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 6)
madeforidiots said 3:45PM on 8-19-2008
I thought Halo3 was on the Xbox 360?
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bobby said 12:56PM on 8-20-2008
Xbox and Halo were the references not Halo3! Halo is the first addition only for Xbox and can be just as much addicting. Its kind of a dinosaur game and the kids probably made crazy enough to nail on the tree on purpose so they could get the Halo3 version. But if they get Halo3 on Xbox 360 it will probably get propelled out of the house with the squirrel trap or perhaps "stickied" to a tree, pun intended for you Halo3 Players. By the way I am Dontbaloser999 on Halo3 and I can drive the heck out of the ghost and Warthog so make sure you get the plate number of the vehicle that hits you.
Aquen said 3:57PM on 8-19-2008
Why did he nail the kids' XBOX to a tree for playing Halo 3? They can still play Halo 3, considering that game is for Xbox 360, and not the original. Either this article needs a fix to get the fact straight, or that redneck dad is a tech moron.
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doug hawkins said 8:32AM on 8-20-2008
obviously you are not a parent...................sometimes drastic measures are required for drastic situations
Notageek said 9:45AM on 8-20-2008
Is that really the point of the story? Tech geeks are so funny...intelligence with Tech usually means socially retarded.
Sara Jones said 10:39AM on 8-20-2008
It never specified that the kid was playing Halo 3, it just said Halo, which by the way is for the original XBOX.. Get your facts straight before you jump to conclusions.
sheri mcgee said 12:27PM on 8-20-2008
you must be a kid. x=box or x=box360 the damned thing will no longer be controlling the little brat who needs a knock out, not a time out.
ke5gts said 4:05PM on 8-19-2008
Way to VA dad! It's great that someone "punished" the source. I put my sons in the trunk, he'll never find it. He would b outide in the sun. Again way to go. One great parant skill.
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Brian said 4:15PM on 8-19-2008
Wow. CNN fails with this nifty little report. This kid had a "zombie-like" addiction to Halo3, or so they claim. Please, take notice that the system nailed to the tree is the original X-Box system, which for those of you who are not gamers, is obsolete and cannot play Halo3. This story is a hoax put on by an anti-creative mother. I pity the silly person who bids on that thing on ebay, the money is probably going to the parents and no where near a school or college fund. CNN, do everyone a favor and learn your sh1t, actually do some research before publishing such a crap article. I believe I speak for all gamers when I say "/article"
With all due (obviously very little) respect,
Brian "xRED" Pentz
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Dave said 9:49AM on 8-20-2008
Thanks for showing us that you are a pathetic game boy. How dare they confuse a video game! Want me to teach you how to throw a ball or talk to girls little fella?
angela said 10:32AM on 8-20-2008
by the way it does not say haol 3 it says halo. read it right before u put ur 2 cents in..
sheri mcgee said 12:27PM on 8-20-2008
why is what exact generation the game box is such a point for you? I get the gamers. I really do but it isn't sh9t just because it isn't referred to as x-box 360. Which by the way is too much technology. Wow, it does everything and i'm teaching mine to walk the dog and do the dishes.
Becky said 2:49PM on 8-20-2008
The point is that it doesn't make a difference what the heck halo number the kid was playing or whetehr he was playing checkers. He evidently being a rude little zombie and his dad had to "break him" of such nonsense....thus...the device being nailed to the tree. Way to go dad...I hope you beat his little smart butt while you were at it!
RGroove said 5:33PM on 8-20-2008
And you, my friend, fail reading comprehension. Nowhere in the article is there any reference to 'Halo3" only to "Halo." Maybe someone should nail YOUR XBOX-WHATEVER to a tree.
Pratik said 4:45PM on 8-19-2008
The article never said anything about Halo 3. It could be the original Halo or Halo 2, which will work on the first Xbox. L2Read, people.
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O;l Joe said 4:50PM on 8-19-2008
Hmm, I am still trying to find where it says it was Halo 3 they were playing. Only reference I can find is simply, Halo.
Maybe you need ot reread the article or how do they say it, Think before you speak? Or in this case, Read before you type. ;)
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Brian said 4:53PM on 8-19-2008
i believe i speak on behalf of the other couple first commentors, the article was changed, it definitely said Halo3 originally
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Mjubilee said 7:35AM on 8-20-2008
I think your just trying to cover your own butt. You look foolish and so now your trying to blame it on a slick article change....whatever!
matthew said 9:33PM on 8-19-2008
Way to go Dad.
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tassjtp1 said 6:48AM on 8-20-2008
Wow....ok first off you people arguing down there shutup second off of course the kid hate their dad he nailed their system(although cheap) to a friggin tree and third off anyone who buys this on ebay should just give up on life and kill themselves because apparently they have no life to start with
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