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 3)
Micca said 8:45AM on 3-02-2009
My sisteen year old son plays and I hate it, but considering whats out there on the streets today...I'd much rather have him safe and sound in his room playing WOW.
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Richie said 10:10AM on 3-02-2009
What happens when it is time too go out into Big Peoples World and he has no people skills? Does he not participate in sports? Social functions with friends? At school? If you are hiding him in his room under the guise of protecting him from the outside world you are doing more harm then good. Kick him in the ass and get him outside. Go meet a girl for petes sake. This is how serial killer start.
joeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee said 10:21AM on 3-02-2009
hell yeah woman
Barbi said 12:59AM on 3-03-2009
Any addiction - cocaine, pornography, shopping, gaming, etc - has the capacity to destroy relationships. When a spouse (usually a husband, but I know women are gamers, too) is spending so much time on fantasy, it's got to have an impact on relational time, hence on the quality of that relationship. My husband and I had sort of "complementary" addictions, and through intensive counseling (best $4K we ever spent) we learned all over how to interact. Our addictions were a dangerous substitute for real intimacy (and I'm not talking about sex). Not everyone is as prone to addictions as we are, but if there are classic signs of addiction, get help!
Jamie said 10:57PM on 3-02-2009
I could not agree more with Shylae. WoW is a failry cheap form of entertainment for a college going girl like me. The key here, as is with all things in life, is MODERATION. I see no problem with spending my time playing WoW on nights when I have all my schoolwork and studying finished, but it's when you put the game before school or real life that it becomes a problem. I manage to have an active social life both in WoW and with my girlfriends (who would rather spend their time at bars until 1am rubbing up against complete strangers). Playing WoW has actually made me appreciate real social interaction even more! Kids (and sometimes adults) just need to learn that everything else in life should come before the game. It took me a while, but I figured it out!
melissa said 8:54AM on 3-02-2009
My husband has been playing WOW for the past 6 years! Now he has my 14 yr old daughter hooked on it. She isn't as bad as he is....he can spend 12-16 hours a day on it mostly on the weekends. I look at it like this, at least he is at home with me and not out running around...hopefully by the time we're 60 maybe he'll be over it.
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Rod said 10:07AM on 3-02-2009
Ok, I am 46 and I play WoW. I agree there are people that play way too much. But then again, there are people that drink too much. It all depends on your own personal case. This is a great roll playing alternative to say, Drug abuse. Teen Pregnancy, Gang Violence. The list could go on but you get my point. There will always be someone saying.... "Ohhh I heard of this guy who was playing tiddly winks for 3 days straight and died from dehydration. Its a game... nothing more.
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Micca said 12:08PM on 3-02-2009
You're so right. It's an addictive game but it sure beats the other addictions out there! Better a game than a brain melting chemical addiction. As long as it's played in free time, and doesn't interfere with social, family, or work time....what's the harm?
Eric said 10:14AM on 3-02-2009
If the choice was between having a son that partied too much in college or a son thats a 34 year old man child virgin that lives in my basement, playing WOW, while waiting for the next Renaissance festival while knowing nothing what so ever of the real adult world, I will take the partier.
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Barbara said 10:25AM on 3-02-2009
My 23 year old son, has played this game now for over 6 years. He never leaves the house, and has lost all his friends, he does go to school a few days a week. Granted I am hearing that this is better than gangs, etc. but come on, this is just as bad. No social skills, no girlfriend, no job. what gives?????? HELP
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Matt said 12:17PM on 3-02-2009
I do not play WoW, I gave up video games to pursue my ambitions 2 years ago. All I can say Barbara is that maybe your son has virtual friends through the game? I dunno, sounds like a bad situation though, well on his way to being in your house forever. With no job, who pays for his internet, games, food, etc? Sounds like your enabling the behavior Barbara...I know it will be very hard for you to do, but you probably need to kick your son out of the house, or at least disconnect the internet until he gets a job.
Joe said 10:30AM on 3-02-2009
Stupid game....never played it, never will. Also, what kind of idiot would mark on the survey..."I'm not sure"?? You know you have played the game or not. It hasn't been around that long. Sure are some stupid people out there thanks to the "dumbing down of America" in our school systems. It is a shame when a stupid game like WOW is more entertaining to morons than school. Of course, the teachers today are the product of the same school system that is dumbing down our kids, so what would one expect but more of the same.
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Tom said 11:01AM on 3-02-2009
losers
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Micca said 11:12AM on 3-02-2009
He has great people skills, plays football, rides his dirtbike, gets good grades, and volunteers at an animal shelter on Saturday mornings. His free time (mostly nights) is spent playing WOW. BTW, his football buddies all party every weekend and since he doesn't drink or get high..he plays WOW.
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Mathew Banuelos said 11:35AM on 3-02-2009
No your son gets high AND THEN plays WOW, DUH!!
ArlanaOath-Staghelm said 11:33AM on 3-02-2009
My little brother played this game and all he did was eat sleep and play WoW, and I never knew my best friend had a second sister bc i never saw or heard anything about her. She played WoW allday and i swore i would never play, but now i do. I'm in college and I'm addicted to it. In the past 6 months my play time is exactly 22days, 13hours, and 19mins. WoW is more addicting that the average street drug or alcohol combined.
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TexasKimmy said 11:43AM on 3-02-2009
So true... neighbors don't know I even have a teenage son. It's all he wants to do. At least I know where he is at night.
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mase said 11:45AM on 3-02-2009
my roommate plays WOW nonstop, almost all day. The only time he leaves is to go to class, and he habitually stays up till 4 AM playing this game. I get tired of the f-ing dragon noises ALL DAY AND NIGHT!!!!! His room is disgusting, old pizza all over the floor and overflowing trash cans. I absolutely agree that this game is addicting as coke.
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Micca said 12:08PM on 3-02-2009
Mathew, you're a moron. All I have to do is take the computer, sure beats rehab or a funeral. Calling WOW addictive is valid, but at least it doesn't do the damage that drugs and alcohol do. To even assume you know MY son beter than I do, makes you the moron, not me. "DUH" isnt' that from the 70's...do you wear a "Members Only" jacket too??
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Dee said 1:13PM on 3-02-2009
you must be 12 because you are a MORON!!! kids have killed themselves over video addiction etc ... get more information on it before you start putting others down , just because that is not your addiction, does not mean you may never develop another , so don't throw stones at glass houses!!!!