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 1)
Jon said 11:03AM on 8-28-2008
Or you could just not let anyone else touch your damn phone.
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Eric said 8:07PM on 8-29-2008
I AGREE!!
bunny said 4:04AM on 8-30-2008
My phone was stolen recently, APPLE offers no replacement, in fact, to do so, I have to purchase a new phone at FULL PRICE and A T & T IS STILL CHARGING FOR THE SERVICE EVEN THOUGH ITS SUSPENDED. NO INSURANCE IS OFFERED FOR THE IPHONE, BY A T & T................THIS IS SO WRONG
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jack said 4:30AM on 8-30-2008
haven't you ever heard about buying an unlocked phone?? screw AT&T and their extra rates and lousy policies...........
Jay said 8:53PM on 8-29-2008
Nice Job! Let everyone know in detail how to do it. Why couldn't it have been explained without a how-to manual. Good Job!
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Rick said 9:19PM on 8-29-2008
News reporting is so low-life anymore. they will do anything say anything to get you to read their bs. Im surprised they don't explain how terriorists get their precursors for IEDs. Theses are the paparazzi of the internet!
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OutridersRules said 11:24PM on 8-29-2008
Serves people right for buying this piece of sh#t made by Apple!! ROFL!!
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Squeegis said 12:16AM on 8-30-2008
The Apple Phone is still the best phone on the market.
I love T-Mobiles service and have them for the rest of my life (I keep signing more 2 year agreements) but wish they offered the IPhone!
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XSemperIdem5 said 1:25AM on 8-30-2008
I have the iPod Touch and I do like it. But typing on it can get kind of annoying; I can type faster on my PDA. Honestly I would not get the iPhone. I want my phone to be a phone. Just flip open and dial, not push the button, slide to unlock, enter the passcode. I am a tech person but when it comes to a phone, I want buttons. In case of an emergency you can dial without looking.
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Jack said 5:14AM on 8-30-2008
1. I have tried this on my iPhone and it does not work. I do not have the newest update though. I wonder if the new update creates this so called hole. The first iPhone update does not have this problem.
2. Squeegis, if you love T-Mobile and want an iPhone then you are in luck. You can unlock an iPhone and use it with any phone carrier that uses a SIM card. If your phone carrier (for instance Verizon) does not use SIM cards but programmed phones then you are SOL.
3. You are right bunny, AT&T does not offer insurance. If you read the policies on Palms, PDA's and SMART phones, insurance can not be put on them because the cost of the phone is too much to replace. (Don't flame me for this, go to any cell phone carrier website and read it for yourself.) BUT . . . you can get the Apple Extra Care Insurance. It's pricey ($79.99 for a year I believe) and it will replace damages to your iPhone but I am not 100% sure if it covers theft. (Unlocking your iPhone voids all warranties.)
4. XSemperIdem5, if you are a tech person (like myself) then you can understand that the iPhone has untouched potential that PDA's don't have. There are several perks the iPhone that does over looked. For instance, it has 0 INTERNAL moving parts except for the viberate feature. Which means less to break. Speaking of breaking, try watching some of the stress test videos that the iPhone went through. Typing is extremely easy if you type from the horizontal keyboard. I get to around 75 GWAM this way. Another is the web apps & download ability. Your iPhone basically, if used and *cough* unlocked *cough* correctly, can be a mini touch screen laptop. Especially with the new updates. Oh, and the passcode is optional. It can be turned on and off through Settings. The slide feature is just like keylock on non-flip phones. Except you do not have to press Menu and the * key, just a slide of the thumb.
All I am saying about the iPhone is, don't hate it unless you try it. I love my iPhone and my Jawbone Bluetooth and would not trade if for all the PDAs and SMART phones in the world.
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Abram said 5:17AM on 8-30-2008
1. I have tried this on my iPhone and it does not work. I do not have the newest update though. I wonder if the new update creates this so called hole. The first iPhone update does not have this problem.
2. Squeegis, if you love T-Mobile and want an iPhone then you are in luck. You can unlock an iPhone and use it with any phone carrier that uses a SIM card. If your phone carrier (for instance Verizon) does not use SIM cards but programmed phones then you are SOL.
3. You are right bunny, AT&T does not offer insurance. If you read the policies on Palms, PDA's and SMART phones, insurance can not be put on them because the cost of the phone is too much to replace. (Don't flame me for this, go to any cell phone carrier website and read it for yourself.) BUT . . . you can get the Apple Extra Care Insurance. It's pricey ($79.99 for a year I believe) and it will replace damages to your iPhone but I am not 100% sure if it covers theft. (Unlocking your iPhone voids all warranties.)
4. XSemperIdem5, if you are a tech person (like myself) then you can understand that the iPhone has untouched potential that PDA's don't have. There are several perks the iPhone that does over looked. For instance, it has 0 INTERNAL moving parts except for the viberate feature. Which means less to break. Speaking of breaking, try watching some of the stress test videos that the iPhone went through. Typing is extremely easy if you type from the horizontal keyboard. I get to around 75 GWAM this way. Another is the web apps & download ability. Your iPhone basically, if used and *cough* unlocked *cough* correctly, can be a mini touch screen laptop. Especially with the new updates. Oh, and the passcode is optional. It can be turned on and off through Settings. The slide feature is just like keylock on non-flip phones. Except you do not have to press Menu and the * key, just a slide of the thumb.
All I am saying about the iPhone is, don't hate it unless you try it. I love my iPhone and my Jawbone Bluetooth and would not trade if for all the PDAs and SMART phones in the world.
Reply
dexter33 said 6:02AM on 8-30-2008
Seriously.. you expect at&t or apple to replace your phone or give you one at a discounted rate? They are not at all responsible for your personal property. When you buy the phone, that means that it is yours and your responsibility. You take certain risks when you buy high end items, many people wish to have them, especially thieves. You have the sole responsibility of securing your property, ie: if you leave something valuable in plain view in your car.. if you leave your purse unattended, someone is going to eventually take advantage of the situation and help themselves. I am sorry for your property being stolen, in no way am I saying you deserved it, but please do take care of your valuable items. There are many people out there without a care for you.
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