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 2)
Angiebaby said 11:57AM on 6-05-2008
This thing lets you whiz around town while sitting on a cooler? Hormonal women the world over will be fighting over these babies....
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Mike said 2:55PM on 6-05-2008
My Bro in Law owns one of these and they are great! Has his customized to look like a Harley with favorite team colors. I don't think you can go fast enough on one of these to hurt anybody tho, so the guy should get off.
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Erskine said 11:21PM on 6-05-2008
I think that if the guy was drinking That he should have been arrested because he was a Hazard to other people on the street and side walks.
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JD said 11:25PM on 6-05-2008
Please don't the police have better things to do.
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stnsmok said 1:15AM on 6-06-2008
I feel much safer knowing that the police are as alert as they are. Maybe next they will find one of those make believe terrorist, or an illegal immigrant. If it would have been an illegal getting busted, then the cop would have been jailed.
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Joe said 12:07AM on 6-06-2008
Come on! It's a control thing. Control everybody under whatever
conditions (excuses) they can.
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Hogman said 12:19AM on 6-06-2008
Gets worse as they want felony charges. Guy has a prior DWI in the last 10 years.
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denise said 12:28AM on 6-06-2008
OMG, thats funny! Im still laughin 5 minutes later.
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denise said 12:27AM on 6-06-2008
I want one!
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denise said 12:12PM on 6-06-2008
I looked up motor barstools....just as cool.
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joe said 10:24AM on 6-06-2008
the cop that stoped the guy is a goverment loser!!!
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Allan said 2:51AM on 6-06-2008
I think its great i want one too..
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tnrebl1963 said 12:54AM on 6-06-2008
I wonder what the dept. of motor vehicles would say?
You want to register WHAT??
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JohnnieBGoode said 1:03AM on 6-06-2008
Cops suck, its amazing what all they do and get by with and they charge some poor soul who probably is a war hero. Put the cops into jails!!!!!
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dan said 3:15AM on 6-06-2008
JUST ANOTHER PRIME EXAMPLE HOW WANT TO BE COWBOY COPS ARE NOTHING BUT OVER PAID FUND RAISERS..GUARD YOUR WALLETS MY FELLOW AMERICANS..CUZ YOUR MONEYS NEXT..DO NOT FUND THE LOW LIFES THAT WANT TO WRITE TICKETS..NOT FIGHT CRIME..THERE AFFRAID THE CRIMINALS MIGHT FIGHT BACK SO COPS WONT GO AFTER THEM..THERE GOIN TO GO AFTER YOU AND ME CUZ WE MIGHT HAVE A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS THEY CAN STEAL FROM US..THE TAX PAYERS OF AMERICA...
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OVERLORD100 said 2:24AM on 8-04-2008
Its amazing to me the absolute lack of faith that many people have in the police force these days. More than likely these are the same people who leave thier house 20 minutes late for an apointment that they really dont want to go to or a job that they hate, and speed down the highways like a bunch of idiots. Then when the police stop them they act like they are being singled out. Well, you are. You singled yourself out when you passed that bus full of kids in a no passing zone at 50 mph. You singled yourself out by flying down the interstate at 90. If you actually obeyed the rules of the road then you wouldnt have a problem.
The story in question is one that many of you missed the point to. The state that this happened in has specific rules about what constitutes a motor vehicle. The guy that got arrested failed to check on these regulations, or did and decided that "it couldnt happen to me."
Police are constantly put down for these stupid stories like this. What about the officer that pulled kids from a burning building. What about the officer that birthed a child in the back seat of their cruiser because the lady in question couldnt make it to the hospital on time. But I see that you, like many of the sheep un this country, beleive what the media tell you, and you are trapped in an endless circle of idiocy and bad news. I firmly beleive that if the media covered more of the good news about police then the masses veiw of police would be different. If your got as much crap as these people do when you were at your job you would quit. Just remember that if you ever have to call in that your car was stolen, or your house broken into. Its these same "taxpayer leeches" that are going to come to your rescue.
Bree said 12:27PM on 7-02-2008
Actually, I just got pulled over for speeding this morning, yes it was my fault I was speeding, and yes it pissed me off. But my complaint is this, five minutes after the three cops at the speed trap gave me a speeding ticket, a jerk on his cell phone cut the car in front of me off and almost cuased a five car pile up. Where were the cops then? Sitting back at the speed trap waiting to collect our money for going ten mph over the speed limit. The traffic cops should really be looking for the irresponsible reckless drivers that cause accidents, not the people who can drive (I've been driving for 15 years now and have never been in an accident or caused someone else to be in an accident, I keep my attention on the road, and always have control of my vehicle) who just happen to be going faster than the randomly assigned posted speed limit. And both times I've had property destroyed or stolen and I've called the police, they just took a report over the phone, no one ever came out to my home, no on ever investigated the crime, no one ever caught the jerks who decided it was OK to steal from a single mom and her child. So, no, I do not have any faith in our police force or justice system. Show me a cop who pulled someone out of a burning building and I'll pat them on the back, but that is a one time good deed that anyone passing by on the street could have done, not a job duty or requirement. Cops are no more noble or worthy of respect then the homeless guy on the corner, but since the cops think they are better then the rest of us they abuse the little bit of power they do have causing even more disrespect. If they spent their time protecting the citizens from crime as opposed to collecting money for the state (and don't even get me started on how many times they call my house asking for donations for their retirement fund!) maybe they'd be more respected and respectable.
damone said 3:17AM on 6-06-2008
So now will they start arresting the senoir citizens that drive their scooters around on the sidewalk running into everyone with wreckless driving?
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U R A DEE DA DEE said 3:47AM on 6-06-2008
This guy is putting lives in danger how? This is the biggest load of bull I've ever read.
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Johnny Thompson said 4:34AM on 6-06-2008
I am a retired cop and had much better things to do than arrest a guy for riding a damn ice chest. Must be a podunk town and a podunk cop that arrested the guy.
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