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)
Andrew said 6:25PM on 4-16-2009
Oh Big surprise, the techies over at AOL finally got bored enough to write about they're jealous nature towards a company who couldn't sustain a billion dollar business. I could think of a million reasons to "quit AOL" but then again, AOL writes it's stories. It's rise to the top of Internet Service Providers was only made possible because let's face it, there were no other alternatives. What has AOL done in the last ten years that could even resemble progress? They're High speed internet is still slower than DSL and they're technology is lacking. So now AOL has sicked it's IT dropouts on a genius who actually came up with something useful. Get used to it, AOL is free now because nobody wants to pay for it anymore, it's useless and has lost all value completely. Facebook is like Google, it has room to expand into different markets and create new things. AOL died a very long time ago and it's not going to be resurrected by anything.
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clyankello said 10:02AM on 5-04-2009
I agree 100% .AOL you are jealous.. I am in the OVER 50 aged group. I am networking with people that I WANT to be in touch with. Facebook can be as private as you want it to be.
gd said 2:33PM on 5-27-2009
If AOL is dead how were you able to post on it?
gd said 2:34PM on 5-27-2009
If AOL is dead how were you able to post & how was I able to read your post?
Wendy said 12:08AM on 5-24-2009
These two people are obviously "Facebook obsessed" as SO many of my friends and "friends" are. I was basically guilted into signing up (still have no pics or personal info about me there) and besides meeting up with a very few people that I actually cared about (that I don't already keep in touch with without Facebook) it got on my nerves. I rarely go on it, or check my email for that matter. So everytime I do check my email I have 50 messages and/or writings on my wall, and I feel bad for not responding as some are iritated that I haven't. And worst of all are other people's photos from God-knows- where or when that include ME! There can never be any privacy as far as that goes,,,.
So I am here to say that so far these reasons are completely 100% accurate and I seriously doubt out of jealousy.
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Cal said 2:06PM on 5-27-2009
You can delete anything on your wall that you want to!!
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sfxcal said 3:07PM on 5-27-2009
Instead of rummaging through Facebook with useless info and self effacing promotions of self, READ A BOOK'""""
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angelcake said 3:10PM on 5-27-2009
I find Facebook to be boring and people just like to brag and complain on it.
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Dannersamuel said 3:23PM on 5-27-2009
Well I have warned and warned people on here about the Phishing and sexual Predator issues that go on and on. I have caught 37 people over age 45 and up that were child Predators on facebook alone. My Space is a entire repeat of the same. It is not the programs which in of themselves that are bad, it is the mass of corruption that goes along will it. People are NEVER who they say they are. I knew that for a given fact,
Sam Danner
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Dannersamuel said 3:40PM on 5-27-2009
Some of you are right about AOL. Who wants to pay you people 39.99 a Month. I payed you guys big bucks over the years. I am addicted to AOL because everybody is offering about the same thing. I have Preached and preached on here about these vastly hudge parasite inter social groups that love to feel on suckers. Child Predators are rampant and I am of the fifty,s group that has picked out and had arrested 37 Child Molesters alone since last March. My teen age Kids are just as bad for releasing information. Parents:Get your Children off of facebook and My Space. If your teenage Daughter has Pictures of herself on these sites, I can prove that they are being down loaded and full dress nice smiles types are the ones that get Perved on the most.
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Peckerwood said 10:21PM on 5-27-2009
Annoying phonies, sexual deviants, and idiots don't need Facebook, or MySpace, or whatever to do evil. WAY back in the early 1990's this crap was going on all the time. All you had to do was enter a chat room, or go on some message board. The kids are smarter than the old people when it comes to these stupid networking sites. You don't need Twitter, or FaceBook, or any of this crap. "Second Life" is probably the most psychotic of all. Just because someone tells you to sign up - you do it? lol! Everybody thinks they need the latest techno-gadget. iPhones, Blackberries, ear phones. Oh, and how about the goatees all these douche bags grow to go along with their plethora of techno-geek devices. I see them at coffee shops, grocery store lines, texting in their cars going 60 mph - in droves. BTW, most of these "friends" you acquire couldn't care less about you. Use your telephone, or cell phone, to keep in touch with those you REALLY care about.
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rzsjpf11 said 4:52PM on 6-12-2009
I like AOL. I started with AOL 7 or 8 yrs. ago and I've always been happy with it. The fee was resonable for me. Now it's free and I'm glad for that. I've always liked the AOL formate......maybe I've used it so long I'm used to it. I've tried other sites but I always continue with my aol.com.
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