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 3)
Anonymous said 3:20PM on 8-29-2008
Um.... The only reason Lindsay Lohan is "tabloid queen" is because her mother pimped her out at the age of ONE. The poor girl has questionable talent. Her sister Ali has NONE. If anyone is to blame for this disaster they call the Lohan Family, it's DINA. Shame on you, Dina, for exploiting your children this way, just for your own gain. Good luck IN HELL and I hope your thirst is never quenched.
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Jojo said 4:57PM on 9-02-2008
lol um its really not that serious
Amy said 7:43PM on 9-01-2008
couldn't have said it any better Anonymous-the whole Lohan family is a trainwreck. Didn't an uncle of this family just get put in jail for misuse of 911 funds? I can't stand to see Dina Lohan-I attempted to watch her reality show-for about 5 minutes and that was all I could take of it-what garbage.
jenesis227 said 4:36PM on 8-29-2008
Apparently Lindsay Lohan is happy with her life right now. You don't see her drinking, doing drugs or the like. If she's found happiness with another woman, then so be it, let it be. As for her father, he can STFU for a change. If he even cared about his daughter to begin with, he would have taken much more care of her when she was young. Whatever he does is for his own greedy reasons and needs to mind his own business and butt out of the limelight, of which he has none. He's probably very jealous of his own daughter's success and happiness. No one really cares about what he thinks anyway.
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Aubrey leahy said 8:54PM on 9-01-2008
Spot on Jen................ Erudite and to the point........ well done.
Now perhaps you can tell me if, in the NRA handbook, the Gun safety features are before or after the Shotgun Wedding chapters......
Mike Crowley said 2:52AM on 8-30-2008
jenesis227, On what basis do you decree maximum tolerance for Lindsey Lohan trashing her father in public, while at the same time insisting that the father must not be allowed to express himself? I gather it's because you suppose she's a lesbian, and thus part of a group entitled to special privileges, while as a white male the dad has no rights at all. In your insular little messed up universe, that is.
If it turns out she's straight you'll no doubt cease to champion her, but you'll still despise men just for being men because that's the kind of prejudiced, judgmental, bigoted, intolerant, self-righteous and uptight witch you are.
But why am I trying to reason with a pea-brain like you? After all, there's no sense in casting pearls before swine.
Oh, and if you read this and choose to respond, let's see if you can do it without being a gutter-mouth. Betcha can't. STFU, indeed.
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alice said 2:17PM on 8-31-2008
um excuse me mike crowley but jenisis227 is entitled to their opinion and it doesn't have to be the same as your opinion that why its CALLED AN OPINION!
normally i wouldn't get involved but your being very nasty and hypocritical and if it turns out that she is straight (WHICH IT PROBABLY WONT she will probably be BISEXUAL!!) then people will still support her.
Mike Crowley said 2:54AM on 8-30-2008
jenesis227, On what basis do you decree maximum tolerance for Lindsey
Lohan trashing her father in public, while at the same time insisting
that the father must not be allowed to express himself? I gather
it's because you suppose she's a lesbian, and thus part of a group
entitled to special privileges, while as a white male the dad has no
rights at all. In your insular little messed up universe, that is.
If it turns out she's straight you'll no doubt cease to champion her,
but you'll still despise men just for being men because that's the
kind of prejudiced, judgmental, bigoted, intolerant, self-righteous
and uptight witch you are.
But why am I trying to reason with a pea-brain like you? After all,
there's no sense in casting pearls before swine.
Oh, and if you read this and choose to respond, let's see if you can
do it without being a gutter-mouth. Betcha can't. STFU, indeed.
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Katrina said 4:03PM on 8-30-2008
ROFLMFAO. Lindsay calling her dad a "public embarrassment"? Damn. This is too easy.
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Lia said 2:09PM on 9-01-2008
One only has to look at Ronson to know that Lohan's father is right. What a skank.
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samgoodlaw said 2:12PM on 9-01-2008
I see.. It's not Lindsay that's an attention whore, it's her faaaaather. LOL Just an itty bit of projection there eh Lindsay?.. Now go have another productive day and shaving your cootch and being such a great mentor for the little sis.
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heidi said 2:22PM on 9-01-2008
lindsay has always been a mess and a lousy actress.
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buzzbinks said 2:35PM on 9-01-2008
Will someone please tell me, who the heck is Lindsay Lohand???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
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betsy said 3:00PM on 9-01-2008
You have got to be kidding. you love the fact that she responds on MySpace. Please. You're on MySpace reading it!!!
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Sheryl said 3:16PM on 9-01-2008
She is not any better than her Dad. She is a media whore.
He and her mother pushed her in this famous life and then her and Mom kicked him to the curb after the big money came rolling in. He is probably trying to make some money because he is expected to be wealthy because he is Lindsays's dad. Who knows.
I think it sucks that men can be thrown out on the streets just because they aren't needed anymore.
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carolebarb said 3:21PM on 9-01-2008
LOHAN SAYS HER FATHER IS A"PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT", I BELIEVE SHE IS..............
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Janet said 5:22PM on 9-01-2008
I KNOW! I mean, being gay is no biggie, but couldn't she pick something better than THAT heroin laden, boyish, pale, gross THING?!!!! I mean.....she looks as though she has some disease or something!
patthebuny said 3:29PM on 9-01-2008
will someone PLEASE tell me who the hell is samantha ronson??... what nasty rock did she crawl out from under?... does she ever take a bath?..i have NEVER seen a picture of this "female" clean or without a cigarette. .. she looks like she would fit in better with the likes of courtney love and amy whinehouse.... not that lindsey "hey look at me" lohan isn't much better.. she was cute when she was younger.. but now she's just a tired wannabe
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mjk19601987 said 8:27PM on 9-01-2008
Yawn...the WHOLE family has an addiction to fame, and no talent to back it up.
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mike said 4:07PM on 9-01-2008
can you say lesbo skank if u cant see it, is the man in this relationship your blind
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