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)
King Funky said 2:38PM on 11-13-2008
FIRST! FIRST!
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Eddie said 2:54PM on 11-13-2008
When making "Friend Requests" do not over do it. Facebook systems will shut your Facebook account down if you make too many friend requests over a period of time. Also depends on how fast "Friend Requests" are made. Facebook will not disclose any quotas, or guideline, or recommendations, or specify the limits. They may send a vague warning that "...their systems have detected that you have made too many friend requests over a period, and they can not disclose any more specifics.
Another violation, they are likely to disable your Facebook account.
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yelohbird said 9:32PM on 11-17-2008
Those safeguards are put in place to guard against spammers who use automated systems to generate friend requests. It is highly unlikely that a normal person will be requesting friends fast enough that the system detects it as a potential spammer.
dewey said 3:12PM on 11-13-2008
hey Tight Scotswoman ... you wrote:: GEESH, HOW HARD UP WERE THEY?.... well,, you must be pretty hard up.. you're reading stories and commenting about facebook that you've "NEVER BEEN ON" but sure know alot about..Maybe that's why you label your self as "tight"... no BF's??
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wendy said 3:47PM on 11-13-2008
hahahaha!
and AMEN to Yovanna!!
conk said 3:28PM on 11-13-2008
ectoh dear i got the wrong room. lets start again
dear aunt sally.
know one understands me, plus to them, i am a figure of ridicule my friends shun me, my wife divorced me, m bank manager is the only one to write to me on a regular basis, abiet not all in an all together friendly tone and i have just been downsized at work, adding to this my spell checker does not work, on well back to the safe options of my face... my space..... ect ect ect et al
yours a hot hunk
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YOVANNA said 4:36PM on 11-13-2008
Hey hold on there Miss tight Scotswoman,
I do agree with you regarding never having a My Space, FaceBook, etc., I also think these are just a waste of valuable time, unless you are P-Diddy that can afford to have a staff to keep him in touch with the "media mass" in order to give him some world-wide connections for "fame." Those people are the ones that "should" be utilizing every available resource available. It's smart business.
However, as for the way you demean OLD WOMEN, you need to STOP, simply because someday real soon....you will be in that "bracket" age wise. Age doesn't necessarily mean old, now.
Some 50 year olds.....are far better educated in life, Wiser, knowledgeable, confident, unselfish, content, and spiritually happy with their lives. These women, and I am one, are active and bring joy to the lives of those not so blessed.
If another person wants to call their spouse "Hubby" let them, it doesn't bother me. You sound like you have a lot of hang-ups, you aren't a very happy person, and you get off by critizing others.
Hey, if it isn't you......it shouldn't bother you. Chill....gf, learn to chill and don't sweat the small stuff. Make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate than yourself and find your true happiness.
A message from "An Old 55 year Scorpion Woman" who loves life and doesn't jump into another person's way of doing things. It's called respecting others, even when you don't agree with them.
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quin said 3:40PM on 11-13-2008
My G'ma used to call her husband 'Hubby"
I thought it endearing. "Old women calling their men studs better than calling them duds.".LOL... Just think some day you might be an older person, perspective may change, and I was wondering how you know what all those mentioned sites were like if you never looked at them.
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A TIGHT SCOTSWOMAN said 3:52PM on 11-13-2008
I'M A BIT OLD FASHION AND PREFER TO REFER TO MY HUSBAND AS 'MY HUSBAND' AS I FEEL HUBBY IS BEING TOO LAZY TO USE THE WORD HUSBAND.
JUST A COMMENT MADE ON AN OBSERVATION!
THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY USE TOO MUCH SLANG AND NOT PROPER WORDS .
IT MAKES SOME PEOPLE SOUND LIKE THEY ARE STUPID OR UNEDUCATED AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO GET UPSET AT BEING STEREO-TYPED!
AND WONDER WHY?
kicking butt and taking...more names said 5:39PM on 11-13-2008
I agree with ya there girly. Tight Scotswoman needs to learn that how she speaks to others and picks out all their negative qualities is going to come back and bite her in the freakin' butt. I think you are just an anal old lady, who needs open her mind a little bit, and accept the fact that we aren't living in the past, while I may not agree with what everyone says or does, we need to be positive influences. Not negative. SOOOOOOO... if you think you are so high and mighty, and so very smart, why haven't you solved all of the world's problems yet, including but not limited to: war, poverty, death(good luck with that one), and etc. Have a nice day.
(Looks like I just took another name ;P)
quin said 9:33PM on 11-13-2008
In reply without the shouting, in case you do not know all caps is shouting in language arts. I would not call my deceased G'ma at all lazy she worked so hard at a factory all her life she used it as a term of endearment not laziness or slang.
Quin said 9:31PM on 11-13-2008
It should also be old fashioned not fashion.
Laurie said 7:39PM on 11-13-2008
My Space and Face book are for desperate people who can't find a social life of their own. There are people who are on My Space constantly, all day and all night. Losers.
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monica said 4:57PM on 11-13-2008
I just wanted to say that I use to feel that way. However I do not anymore. I am very educated and I have raised 4 children, successfully married, and happy, and have a boat load of friends. I have a Facebook, Myspace, and several other online pages as well as Yahoo. I do not agree with your statements but you are entitled to your opinion. I do not get to talk to my friends a lot in person so this is the best way I can get in touch, and of course there is my old faithful e mail....
Mis G. said 4:38PM on 11-13-2008
PLEASE READ: For those of you who think this site is wrong and that I am wrong for being on it, THINK ABOUT THIS... I am on Facebook to KEEP IN TOUCH with my LOVED ONES!!! I am not on Facebook to meet anyone new. Nor have I met anyone new, FAMILY and FRIENDS ONLY. No one can look at my page with out me allowing them to. My husband is in the Marines, 22 yrs now and we move all the time. We have not lived near our family in 18yrs. We don't have the luxury of being able to talk on the phone or to go to each other's house or out to dinner. So we can keep up with each other this way and it's FREE to use. I am not paying any long distance phone charges or driving across the country. They can see our family photos and leave us little notes about them. We can keep family and friends updated on when and where we are moving (we have moved 3 times in 15 months) and how my husband is doing when he is deployed out of the country. It's the best way for us to keep in touch and keep our loved ones updated on us. Our son has health issues, it would be impossible to keep everyone, all across the country informed everyday how he is doing. This allows us to let them know he is ok or if he is in the hospital. For us, for now... Facebook is perfect. Thank you for reading my testimony.
Tight Scotswoman said 3:43PM on 11-13-2008
YOVANNA,
I AM ONE OF THOSE 'OLD' WOMEN!
I'LL BE 64 MY NEXT BIRTHDAY!!
SINCE I HAVE SAT IN ON THOSE OLD RETIREE'S CHAT ROOMS AND LISTENED TO THEM COMPLAIN I FEEL I HAVE FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT I SPEAK OF!
YOU CAN SET YOUR CLOCK BY THEM! THEY ARE IN THEIR FOR 'COFFEE' EARLY IN THE MORNING!
AGAIN MID MORNING FOR A 'COFFEE' BREAK!
THEN SHORTLY AFTER LUNCH!
AND DON'T FORGET AFTERNOON BREAK!
THEY HAVE TO SAY 'BBL TIME FOR DINNER' AND AN HOUR LATER THEY ARE BACK!
THEN THERE IS A SHORT BREAK TO LOAD THE DISHWASHER AND BY 6:30 THEY ARE BACK FOR ANOTHER GO ROUND!
BETWEEN 8 AND MIDNIGHT THEY SIT IN THOSE CHAT ROOMS FOR AS LONG AS 2 HOURS OR MORE!
I KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WHEN EITHER BEING THERE OR CHECKING TO SEE WHO IS IN THE ROOM!
THEY TALK ABOUT THE SAME, OLD, MUNDANE ROUTINE THEY HAVE EVERY DAY!
THEY CAN'T CARRY ON A DISCUSSION ABOUT ANYTHING OF IMPORTANCE UNLESS IT IS RELIGION OR POLITICS AND THEN THEY ARE ALWAYS 'RIGHT' IN HOW THEY BELIEVE OR VOTE!
THEY HAVE NO IDEA THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY OR AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW OUR GOVERNMENT WORKS!
THEY DON'T LIKE ANYONE WHO TALKS ABOUT THEIR OWN FAMILY HISTORY OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS BUT ARE THE FIRST TO 'BRAG' AND CARRY ON ABOUT THEIR OWN GRANDCHILDREN.
OR THEY WANT TO PRY INTO YOUR LIFE AND KNOW ALL THERE IS TO KNOW! ONLY BECAUSE TO TWIST IT AROUND LATER AND TELL LIES ABOUT A PERSON.
AFTER A WHILE, IT GETS OLD, REAL OLD!
IF I WERE A BETTING WOMAN, AND I'M NOT, I'D BET IF THEY ACTUALLY READ MORE THAN ONE BOOK A YEAR IT WOULD SHOCK ME.
THEY NEVER MENTION THAT THEY READ SOMETHING NEW IN THE NEWSPAPER SO I WONDER WHEN IT WAS THE LAST TIME THEY PICKED UP THE NEWSPAPER AND READ IT?
OF COURSE, ONE IN EVERY CROWD WILL SAY THAT THE MEDIA IS BIASED SO WHY BOTHER?
NOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY I DON'T GO INTO OLD PEOPLE'S CHAT ROOMS? I DON'T WANT TO BECOME A BORING OLD FOOL LIKE THEM. I'D RATHER STICK MY NOSE IN A BOOK THAN INTO SOMEONE'S PERSONAL LIFE.
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A TIGHT SCOTSWOMAN said 3:50PM on 11-13-2008
MY DEAR,
I AM "TIGHT" WITH MY MONEY, AMONG OTHER THINGS!
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PaJim said 11:54AM on 1-09-2009
See, now you have me really confused. You say you are "a bit old fashioned and 'prefer' to refer to my husband as 'my husband." OK, fine. But why isn't it OK for other people to 'prefer' find pleasure in their lives in ways that differ from yours? I think I am beginning to understand where the "tight" description comes from. You get to set the boundaries for your own life, my dear, but not for anyone else's. And BTW, for someone who thinks Facebook etc. are a waste of time, you sure are spending a lot of time defending your self-centered, "The Word according to me" philosophy. Lighten up. Enjoy life your way and let others enjoy it theirs. It would make for a nicer world.
Rebecca said 3:58PM on 11-13-2008
You ever think myspace may be a good site to help military spouses keep in touch with friends that may have moved away? As a 7 yr happily married active duty spouse and mom to 4 small kids, that is how some of us keep in touch, share photos and life events, etc.... The best part is you can keep it private to everyone else. The whole world doesnt need to know your business. Dont put it down just because you may not know all the features of a particular site. If you dont like it, dont use it.
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A TIGHT SCOTSWOMAN said 3:53PM on 11-13-2008
SPELL CHECK SPELL CHECK SPELL CHECK! LOL LOL LOL
conk @ Nov 13th 2008 3:28PM
ectoh dear i got the wrong room. lets start again
dear aunt sally.
know one understands me, plus to them, i am a figure of ridicule my friends shun me, my wife divorced me, m bank manager is the only one to write to me on a regular basis, abiet not all in an all together friendly tone and i have just been downsized at work, adding to this my spell checker does not work, on well back to the safe options of my face... my space..... ect ect ect et al
yours a hot hunk
Reply