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)
Master Shake said 3:56PM on 1-06-2009
America's answer to EVERYTHING is jail. You have more prisoners than BOTH China and Russia COMBINED, but with only 1/6th of their population. Nowhere else in the world would this minor be arrested for something he said to a company employee over a stupid game program. America destroys the lives of people over absolutely nothing. You are creating your own future problems as these people grow up, unable to get decent employment because of their criminal background and screwed up mentality after having served extended prison terms over B.S. like this.
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Casey said 11:26PM on 1-05-2009
There are more people in jail in the US because we only execute for murder. China lacks long term prison terms and has 47 executable crimes including non payment of taxes, smuggling, and corruption. Just to give you an idea, Amnesty International recorded 2,500 executions in China in 2001 alone. There have been a little over 1,100 executions in the USA since 1977. Dont argue that China is better than the US when it comes to not screwing up juveniles lives. Which screws up a kid more? Jail time or a bullet to the brain? .. Fool.
Master Shake said 2:18AM on 1-06-2009
A "bullet to the brain" is NO BETTER than a life sentence in prison, and the number of life sentences in the US has nearly doubled in the last five years alone. The US has 5% of the world's population, but 25% of the world's prison population. Of those charged with a felony in America, 97% are either found guilty, or compelled to plead guilty. Not because 97% are actually guilty, but because they lack the tens of thousands of dollars necessary to wage a proper legal defense. In Stalin's "Reign of Terror" the world was appalled by a 98% conviction rate. The US is teetering on the brink of being an outright police state, and the ONLY reason you don't see it is because you haven't lived anywhere else in the civilized world.
Michael said 9:21AM on 1-06-2009
The kid got charged with a misdemeanor. Its the same as a traffic ticket guy. No big deal. It wont do him any harm and he did do something stupid.
Michael said 9:22AM on 1-06-2009
Theres a reason Russia and China dont have as many prisoners. They execute most of theirs.
LISTEN UP! said 11:39AM on 1-06-2009
"Michael" - the United States has 25% of the entire world's prisoners. Does that make ANY impression on you? Russia hasn't executed ANYONE in over a decade. I've lived in China for several months at a time, and you are in no danger there unless you are either a lowlife thief, or a political enemy. As for it being a "misdemeanor" - how naive ARE you?! This is NOT going to be a fine like a traffic ticket! Sheesh! Spend a day in your local Superior Court listening to cases. People are sentenced to months and years in jail for NOTHING.
grossness54 said 10:23PM on 1-05-2009
Arrested for something this ridiculously silly? I hate to think of what would happen if he did something really serious, like sneeze in school ASSembly during the Pledge of Allegience. That's probably considered a felony under the (If you don't agree with the powers that be you're not a) Patriot Act. I could joke that next thing I'd expect is for some poor schnook in New York to get busted for dozing off while riding the subway, but it's no joke - it's actually happened to a number of poor souls over there!
When you've got more folks in jail than China (which has more than 4 times our population and is nobody's idea of a "free" country), there's a BIG problem here. Perhaps Freedom House should downgrade the USA from "free" to "partly free". Any country where you can get arrested for sub-trivial "offenses", and wind up smeared for life, can hardly be called fully "free".
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HIMnHAW said 10:47PM on 1-05-2009
If they had not called the cops and the kid had killed himself the parents would have sued. That is the real problem. The kid got what he deserved or maybe even what he needed.
MIKE D said 12:24AM on 1-06-2009
AMERICA ,THE LAND OF THE FREE ?,YEA RIGHT , THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE PEOPLE TO TAKE A STAND AGANST THE B.S. ,THAT WE CALL THE PATRIOT ACT !!!, WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH, YEA THE KID HAS PROBLEMS, AND FOR SUING THE COMPANY ,OH GIVE ME A BREAK!! .THATS WHAT AMERICA IS ALL ABOUT THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR AND HOW EVER WE CAN GET IT !!! WE HAVE MOR PEOPLE IN PRISON FOR DUMB SH** ,THEN FOR REAL CRIMES ,NO WONDER SOCIETY IS SO F***** UP!!!
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Big Nose said 6:37PM on 1-06-2009
Looks like George Carlin's Suicide Channel will become a reality sooner than we expect.
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Nasty boil Jr. said 12:46AM on 1-06-2009
His problems is simple . He should have not donned the cloke of invisibility in the fifth doorway to Tanrizorna ! That claok could drive a warlock crazy ! What's that dad ? What ? it's not a game ? What ? Let me take out my ipods . ....hmmmm ...this is a cool tune ...just a sec' dad i'm on the phone ......(maybe I'll wait " cool " Dad can't hear me 'cause I'm thinking to myself ! Cool ! I can think any thing .. ANYTHING ...!>>.....!>>..!....hmmmmm.... Lindsay Lohan is single again ..... I thank her lesbian lover for pumpimg up them TTAT TA 'SS >>>>>WHHOOOOO tAT TA -- boobalious ! ! OOOOooooooYAYYEAHHHAAHAHAAHAHH >>>>>>>OOHHH OHHH LINDSAY >>>I DON"T CARE IF YU HAVE"NT MADE A MOVIE IN TWO YEARS !! WHHOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.....yah " )
what's that dad ? My dad says I should respect women more and not compliment there exterior beauty over the interior beauty because everyone knows A woman can do her make-up easier than they can make-up their mind . He says thats' from Grouchy ...some Max brother ..or something .... oh well .....My Dad says some gooofy things .. its' " his generation " .Anyway ....my advice Bro is stay away from Games if you can't handle the aspects of fantasy seperate from reality then you need to get a stripping/bartending/Mcdonalds/walmart/kmart job quick ....or just be gay if you want ! Not many other choices , pal .Either you have a life or you are always going after one ......
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advanced Thunker said 2:00AM on 1-06-2009
You know I invented the smiley face ! Yep ! that bastard got away from me . I should have copyrighted that high five thing ...it' would have brought millions .... Of course some inventions they could'nt pay me to invent....The self -washing toilet aside I've had a few clunkers !
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cb2ski said 8:31AM on 1-06-2009
Hey - since when does arrested mean jail? LOL Calm down! Lots of kids get arrested for silly things. It probably meant a parent wasn't home. This kimd of thing is typically a wake up call and almost never means jail. Calm down crazies!
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