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)
patrickgawne said 6:24AM on 10-01-2008
I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of people with gps devices.
There could be a psycho carjacker with a gun to my head and I would still never drive down a set of RR tracks.
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riversidelimo said 6:28AM on 10-01-2008
Being sketical,I drove this same route yesterday (9/30) to 333 North Bedford Rd. using my Maggelan AND Becker GPS. Neither GPS told me to turn anywhere near these train tracks.
When you get off the exit, it tells you, "turn right in 1/2 mile" (onto Rt 117).
I'd like to see this gentleman's GPS.
He's full of it.
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hit man said 12:54PM on 10-01-2008
How do you know what directions was given to his GPS. You cannot say that without knowing what directions was entered in his GPS. Dont make up conclusions without the facts
msisis62 said 1:16PM on 10-01-2008
since most GPS's get their maps from mapquest, or other online map services, it goes to show those services are not 100% accurate either. I once had Mapquest trying to drive me literally in circles. Luckily I wasn't dumb enough to fall for it. If I was one of these people, I'd probably still be driving in circles!
My house isn't even on some GPS - why? Because they have old maps - you kinda have to update them in order to get them to work right, and most probably don't even do that. Mapquest didn't add my house until about 3 years ago, so that tells me where they were getting the maps (the house has been here for 7 years).
JTNT said 7:10AM on 10-01-2008
My husband said, ": I think he bought his GPS from Acme (the company that supplied the Coyote). It makes me wonder how a lot of people (not everyone) managed to drive anywhere before GPS Whatever happened to an atlas? Common sense? Oh well....live and learn.
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maudie said 7:50AM on 10-01-2008
The man should not be allowed to ride a bike much less drive a motorized vehicle. I guess he will sue the manufacturer of the GPS and win millions of dollars.
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escem59 said 8:09AM on 10-01-2008
Stupid is as stupid does,and those who put total faith in an inanimate gadget, instead of using the brain in conjunction with the device, only puts innocents into their equation of intellectual suicide and debauchery of our social aptitude.GET REAL PEOPLE,WAKE UP! Technology exist to fix stupidity,if you have the money to do so.
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Larry Vincent said 8:10AM on 10-01-2008
"My GPS made me do it , officer! "Otherwise I wouldn't have traveling the wrong way on that one-way street." Duh!!!
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Starry said 8:14AM on 10-01-2008
Oh, anyone knows that there may be errors in databases. They are inpur by humans... and humans err. BUT anyone THAT STUPID... to NOT use their common sense along with their GPS? Should not be DRIVING!! ... or procreating further!
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dangomez322 said 8:34AM on 10-01-2008
stupid is as stupid does!! gps or not,why would anyone drive on railroad tracks? this is unbelievable! take away their driver's liscense before they kill innocent people.
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jen said 8:25AM on 10-01-2008
i do feel sad these people have lost thier lives. if my gps told me to drive across train tracks theres no way i would do it. not only do you put yourself in danger you put other people on the trains in danger if they slam into your car. i mean if your gps told you to drive through someones house or walk out of your car and jump off the bridge would you do it? no
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leeann said 10:31AM on 10-01-2008
these people did not die
Fred Golden said 3:56AM on 2-28-2009
If your GPS told you to take a long drive off a short pier. would you be stupid enough to do it?
It is called the Darwin Therory.
If you are that stupid, then go and kill yourself. Just don't put others in danger by driving onto a railroad track.
Renee said 8:38AM on 10-01-2008
A while back a lady from out of town, using a GPS, was driving at night in the town where I live, and it led her into the river! Lucky for her, she came out of it okay. I realize it was at night, but I still don't quite understand how someone can be led to drive onto train tracks or into a river. Makes you wonder if there are some blind people using these things to drive around:)
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mrsgoodbuy said 8:41AM on 10-01-2008
How dense can someone be? It isn't rocket sciencce to realize that you should not be driving along on train tracks. It sounds like some of his intellegence genes drown in the gene pool.
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Condor said 8:45AM on 10-01-2008
Once again, natural stupidity trumps artficial intelligence! :)
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Bob said 8:47AM on 10-01-2008
When I read ridiculous stories like this I cant believe how people in this world have become such feeble-minded idiots that they have to have such things as GPS devices to get to where theyre going. What ever happened with using a road map or calling for directions to where you have to go? Its hard to believe how we survived all these years without this great technology.
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jaguar66 said 9:22AM on 10-01-2008
If this is a repeat error -- what brand GPS is this and what map database is it using (the real cause)?
In my experience, some of the map database files are two or more years out of date at the time the pricey 'update' download is available to customers. There doesn't seem to be any accountability.
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KK said 10:14PM on 10-01-2008
I agree, we definitely need to find out GPS brands and programs. Twice in the same place is a bit crazy....
And I'm from the area and I can say that these train tracks have been there way before GPS technology was invented. The GPS map shouldn't be out of date.
Although, I guess, I have seen what you're saying. Mapquest always gives me directions from my development to the main road that don't even exist anymore, and haven't existed for many years.
If they just plain get it wrong from the start, we're all screwed..
Gdude said 8:51PM on 10-01-2008
The interesting thing is that some of these folks, and I include the British "GPS accidents" previously reported, appear to be "driving on instruments".
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