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)
joeomar said 11:35AM on 5-14-2009
It is inconceivable that a journalist could be dumb enough to recommend removing anti-virus software for ANY reason. He claims the threat is over-hyped? I have NEVER owned a computer that did NOT pick up a virus at some point. I own a couple fast-food restaurants, and EVERY computer I've ever had in the backoffices has had viruses. I've helped family and friends clean up some real messes. Calling this situation "overhyped" is VERY irresponsible journalism. It's not just a disservice to the public; if someone BELIEVES him, it could lead to actual destruction of property. WHO IS THIS GUY? Whoever he is, he has lost ALL credibility on ANY topic.
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Ian said 12:27PM on 5-14-2009
i totally agree with you there man. if you run windows it is a MUST to have antivirus software, mac highly recommended. had a few computers over the years and they all fall to adware and maybe the occasional virus.
bob e said 11:59AM on 5-14-2009
I don't run any anti-virus software at all (Vista and 7) and probably spend 12 hours a day on the web and leave my PCs on 24/7. I rely on Windows update. If Microsoft finds a problem they quickly send out fixes.
I have never had a PC virus and thing they are very overblown. Most problems are from malware.
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scott said 1:06PM on 5-14-2009
I just love bob e's response to this....has no virus protection, runs vista & 7 and leaves his pc's running 24/7. hmmm, sound like a bunch do-do to me.
Any one that doesn't run virus protection and is using windows must be connected to a internet that is running off of Mars or something.
If you are going to give a cock & bull story, at least make it sound believable....
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kcdgenius said 1:41PM on 5-14-2009
it depends on how you use your computer. If you are not browsing porn sites, and no opening email with attachements, your chances of getting a virus are pretty low. The anti virus program on my pc has not detected a virus or threat in over two years of daily use. It bogs down the PC for a good 5 minutes when I first turn it on, so yeah, ditching it does make sense for some people.
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droas said 8:55PM on 8-15-2009
Anti-Virus software are ineffective, and bulky, they will slow your computer down more than any single virus out there. The idea of anti viruses keeping your computer fast is completely inaccurate. Slowing computers down means using their resources(such as ram, or CPU) which is almost always done by installing software.. NOT VIRUSES.
1. Don't install too many applications(unless they are verified and trustworthy)
2. Don't let your children use the computer as an administrator.
3. Update your computer's software frequently.
4. If you're willing to pay some attention, you can have your computer working BETTER than when you got it. Use MSCONFIG or HijackThis to manage applications which run when you turn on your computer, and services that run irregardless of if you want it or not, and browser addons that slow down your computer.
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