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)
Karen said 6:31PM on 7-23-2008
The makers of these sites really need to be held responsible for what is being posted.
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Tina said 9:09PM on 7-24-2008
No, Karen, people should just NOT post photos of themselves on the internet PERIOD. If you are dumb enough or don't care enough, then expect the worse.
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undrgrndgirl said 9:55PM on 7-24-2008
you're both right...if ya don't want your mom, kids or boss to see the pix don't put them on the net - better yet don't even take them...however, sites like facebook and myspace need to protect the privacy of users better than they do now...however that said, this woman had her account open for all to see...facebook/myspace should be default set to NOT share anything - let the users opt in rather than opt out...
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Pamela said 10:00PM on 7-24-2008
See this is why I have NOTHING posted online, no pics, nothing because people will do things like that. And yes I agree with you Karen, these sites should be held responsible.
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Karen said 10:15PM on 7-24-2008
Oh yeah right, blame the victim. What about the person who did this to this woman? She or he's not to blame of course! They just KNEW this woman wanted to be on a porno site but just didn't know how to get her photos on it so they "helped her out" by posting them for her. How nice! Yes, we need more "nice" people like that on this planet.
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Alexis said 10:15PM on 7-24-2008
Oh yeah right, blame the victim. What about the person who did this
to this woman? She or he's not to blame of course! They just KNEW
this woman wanted to be on a porno site but just didn't know how to
get her photos on it so they "helped her out" by posting them for
her. How nice! Yes, we need more "nice" people like that on this
planet.
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The Ween said 10:46PM on 7-24-2008
Trouble is, there isn't much you can do when this stuff happens, that's why if you put yourself out there knowing this, then you'll have to suffer the consquences when things happen. Too many crazies in this world.
I don't see how the sites can be responsible since, other than making the sites paid sites, how can they check on everyone? Too many ways to fake it.
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me said 11:06PM on 7-24-2008
A 22 yo mother of 3? with an x? thats another story huh?
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Grant said 11:30PM on 7-24-2008
There was a story last year about a grammar school teacher who was conducting her end of year skit with the kids and someone filmed her fully clothed, focused on her body and recorded Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher", then put it on YouTube.
Of course the teacher was incensed (she did absolutely no wrong) and she complained to YouTube who pulled the video.
The one good strong advice she had received, which I pass to the poor parent who is caught up in this mess is that most websurfers have the memory of a flea. They go and see the site "dujour", make comments and then when it is pulled, they move on.
This is very hurtful and highly annoying, but it will pass. One needs to believe that whoever did this will get their comeuppance later in life.
Hope this helps. Takecare.
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Phil said 11:56PM on 7-24-2008
Facebook/Myspace. When did humans become so pathetic that all they crave is attention and cyberfriends? They give away all their thoughts and pictures to complete strangers surfing the net. Try going outside and making "real" friends, instead of being pathetic social retards! Kids, I can understand, you are just making your way, but grownups on this sort of site? Can we say arrested adolescents?
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BJ said 12:42AM on 7-25-2008
I think that there needs to be full responsibility by the person who stole the picture ( this is not very different than stealing someones identity) while I never like to see people get "punished" the suffering that this person has to endure is not fair, thus a severe punishment would need to be there to avoid abuse.
Also, while its hard to blame the website owners, I think if they were partially responsible for what goes on there site, and were forced to face a certain degree of real trouble this would deter it from getting out of hand, thus the web site owner needs to take some responsibilty for the partying going on in his home ( so to speak).
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Tom said 2:19AM on 7-25-2008
There is no privacy today, the camera's they have and the zoom lens's can photograph a nipple from 6 miles away.
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adore7373 said 2:37AM on 7-25-2008
i think we need to make children or their planet liable for things they do. we make so many excuses for them that they really feel they are entitled to do things no matter hom it hurts cuz they feel justified.their parents not wanting to do their job has spoiled them and we all have to pay for it. like the case of the student who made a myspace page pretending to be his principle and saying he was into young men. now lawyers and parents say dont punish just get him counselling.so while folks say kids dont no any better they damn sure know enuff to do this tech stuff that some intelligent grown ups cant. what many people dont realize you dont even have to belong to their sites for your info to get out. i joined a famous persons fan club to get purchased advance tix and now when i googled my name all my info i pposted to my account can be seen. ive joinded sites just to see what they were about and when i googled that showed also. even asking microsoft about a comp problem showed up, even sites i searched in general kept my screen name.so it doesnt matter if its my space, your space or what ever space. the internet has become such a dangerous place.ive had friends whom had cell phones hacked (which i consider to be personal property ) and info posted online. folks can take a pic of u as ur walking and post it on sites and nothing you can do. i dont like the govt getting involved in anything but this is one of those things where as some of us need to use it for work or research that people should be liable for the harm they cause others.
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david said 2:28AM on 7-25-2008
porn is cool
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Tom said 2:31AM on 7-25-2008
The big thing today is video taping having sex with your bofriiend or husband.This could be dangerous because disgruntled guy's (and maybe females too) will show them around.
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TOM said 2:39AM on 7-25-2008
There is sooo much porn today that it has lost it's effect. No matter what you want to see, no matter how kinky, it's available & it's free & you do not even have to get up from your computer! Am I complaining? No. but to much of a good thing makes it loose it's effect. I used to have a grilfriend who just loved sex. In the begining I thought i died & went to heaven but after a month I used to fear her.
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Kathie said 2:52AM on 7-25-2008
Many of you missed the point the story made. The "lewd" pictures were not of her but of someone who resembled her. Granted they used some of her pix from myspace, but even if she had no pix up there, they still could have used the "lewd" ones.
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cat said 3:03AM on 7-25-2008
i hope the person that did this gets "theirs"
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DJ said 3:16AM on 7-25-2008
3 kids at 22 and no husband? Sounds quite irresponsible to me...
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Ric said 3:24AM on 7-25-2008
I think she is worthy of a porn site
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