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 2)
KC said 4:59PM on 1-07-2009
Oh please...someone needs to get a life ! I can't believe someone would look @ that & thought 9-11 !!!!
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Pedro Lotario said 5:21PM on 1-07-2009
Google including a swastika in the internet is not just a mistake, it is an intentional affront, to put it mildly. And now there is another mistake of showing an airplane flying into the Twin Towers!! I think there are some sickos working at Google, and unless Google does something to clean their act, they will be cleaned right out of a very profitable business. Both "errors" are very offensive. A lot of innocent people died by the acts of cruel individuals.
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galen said 7:35PM on 1-07-2009
It's not Google's fault. These images are out there on the internet. Google can't really help that, and if they stopped showing those images in their searches, it would be seen as trying to hide the memories of those events/acts from the world. Just because somebody played a prank doesn't mean you should blame Google.
Dana said 12:01AM on 1-08-2009
Uh..Google didn't "do" anything offensive. The idiots who think it's "cool" to interject their "genius" into something completely innocent is what's offensive. Oh..and your idiotic logic is too.
sirjames8 said 3:30AM on 1-08-2009
Pedro, There are far too many things on the net for Google to keep track of things on purpose, even if they had 100,000 employees. With 100,000 employees they couldn't make a profit! I doubt that they have more than 1,500 if even 1,000. If someone at google had done it on purpose they would have been able to track it far more easily than they followed it back to the guy on ebaum's world.
Robuyto said 5:22PM on 1-07-2009
"We will never forget" thats sending such a bad message. Grudges give you cancer you know. gotta keep moving.
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chrissy said 5:39PM on 1-07-2009
We, Americans Will Never Forget what happened on 9-11, what happened to the victims and the brave nypd and nyfd who gave thier lives trying to save people. If you Can forget then there is something seriously wrong with you. Where were you on 9-11, I am sure that you do remember if you have any brain cells remaining. I was in NY and that was the single worst day any new yorker or american has ever faced. By the way, grudges do not give you cancer!
Betsy said 6:22PM on 1-07-2009
Your comment was despicable. Although you probably had no one you knew in the WTC who died that day, I did. My very best friend was killed at Cantor Fitzgerald along with the entire firm. You may not remember, but I, certainly, will NEVER FORGET!!
Just Me said 8:36PM on 1-07-2009
Rob..."Never Forget" is IMPORTANT. It is BECAUSE people ARE forgetting that terrifying day of 9/11 that history could very well repeat itself in another form...we must NOT forget, if we let our guard down, the terrorists will surely win. It's okay not to forget...and I can assure you, it's not going to give a person "cancer." Dwelling on it daily isn't good for you, of course, but NOT being "passive" but being watchful for possible terrorism (like the government has warned us...via Homeland Security) is VERY important. This isn't something that's going away, ya know. Your kind of thinking is not only bad for the country as a whole, but a slap in the face to the thousands of people who died on that day. Please watch what you say because those who have lost a loved one on that day will surely be reading this blog...and it's NOT the message you would want to send them.
Rob said 10:11AM on 1-08-2009
Respectful answer. Sorry for your losses.
Serge A. Storms said 5:59PM on 1-07-2009
I'd like to see some proof that a forum caused this. It's nice to point fingers and throw blame around, without anything to back it up.
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David said 6:04PM on 1-07-2009
it was 4chan
Legendz said 3:27AM on 1-09-2009
You must not think guys really? I mean seriously?! 9/11 was a tragic accident yes, people were lost yes. But people will always die in tragic ways. Forcing people to feel guilty is not how it should be remembered it is a persons self initiative to remember that day. A lot of people didn't lose someone on that day so it has no signifigance to them. History will always repeat iself, I want this to be known. There is no way to stop history from repeating itself, it will always be done in some way or fashion 9/11 will occur just perhaps not in the exact same way.
Just so you guys know it's NOT GOOGLE's fault. A couple guy made a bot which would go to random IP's and search this term making it a HOT item, bringing it to the top. It's not google is sick fuckers with no life.
Friedrich Nietzsche said 6:06PM on 1-07-2009
they are just symbols. how could anybody possibly be offended by this? people need to grow up
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Anon said 6:08PM on 1-07-2009
You want proof? Do you know how easy it is to do this??? It was in no part googles fault neither was the swastika! It's people like you that give america a bad name.
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Adam said 8:34PM on 1-07-2009
Why does this matter again? The reason that these things were put up on the site was to get a rise out of people. By being offended, you're playing right into their trap.
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
- Mahatma Gandhi
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David Davidson said 7:19PM on 1-07-2009
EBAUMS DID IT!!!!111!!!1
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Susan said 7:21PM on 1-07-2009
Look Google is every where you hear it refered to daily on tv,work and movies mistakes happen and some of us do need to be reminded of 911.And if u want to speak up against 911 jerks go to utube cause there u will find ppl claiming it never happened that Bush did itwas aliens to name a few there is even this kid who made a remix using the sound of bodies hitting the ground so be outrage by them not a launch site please.
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Sui Juris said 10:24PM on 1-07-2009
I pray that every American and other nations remember the events of 911/ and know the truth who allowed it to happen. I pray to god that those that are responsible be tried and convicted ie: The Bush Administration, Rumsfeild, Cheney and Bush and many others.
The next few years will be the most trying for all of us.
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K.L. Aynedter said 10:25PM on 1-07-2009
If and when Americans wake up to the truth of what has been happening for the last 100+ years (do the research) maybe then and only then will we prove to the world we deserve the Freedoms we claim to have and live by.as Goethe said " None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free,"