claw hammers, stripped him naked, and hung him up in the town square.
He stold a billion dollars yet you politically correct fools think geting hit with some eggs was to extream a punishment. Where is your rational thinking. Mabey you forgot to read the artical and just looked at the pictures.
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saltzman21 said 9:13PM on 5-19-2008
He satold billons of dollars of their money. Yhey should have held him for ransom, and returned him dead after they payoff.
At the very least they should have killed him with claw hammers, stripped him naked, and hung him up in the town square.
He stold a billion dollars yet you politically correct fools think geting hit with some eggs was to extream a punishment. Where is your rational thinking. Mabey you forgot to read the artical and just looked at the pictures.
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sdragon said 6:04AM on 5-20-2008
the guy was just mad cause his university had to pay license fees for Microsoft producs
tydei8 said 2:40PM on 5-20-2008
Well, on a more positive note, Microsoft Word could significantly help you. A little red line appears at the bottom of a misspelled word, it even offers to correct it for you. At the same time, you could learn how to spell.
Marianne said 6:32PM on 5-20-2008
Reading through some of the comments, it just seems that the illiteracy of this group is surely prevalent or else foreigners who don't know how to spell. Is it just jealousy, or is it because you don't have his money. I'm quite sure he worked hard for it. I just think in order to get rid of the idiots, radicals and terrorist is to deny them the use of the internet to communicate with each other and the denial of flight to commit their crimes. Don' llike his ideas, don't buy his products. No one shoved in it your face or twisted your arm to buy his products. Seems that you have way too much time on your hands. Get an education!!!
Orin said 10:15AM on 5-21-2008
So he shouldn't be compensated for helping build and maintain a company thats changed the way you live your life? as big and bad as you say microsoft is, check your harddrive for how many programs of thiers you have, running windows? hmm, got a mac? does it have active sync for your blackberry? thats microsoft. like to get your email in your hand? exchange made that possible. talk about killing someone violently AFTER you've had a part in either CERN some form of great art or modern technology, otherwise, you're just a terrorist in american clothing.
Mike said 9:56PM on 5-19-2008
Those Microsoft fatcats are all working to build a police state. They deserve whatever they get. Beware of geeks bearing gifts.
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wild bill said 2:21PM on 5-20-2008
ya i remember the billionaire boys club scandal,some old woman through flower on him...big deal..no-wonder theses thieves keep doing it...!
where are the assins when you need them?
it would be nice and tragic to see 1 of these people get shot and killed..then they get a message about stealing..!
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Carol said 2:41PM on 5-20-2008
Just came back from Eastern Europe and of all the 4 countries we visited,,the people of Budapest Hungary were the most miserable, arrogant, resentful lot. I guess they're just tired of being the whipping boys and losers all the time. Were they ever on the winning side of a conflict or war? Our group was hussled, 2 were pick pocketed. They are not happy people!
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RAY Z said 2:53PM on 5-20-2008
Just Euro trash jealous of a great American company. These are the idiots that some US politicians care we lost the respect of?? Screw them. Gates made the world a better place with his operating systems.
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dale said 3:17PM on 5-20-2008
brings a whole new meaning to "food for thought"
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Boggie said 3:16PM on 5-20-2008
Probably will see a lot more of this!
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Lifestyle said 10:30AM on 8-08-2008
In the most idiotic posting on AOL today, It appears that saltzman21 is by far the most ignorant person that has posted as of yet.
Disconnected ideas, half baked thoughts coupled with incredible misspellings complete the picture of a frustrated simpleton struggling to get any of his thoughts out the same way they sound to him in his head.
So sad.
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wolf-1 said 3:48PM on 5-20-2008
if it were not for Microsoft, these Hungariens would still be plowing the Patatoe fields, jealouse creep. but it does show the ever growing dislike for America and that worrys me , I recently returned from a trip from Austria,Germany and swisserland, and in all three of those countries I could hear in their voices the almost anti american attitude, it shocked me a little, especcialy when you try to talk abaut president Bush, they out right hate him. what I also nnoticed was an alarming large number of turks and arabs walking around everywere, they even have their own temples with Tower for their prayer service out in the open, it is time for America to wake up and prepare with the ever growing presence of Islam. Watch - the radical Islam- by John More -Law Center , it will be an eye opener for many sleeping Americans, the Enemy is already at our door step.
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