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)
Tom said 9:58PM on 12-01-2008
Why should we care if airport workers can see our "privatte parts?? It seems to be a silly issue. If you don't know what they look like, you should catch up on reading past issues of National Geographic. A lot of money could be saved by requiring all passengers to fly completely nude. (smirk)
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Mike said 2:29AM on 12-02-2008
Safety should be our only concern ,Nudity is natural not dirty or
wrong . Everyone should watch the News footage of 911 again !
I like living , I believe we are on the right track. The Possible Future ,1. Enter the Airport Drop Off Your Suitcase To Be Searched,
Scanner And Sniffed . 2. Step Into the Man only or Woman only
Room ,Remove All Clothing While Being Supervied By Same Sex Security= Physicians Assistant or RN Place In Box With ID flight # By Security .
3.You Put On A Jumpsuit Or Coveralls Get Scanned By Metal Detector ,Board Plane No WORRIES ! Your Clothes Will Be On The Plane And Handed To You As You Walk Off The Plane .4. Carry On Only Allowed If Completely Hand Inspected And X- Rayed , Metal Detected and Sniffed By Your Friendly Bomb Dog .
IF THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES I AM WILLING!!
DONOT FORGET 911 GOD BLESS THIS GREAT NATION
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kal326 said 11:42AM on 12-02-2008
I say leave it as it is, a system that automatically tries to blur out anything can't be good for security. Besides, I see it as a give and take. Not everybodies "naughty bits" or "naked bodies" for that matter are appealing to look at and there should be a little reward for all the less then appealing ones that come down the line.
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Lucas said 12:52PM on 12-02-2008
okay how about this then. a scanner that doesn't display an image. if the system picks up something that could be a weapon, you are pulled aside and a security officer reviews the image on a private monitor off to one side.
but then you don't have your goodies or your fat rolls revealed to the world. Just perhaps to one person. they could even tag team the officers so that only a woman looks at images from female passengers and a man for male ones.
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