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)
Dave said 5:05PM on 2-19-2009
I think it is dicusting
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Animal Lvr said 11:38PM on 2-22-2009
What is really disgusting is how easily these disgusting little rats are being let off. Court monitoring, community service? Give me a break! This isn't going to teach them squat. You want to teach them something, you do exactly to them what they did to the poor animal. Treat them like an animal and they will be not only apologetic, they will realize what they've done. If not, they will end up in jail where it sounds like they belong anyways. I'd give them 10 years in juvi if it were up to me, or as many years in juvi until they're 18 and then the rest of the ten years in state prison, where they really belong anyways. If you have enough mentality to hurt another creature, you've got enough mentality to serve the punishment for it.
D.I.Tucker said 3:27AM on 2-22-2009
Hopefully the justice system will do a little beating of it's own on those moron's.
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anthony said 5:26PM on 4-05-2009
you are right. my favorite animal hapins to be a cat. I wish i could come over there and talk to him and see what they would like if some one beat them like they did to those cats
rick lawrence said 8:53PM on 2-19-2009
Give me 10 minutes with these two a-holes.
I guarantee that they won't be capable of doing anything like this again (or much else, for that matter).
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Cassandra said 5:35PM on 2-19-2009
Someone should beat them & see how it feels.
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Nancy said 5:49PM on 2-19-2009
If I was the judge, I would make it a mandatory 10 year jail sentence, no early release for any kind of animal abuse. If the animal is killed, then 20 yrs., no early release. Maybe then it would teach these people.
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Mandy said 6:51PM on 2-19-2009
Those boys deserve harsh punishment for this cruel and disgusting act.
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Bob said 7:11PM on 2-19-2009
must be related to Charles Manson. It is common for kids that do these things to become hardened criminals. what a start for a pair of losers.
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BUBBA said 7:09PM on 2-19-2009
THOSE LITTLE BAST---- DESERVE TO HAVE THE BOOK THROWN AT THEM! IF THEY ARE THIS DAMN MEAN TO A HELPLESS LITTLE ANIMAL, WHAT WOULD THEY DO TO A LITTLE BABY? I HOPE THEY GET A TOUGH JUDGE THAT GIVES THEM THE MAX!!!
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Anthony said 8:36PM on 2-19-2009
I am not sure about them becoming hardened criminals , But just the fact that they did do something like this to these little creatures that are so cute and loveable makes me think that something was once done to them ,
Or maybe not done to them , maybe they were ignored their whole lives ?
whatever the case , there is some serious mental issues at play there , without question and will undoubtedly graduate unless action is taken .
I have read that kids that behave like this often times can become murderers or rapists ,that sort of person, so they had better fingerprint these two kids because chances are we'll probably be hearing from them again in the future .
They had better watch these kids like hawks to see what makes them tick and I have a feeling this is not just the first time , those poor animals and everyone elses around those kids have probably been tortured !
LOOK AT THAT POOR CATS FACE , LIKE HE KNOWS WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN BUT CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT !
That is so sad, I can't even put it into words .
Times like this I wish I could freeze time , what a shame !
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Ossie said 9:36PM on 2-19-2009
I am apalled at the "boys" cruel and inhumane behavior.It's crimes like this, no matter whether teenage or adult, that make me think that these persons need to be tracked for say, 5 years or so, just like child molesters. Then if the same person(s) commit another such crime, they could get slapped with more than "animal cruelty" charges, and thus get harsher punishment. Animal cruelty, in my opinion, is not punished harshly enough and the laws should be changed. Now, it's nothing more than slapping their hands and sending them home.
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Ossie said 9:49PM on 2-19-2009
PS- If they feel like kicking something, why don't they try kicking and torturing each other. In this case, I would condone it.
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liz said 9:51PM on 2-19-2009
Hopefully the Judge will lock these sick bastards away or hand down a harsh sentence that stays with them for the rest of their lives!
Sure some of you with sick minds might find this amusing stating it's only a cat/kitten ...but maybe the next victim may be your child/brother/sister or close family friends ..what then?
I think people who feel the need to harm innocent animals are COWARDS!!!!
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Mollie said 9:52PM on 2-19-2009
I wish they would hang those evil monsters. That is how serial killers start out , with animals. You let these little scumbags go, it will be people they torture and murder next.
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drktranquillity said 9:57PM on 2-19-2009
I'm just glad they were stupid enough to get themselves caught.
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liz said 10:04PM on 2-19-2009
I give credit to who ever reported & had these bastards arrested!
Thank You!
It's about time that animal cruelty is taken seriously!!
We are their voices,without our help many are suffering.
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john g said 11:38PM on 2-19-2009
just plain morons
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wpman said 10:09PM on 2-20-2009
hope they jail these guys.. could become sadistic later.
remember Jeffery Dahmer, the serial killer who cut up people, stuffed them in freezer to eat later....he started out by torturing animals..
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robert said 2:07AM on 2-20-2009
I have always been a cat lover have 4 now and a dog and as a retired cop let me tell you give me 5 mins with them and I will shopw them what its like to have this done to them what a pair of losers and where were there parents what were they doing
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