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)
Ian said 5:13PM on 9-15-2008
i dont know if its just me.. but wouldnt you feel slightly uncomfortable watching porn with someone sitting RIGHT next to you?
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mellow119 said 8:27PM on 9-15-2008
some people are so ignorant in their ways, they would do it. i could surely name a few
Fishnlwayr said 9:46PM on 9-15-2008
With the addition of porn, it gives new meaning to the old advertising slogan, "Coffee, tea, or me...."
nestmission said 1:50PM on 9-16-2008
I would be REAL upset if some scum bag was watching porn with my little granddaughter or myself having to sit in such close quarters with him/her. There are just certain things that a child or a moral person should not have to put up with...sitting overlaping one another is not the place for that smut to be viewed.
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Cindy said 8:25PM on 9-15-2008
I think they should ban passengers watching pornography of any sort (whether it be videos or magazines) because the curious little children on board should not be exposed to that sort of thing. Honestly, who would even WANT to watch porn on a plane? Are they that sex-hungry??
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Carolyn said 8:43PM on 9-15-2008
LOL Cindy you are so right. How could anyone sit there with a lap top and look at porn. What about the passenger next to them.
Mark said 8:09PM on 9-16-2008
What about the porn flicks that involve porn stars portraying airline stewardesses getting it on with passengers or pilots? Would those be OK?
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jack said 4:09PM on 9-16-2008
this even being a topic shows the sad shape we are in
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Rachel said 8:38PM on 9-15-2008
Personally I have children and if I chose to fly I wouldn,t want to have to worry about some one watching some smut on the flight it is bad enough it is out in plane view for them to see at malls and stores with out my choice. So when I notice things in stores like that I make it a point not to go there. That would be a good way to loose(sp?) families that fly.
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Max said 8:59PM on 9-15-2008
I sincerely doubt tehre is actually a lot of porn being wtached. DEFINE PORN!! Also as far as children are concerned--What are parents doing? Arent they keeping teh children sitting and occupied instead of looking over someone's seat back _annoying.
I wont even go into the false puritanism issue.
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JIM said 9:13PM on 9-15-2008
your all a bunch of morons. you let your kids watch movies with people killing each other and cartoons with dragons getting there heads cut off and you think they are going to have night mares over people have sex . i just dont belive all you closed mined people. i think people with lap tops should be in the back anyway and kids with game boys with the sound on
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Flight Attendant said 9:42PM on 9-15-2008
This coming from someone with such poor grammar and spelling. You need to sit in the back. Or better yet drive.
nobodyknowsme619 said 9:21PM on 9-15-2008
i know this will just drive some of you crazy, but i still believe that it's an individual's right!!! it should be up to parents to address it should they encounter the situation. i wouldn't do it, but i'm not going to tell someone else they shouldn't. as long as they are wearing headphones and not being gross about it, then that's their perogative. that said, i was on a recent flight and two young girls were listening to hanna montana without ear phones! i, along with several others, complained to flight attendants and eventually the girls turned it off. get this - the parents were griping about the other people!!! sorry, but i'd much rather deal with someone watching porn than unreasonable parents and their jerk kids.
also - for the person who said "that's a good way to lose families who travel"...as someone who travels non-stop for work...GOOD! stay away and stay out of my way.
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JustAReply said 9:48PM on 9-15-2008
Let's see...pro-porn = has no kids, anti-porn = probably has kids
Sorry, but subjecting others to porn is not a 'right', and subjecting minors to porn is a felony
So do what you want at home, that's free speech. But when you're out in public it's more than inappropriate.
Sherry Powell said 9:44PM on 9-15-2008
Watch Porn where I can see it and the Flight Attendant will not have to deal with it! Of course I might get thrown off the plane at the next stop. But I can guarantee you that guy's laptop might not work ever again.
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Sherry Powell said 9:50PM on 9-15-2008
OH let me add "Nobodyknowsme619" I'm not worried about the little kids. YES folks have rights. BUT they do not have the right to invade my sensabilities. I realize the world is filled with thoughtless Jerks who just don't give a Darn about others. BUT I really think most would prefer viewing their smut in a more priviate setting. Most laptop users are working on business reports or playing games.
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Fishnlwayr said 12:14AM on 9-16-2008
Someone said: " know this will just drive some of you crazy, but i still believe that it's an individual's right!!! "
Personally, I get the biggest kick out of taking my foot and tapping on the bottom of the seat in front of me. It is, to me, a form of expression. I kick when I'm nervous. I kick when I'm anxious. I kick really fast when I'm watching that sexy attendant open those cans of Sprite. I really kick hard when I'm frustrated. But my biggest joy is kicking the underside of the seat of some jerk who tells me to quit watching his porn....It's a perv thang...
So, when you tell me to quit kicking your seat...I'm not touching you...I'm just expressing myself. Isn't that my individual right???
So sit down and shut up...turn on our porn...and get ready to get your a$$ kicked for 400 miles. I'm just expressing myself and, like you said, that is my right.
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Tony said 10:08PM on 9-15-2008
I think that this is a toss up. I understand some may watch porn and others may not but i don't want to look over in the seat next to me and see another guy all over his self. Some people just really could care less. but at the same time another part that gets me is i'm supposed to not be allowed to watch certain movies because some one's kid is sitting next to me and his parents don't want him to see it. I could care less about families on planes not because i don't have any kids but because i'm being blocked from what i like to do to pass time because some ones son/daughter is sitting next to me. I don't think so i think this is unfair. I love action movies and one of my favorite is swordfish. I can't watch it because of a few graphic scenes. I think that parents should expect some of the worst when flying on planes because i've seen alot of really random things happen that could just make getting home a hell when your kids in the back seat asking a million questions on what they just saw, but all in all it's alittle bit of each side has strong points but i would go with no on the porn definetly. Some one's perogative isn't a good enough that people should be allowed even though that is a good i understand that but not good enough.
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Jan Crisostomo said 12:24AM on 9-16-2008
You know, it's not so much a matter of parents not wanting their kids to see pornography or really graphic scenes...YOU shouldn't want those children exposed to those things....YOU shouldn't want to be responsible for sowing those nasty seeds into their brains, which are so innocent and ready to learn. Remember, what YOU sow, that shall YOU reap.
Willie said 10:08PM on 9-15-2008
It's almost a Catch-22. People (adults) should be able to view what they wish, but they MUST be discrete about it, and if somone else does invade that persons' privacy and are offended, then to hell with the invader, because they offended the viewer by invading their privacy.
NOTE to Rachel: remember , A loose goose wants to lose news.
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