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.
While moviegoers will be filling multiplex seats this weekend, hoping to be transported to a place of adventure and a little fantasy with the latest 'Indiana Jones' blockbuster, Steven Spielberg is busy working up another kind of transporting experience, this one more in line with themes from his sci-fi classic 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind.' 
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Evelyn SoD said 8:30PM on 5-26-2008
If a reader have read only one article given me to write … they would know that I am very celestial minded individual … all I speak of are matters mostly not of this visible planet … I won’t ever apologize for this … I can only say celestial matters are my nature and my purpose during this temporary stay …
So … as to not deviate from my purpose in this life, I would like to say … This global Sphere we now refer to as Earth …. is as a grounded Root-Rock …it is the foundation and ground source for four main (community size) pockets of open atmosphere floating unseen through Earth skies which each are referred to as a heaven …. These hidden pockets of heaven are also sort of an entry and exit Port Station for celestial Travelers …. Each linked to their particular alignment of celestial pockets which extend up through dark space … each upper pocket of heaven are as one step in an established ladder to their next open pocket of heaven ….
These aligned pockets of heaven are not to be confused with that Port Station hidden on the dark side of the moon which was taken over by that Satan celestial alliance ….
Never the less …. each of the four individual ‘floating pockets of heaven’ and each their individual celestial alignment, are referred to as a ’World’ …. Even Earth of it’s visual reality is considered a World, as it set enclosed in it’s sort of unique ‘shrink-wrapped’ pocket of space ….. Yet all of these Worlds associated with Earth, hold their place here within this great expanse of endless darkness …. It is this expanse which is known as the Seventh Universal Plane …. Most every goal of every World associated with this planet … is to find that contact link which would attach their celestial alliance through the crystallized Firmament associated with the Sixth Universal Plane ….. That link which will carry through every preceding Firmament through to that First Universal Plane …
With such Worlds in mind … it was Jesus of Nazareth whom again I must say I do dearly love … who was indeed that Celestial Contact ….
It was High up through dark space that Jesus of Nazareth was reincarnated in birth …. It was up there in one particular open pocket of heaven … of one particular colony of people …. Associated with one particular celestial alignment …. Rooted by one particular transparent pocket of heaven floating in Earth skies …. It was this particular celestial world in which a Particular High governing Entity in Power … did send that which was necessary to establish a Celestial Power Source referred to as a ‘Christ‘ which would link this particular World’s alignment …. Which at the same time would link this Earth with the Highest Universal Plane …. Needless to say … with great trickery and deception .. Satan colony and allies did hinder this endeavor ….
But now all things are back on course …. Or maybe off course was on course after all
I write so that Walkers of the Good Faith will not be left uninformed in these matters in this new UFO era that now approaches ….http://sod2008.com … evelynseedofdavid@gmail.com
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