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.
In one of the more disturbing examples of police brutality in recent memory, a subway officer in Oakland, CA shot and killed a young man at point-blank range on New Year's day, in a situation where there was clearly no imminent threat to the officer's life. How can we say "clearly", you ask? Because three separate onlookers caught the incident on video, using mobile phones and cameras. 
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
wen said 8:54AM on 1-12-2009
I'm with dude, I'd sure hate to be in Oakland. I know cops have a scary job, but they were in control there and that was murder. How can that cop be so stupid in this tech age with a train full of cameras.
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Joe said 12:21PM on 1-12-2009
Well,,. for what it's worth, I've been in law enforcement for 12 years, and while I am not gonna defend this guy, I dont think it wa an intentional murder, it makes me think of the female officer in Las Vegas who shot the ground a few inches from the head of a guy who was cuffed and prone. Only instead of taking his lumps for a negligent discharge, and facing manslaughter charges, he tried to cover it up and pretend it was a justified shooting. So, in my opinion, this cop is a dumbass yes, a murderer? Well, not on purpose.
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Simzee said 9:32AM on 1-12-2009
& Cops wonder why people HATE them. I would'nt trust a Cop with my dead cat.
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ajm33771 said 9:55AM on 1-12-2009
this was a plain stupid CRIMINAL act! The now former officer needs to be tried and then sent to jail for 20 years OR MORE
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Kevin Wilkerson said 10:52AM on 1-12-2009
We all know what is going to happen. Nothing is going to happen to that cop or any-other one. This place would be in turmoil if cops did not exist, but whenever one of them crosses the line the punishment is nonexistant but on the other hand , if a cop is killed the death penalty is usually the outcome. I guess that is what the court system calls fair.
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Kevin Wilkerson said 10:57AM on 1-12-2009
Wew all know that cop will get away with it because the courts called it fair play. If the sceen was reversed, the death penalty would be sought.
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SearcherT said 5:00PM on 1-12-2009
Yes blame the trigger puller . Also blame those in charge for fomenting this behavior in the police forces across the USA. This is not an isolated incident, but merely the beginning of an assault on The Constitution and "We The People" Of course this is denied and the Propaganda machine is working overtime to produce alternative explanations, and the violent attack of any who expose this criminality toward "We The People"
The intent is to make you fight and to break your spirit with overwhelming force that was bought and paid for with your Tax Dollars.
Resist, and rage against the evil machine. Do this by not playing along and denying them your Economic support. Not with guns.
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elizabeth said 6:52PM on 1-13-2009
i am not defending what happened ,i was not there ,and yes we have some bad cops,but over all at least we have more good ones ,i have been in the courts for years and no ,they r some that r innocent but not to many ,we the people have to have some kind of peace givers or what would this world be like ,i myself where i live feel safe knowing that i can sleep safe at night for the fact that we do have cops who r overworked and underpayed for their work,i do not believe this should of happened but just go and sit in a court one day and watch a rapist with a big money lawyer get him off ,look at o. j he got away with murder and the whole world knows it ,so u would had to have been there to say ,i was not ,but our sytem does work most the time ,i have seen some real hard asses get probation and thats makes me sick walking out and slapping their hands and backs ,and that is justice no way ,look at o.j people and think ,but in this case i would not live in ca. anyway we have so much crime in atlanta ga, the new orleans gangs r here and every night and i mean every night someone is killed raped robbed or worse ,so let justice take its course it does work .
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Jessica said 7:46PM on 2-05-2009
I'm 17 and I can't even imagine dying in a few years. He was so young and didn't have a chance.
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bill ducks said 4:10PM on 2-06-2009
i have a nephew that has a anger problem and this is the reason
that i try to tell him to find something good to channel his anger threw.
cause if u get in the wrong place or angry at the wrong time they will kill yo ass. he will be ten on the 17th and i fear for him. but i let him know that all (police )are not like this,but if u r doing positive things you
never have to find out who's good or bad.
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