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 4)
Marilee said 4:12PM on 9-27-2008
Do I feel sorry for Ed McMahon......Perfect example of "No fool like an old fool"......He made plenty of money to secure his old age comfortably...How dumb can you get ...With the advantages he has had in life there is no way he shouldn't be in good financial shape....
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Robert said 4:11PM on 9-27-2008
That's humiliating? Hey, Ed: Let them humiliate me next!
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kels said 4:17PM on 9-27-2008
You mean to tell me you where lucky enough to make all that money at once and now you will get a second chance! Oh man LET THE LITTLE PEOPLE THROUGH. I dont mean to sound like a sour puss but thousands of letters have been written on behalf of someone dying with Pulmonary Fibrosis to all these stars that say giving is great! I used to think well how nice of them till we really wrote for help for this young gal NOT ONE PERSON WROTE BACK! I would love a chance to ask these people with a lot of money why when I asked for help did you not help? Do they only help if the camreas are on? I was so mad to watch Oprah
about giving this gal needs a total of 15 grand. I see people toss that away in the casinos! She still needs the help write to Janice Power on my space.com
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JIM said 4:17PM on 9-27-2008
I FEEL SORRY FOR HIM ALTHOUGH HE WAS STUPID AS TO WHAT HE DID WITH ALL HIS MONEY YOU STILL GOT TO FEEL SORRY FOR THE GUY. DAMN DONAL TRUMP PAID FOR HIS HOUSE. YOU KNOW AT LEAST HE IS DOING THIS TO EARN SOME MONEY.
GOD BLESS HIM AND MAY THIS BE A LESSON FOR UP AND COMING STARS,.
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therese said 4:53PM on 9-27-2008
The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer, I'd be more than happy to make a commercial, make all that money for a little bit of work, rather than the 12 hour night shifts that I work 6 days a week to make ends meet.
I don't see how he is an old fool, just a smart enough of one to know that when Johny said to laugh all the way to the bank, Ed was listening.
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Jiggy said 4:52PM on 9-27-2008
Rappin Rodney lol !
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Earthwings said 10:05PM on 9-27-2008
Can we say the Lord giveth and taketh away? There is a reason Ed's friends are not helping him out. Either they don't care, are in the same predictiment are not his friends, or plain and simple just don't care. As for the Donld he is no friend he is a businman, opportunist a SMART businessman. Ed should take a lesson from him in how to go from the bottom up. Not once but twice even with alimony and child support.
Thumbs up Donald. Thumbs down Ed.
Barry said 5:16PM on 9-27-2008
That's good. Teach him a lesson for wasting all the money he made schilling for Carson. I have no sympathy for him!
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Marc Alexander said 5:16PM on 9-27-2008
Why the hell can't some of Ed's ultrarich show biz friend pitch in to help? What does that say about them and their values?
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Barry said 5:22PM on 9-27-2008
Why should his rich friends help him? He got into the situation he is in all by himself! Wait, Jerry Lewis could give him some of the MD money that was pledged a few weeks ago. No one will notice since there still isn't a cure for MD after all the years of the telethon.
Agnes said 5:21PM on 9-27-2008
I think the laughing hyenna should be barred from TV. We all have to pay our taxes, he's no different. Shame on AARP and anyone else who is using (paying) him to be their spoksperson. Hire an honest person...
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Montalguy said 5:19PM on 9-27-2008
The 'free credit report.com" commercial is NOT obnoxous. It is cute and so is the jingle. The writer is only dishing it because it contains three white males. If it contained the normal half breed variety of females, it would have been "precious". This mindset makes me want to puke! And so do writers like Terrence OBrien, who must be black.
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Cream said 10:23PM on 9-27-2008
First,Good for Ed for being healthy enough to make the decision to make some money following his unfortunate circumstances...I felt sorry for him but,thank God, he's alive and still trying..
Second, How do you "assume" that the writer must be black because he found the commercials obnoxious? Everyone is entitled to their opinions and personally, I found your comment to be a bit racist in it's contents..
sandra ramos said 5:23PM on 9-27-2008
Oh give me a break! If he wasn't too humiliated to go on tv and cry to news rags, begging for handouts, why should he be humiliated by working! His situation is his own fault! Gambling, drinking and trying to keep a "high maintenance" ho of a wife! Use better judgement, old man, and don't keep on with your little "poor me, I blew my money, so can you give me yours?" routine! That old lush has SPENT more money in a year than most of us willl make in a lifetime, and you want us to feel "sorry" for him? I don't think so!
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Mark said 5:26PM on 9-27-2008
Dear God....this is the same as when Milton Burle did that cameo for that flash-in-the-pan rock group Ratt back in the late 80s. It's just...sad.
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Ratt said 11:05AM on 9-28-2008
Milton Berle's nephew Marshall Berle was Ratt's band manager.
Waterman Chris said 5:27PM on 9-27-2008
Im freak'n styoked fer Ed".
1'st of all ? "THAT'z HOLLYWOOD" !
2'ed ? That'z what sepperate'z the men from the boy'z Ed" !
"GREAT JOB DOOooOOD" !
Watta . . .
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/CHRISTHEWATERMANRYAN
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davis10oregon1 said 7:37PM on 9-27-2008
PLEASE !!!
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cocoa said 5:33PM on 9-27-2008
I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU PEOPLE. THIS IS HUMILIATING? THIS IS STRONG AND DECISIVE AND PULL UP YOUR BOOTSTRAPS TIME! IT'S WHAT WE, OVER 50, CALL A JOB! YOU YOUNGER BLOGGERS .....PLEASE RECOGNIZE THIS FOR WHAT IT IS! A MAN WITH INTEGRITY THAT WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO FEED HIS FAMILY.
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wendi said 5:49PM on 9-27-2008
speak for yourself. i LOVE those commercials! if we must listen and watch commercials every 5 minutes or so, these commercials are at least entertaining and the guy is cute. sends a great message. more power to ed; at least he has a sense of humor about his lifestyle "errors."
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