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)
Cathy said 3:15PM on 10-07-2008
Yes! While I have been able to improve my photos, I have found that using a camera without a viewfinder has hampered my ability to get sharp photos. My next camera purchase, probably a small digital SLR, will have to have a viewfinder or it will be no deal. My husband and I are planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe and clear photos are an absolute must.
I guess the folks who decided to leave the viewfinder out of the latest cameras have all the other toys to stabilize their cameras. Bring back the viewfinder!
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lisa French said 3:44PM on 10-07-2008
What most people dont realize is every digital camera also has a view finder. There is a little button near it that you can press to turn off the screen and turn on the view finder instead.
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ChrisMitch said 7:18PM on 10-07-2008
@lisafrench
Nope, "every digital camera" does not also have a viewfinder. There are several models that don't have one. Unfortunately I've owned one and never will again. Another pitfall of the LCD only option is that if you are in really bright light, it's difficult to see what is on the screen. So for a lot of outdoor shots, I was left to guess based on dark shapes I could sort of make out. The battery drain was super annoying too.
It's definitely ideal to have both. I shoot with a Canon S3IS and it's the best of both worlds. And my batteries last about 3x longer when I primarily use the viewfinder as opposed to the LCD. But the latter is great when I'm at weird angles (like holding the camera above my head or at a weird angle) and, like the author mentioned, for reviewing photos.
val said 7:19PM on 10-07-2008
"What most people dont realize is every digital camera also has a view finder". Not EVERY digital camera has a view finder. Most of the compact cameras do NOT have a view finder. If you look at the bridge and DSLR cameras, then yes, you will find a view finder those, but as for the compacts, not many.
Laurel VanBuskirk said 11:21AM on 10-09-2008
I completely agree with this. I bought my current camera online so didn't notice there was no viewfinder until I tried taking my first picture. The worst thing about them is that you can't see anything on the screen if you are trying to take pictures in the sunlight. Without a viewfinder you have no idea if you captured the picture you want until you can get somewhere in the shade and review.
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