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)
scottmcpartland said 5:23PM on 9-20-2008
So I guess Woody Allen and lot of other people who panic when they fly in jets will be grounded from here on. Good idea.
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Make more Bond films said 8:26PM on 9-20-2008
so every new tool to HELP (not be the only factor) find terrorists means Bush created a police state, NOT Janet Reno and Bill Clinton who sent
in police to a private home to kidnap Elien Gonzalez and force him to go to Communist Cuba.
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Fred said 12:15PM on 9-21-2008
Like 99.999% of Americans, I have absolutely no notion of having less privacy under Bush than any other President. My life is the same. Maybe that's because I'm not at a public library searching for dirty bombs and the blueprints for government buildings. For those who are, gosh I'm so sorry that their privacy has been invaded by Bush. We live in a technological world where privacy is becoming nonexistant, if you don't like it, throw away your computers, credit cards, and cell phones. Its the march of technology, not Bush thats destroying our privacy. And by the way, thank you Bush for the years under your watch with no terrorists attacks in America. I'd rather have living Americans, than an inconvenienced terrorist. We also need to separate "rights" from "privacy." We have more rights than ever in the history of the country what with the Supreme Court finding rights all the time, but again, privacy is a technology issue more than a government issue.
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Gregory Dittmer said 3:26PM on 9-21-2008
"Like 99.999% of Americans, I have absolutely no notion of having less privacy under Bush than any other President."
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Well Fred, I'm certain your figures need revising! While it may be a minority that feel issues like the Patriot Act have cut into personal privacy and Constitutional protections, it is certainly a LOT more than you claim.
Further, while you may "have absolutely no notion of having less privacy," the fact is you have far less privacy in everyday matters. Just because you can't sense it surely doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Personally, even though I am doing nothing illegal, I don't think the Government should be allowed to check my financial records or know what library books I read. If I want to rant on about Bush and Cheney or talk to someone in Iran or China, it is my right under the Constitution of the United States of America and NO ONE has the right to intercept or otherwise monitor what I say!
Benjamin Franklin, one of the founders of this great country had much wisdom that was expressed in few words.........
”Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.”
"All human situations have their inconveniences. We feel those of the present but neither see nor feel those of the future; and hence we often make troublesome changes without amendment, and frequently for the worse."
"He that's secure is not safe."
PAmed said 12:44PM on 9-21-2008
So like our current Govt. to be elementary in it's attempts at security, all while spending trillions in Iraq to make a point and a grab for big oil. Housewives, those on their way to a wedding or surgery in another state, CEOs whos companies are failing, someone on their way to a relative's funeral, etc. ... all of these folks will risk being pulled aside and labeled as possible terrorists? What a ridiculous attempt at proactivity?! Aside from that, even if it were a useful tool, the attacks were in 2001. Why is it taking so long to find a reasonable, technological method that will safeguard airtravel?
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betsy said 1:22PM on 9-21-2008
The terrorists will train themselves to keep that under control through meditation or something. I will be the one getting picked on because I am afraid to fly. This sounds too easy to beat.
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Gregory Dittmer said 3:39PM on 9-21-2008
Now the Government has come up with yet another method of snagging MANY innocent people with a huge net meant to catch but one or two! So many people seem to think anything the Government does is fine... at least until it affects THEM personally... then you will hear them cry from sea to sea.
The Government of this country was designed to work FOR The People, not to CONTROL The People! The Constitution was written to limit what the Government can and cannot do, it was NEVER meant to give or take away your personal, God given rights as a human. All citizens of this country have many rights that are not specifically named or spelled out in the Constitution, to do so is not necessary nor possible without having a fairly straight forward document turned into a voluminous library.
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Scott said 4:32PM on 9-21-2008
Terrorists are trained to keep their cool. They want to do it for their country and God, so it's no problem to them. Waste of Money!!!!!!!
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codependant said 6:36PM on 9-21-2008
Never work , I get anxiety attacts just thinking of having to
deal with these idiots !
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Freedom40Fighter said 9:05PM on 9-21-2008
Sounds just like the technology in Orwell's "1984"... but who cares, that book was just FICTION.
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