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.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
J.Gavala said 8:22PM on 11-24-2008
Sounds like a good plan to me, to avoid the conflict it could have be seeing the person , and then telling them it's over buster! Or it's over lady cheat!
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babyagoogoo said 8:26PM on 11-24-2008
Why would anyone want to break-up in person? When its over its over...NEXT!
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jayr said 8:45PM on 11-24-2008
It's about mutual respect, fool. You wouldn't want that to happen to you, right? What goes around do comes around.
Lillian said 8:44PM on 11-24-2008
I would like to know is this the same guy that cheated on his wife or girlfriend who had is child a few years ago? If so, what goes around comes around!!
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harriet said 9:51PM on 11-24-2008
what's a 40-year-old man doing dating a 25-year-old anyway?
i bet he has shoes older than her.
chances are, she was trying to BREAK AWAY and he wouldn't have it so she had to send him that impersonal message.
old dudes who cruise for young chicks should realize that these girls rarely really love you -- they just love that loot. young girls want to date men closer to their own age. sure at first an older man may make a girl feel more grown-up and protected, but then, after a while, she realizes that the relationship is irregular and that the man she is dating is just going through a mid-life crisis.
sounds like she had more options.
what is wrong with dating a woman closer to his own age?
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jeremy said 5:43PM on 11-25-2008
and you're an expert how? you offer you OPINION as fact.
there is a huge problem being engaged for marriage, then breaking up via text.
Pamela said 10:21PM on 11-24-2008
Something just doesn't add up. If a person had enough love for a person to get engaged in the first place I don't think that they would decide to just call it off out of the blue like that. There is definitely more to this story....
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VicSin said 10:23PM on 11-24-2008
This woman has zero class in my book. She was engaged to this man and should have handled it much better than a pathetic text message. This is what is wrong with the world today...the total disrespect for other peoples feelings. No wonder nice guys are so insecure and do not believe it when a nice woman tells them she loves them. They have had their feelings trampled over by evil sluts like this chick. She will get her payback eventually.
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jasonskrew said 10:24PM on 11-24-2008
What a tramp. If I were Boris, I'd film myself having sex with another chick, (preferrably one of her friends) and e-mail it to her.
She has no class and is your typical bimbo who's he's better off
without.
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beth said 11:01PM on 11-24-2008
You don't know the whole story. It could have been a heat of the moment text where she was upset at him. I'm sure that they spoke about it at first or he did something horrible. you dont' know the whole story. I broke up with someone through email and I didn't even want to. I just got upset over something stupid.
kate said 1:48AM on 11-25-2008
You THINK you have a classy approach? Think again! I agree that there's more to the story but no one should be text messaged about breaking an Engagement! If it's infidelity, better finding out now...rather than later!
kate said 2:17AM on 11-26-2008
You THINK you have a classy approach? Think again! I agree that there's more to the story but no one should be text messaged about breaking an Engagement! If it's infidelity, better finding out now...rather than later!
kw said 11:01PM on 11-24-2008
uhh, hello...she's 25 - he's 40...too bad...
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Joe said 11:08PM on 11-24-2008
While there are still women out there with tons of class, it's just there are more and more women out there who have none, who are only out for themselves in every way possible. This doesn't surprise me one bit today. A true lady would brake up in person giving the kind of respect the other deserves, even if the other has done something terrible in which a brake up is going to happen. Fact is, people know when a brake up is about to happen or at least have a good idea. That is, if people are honest with themselves. But to end it over the phone and now "text messages" is really a coward filled with anything but class. People who do cowardly things such as this at other people expense will no doubt get what is coming to them one day. If you're big enough to get involved with another then your big enough to get uninvolved with that same person...at least you should be!
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kw said 8:24PM on 12-09-2008
again...she's 25 - texting is the way
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agent smith said 9:14AM on 11-25-2008
Wow, texting is the way. Thats the most pathetic thing I have ever heard. Only someone young, dumb, and tainted by technology would believe something like that. Obviously there is an age difference between them, but to say matters of the heart are handled by text, and not in person is whats wrong with younger people today raised with no morals by lazy parents.If your going to step on someones heart, at least have the moral fiber to do it in person. Dont be a Coward.
mike said 11:15PM on 11-24-2008
This reminds me of the old saying. A coward dies a thousand deaths and a hero only has to die once lol Man being a coward is a painfull experience and you dont need Karma people fail to udnerstand its as jesus said in your conscious thougt. Wait till she has to sleep LOL thats where the nightmares begin no need for it to come around. The minute you do wrong wham you start suffering. Words of wisom people words of wisdom
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Karyn said 11:19PM on 11-24-2008
That sucks I was done the same way. A guy who I was seeing and who told me I was the sweetest, niceset, sexiest most understanding girl he ever had in his life told me after not calling me for a few dayS In a text" OH WELL ME AND MY EX HAVE BEEN HANGING OUT AGAIN" Then he had the nerve to wait 2 weeks to call me and say he was sorry about the way things turned out and I was a really good friend to him when he needed it and could I ever forgive him? Cause he didnt want to lose me as a friend. What an A** !!! I simply texted him You lost me the day u sent the text ..... have a great life.
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jaimeg said 11:22PM on 11-24-2008
Boris... consider your self lucky!
At least it wasn't a text after the wedding saying she wants out and half the money! 25 is 25!
Game, set, match!
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kuuipo018 said 11:27PM on 11-24-2008
Breaking up via text message is not only immature it is tacky. If you supposedly "love" someone to the point that you agreed to marry them than you owe that person more than a text message plain and simple.
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