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.
Another day, another study -- it seems like every time we turn around, there's another body of research revealing that, even though they know it's dangerous, stupid, and should be illegal, teens still text-message while driving.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Angel said 5:15PM on 5-23-2009
GET THEM OUT OF THEIR HANDS WHILE DRIVING!!!!!!! Stop Cell phone use while operating a vehicle!!!!!!! Stop it!!!! Stop It!!!!!! Stop it!!!!! Save Lives!!!!
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Mark said 7:48PM on 5-23-2009
I'm 22 and I text while driving. If you have a steady hand, good peripheral vision, and plenty of room between cars there's no danger.
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Rob said 3:53PM on 5-25-2009
I'm 36 and I fly large commercial airplanes for a living. I can do a lot of things that require multi-tasking, but wouldn't consider texting while driving on my best day. I can also say that you've overestimated your abilities to multi-task by a long shot. Combine that with the fact that the part of your 22 year-old brain which handles judgment, will not fully develop until you're about 25, and you can appreciate while texting, let alone talking on a cell phone while driving is an accident waiting to happen.
Paul said 3:03AM on 5-24-2009
Hey Mark,
when you get into a wreck, please come back and give us all the details. If you survive it.
PSK
rm9847 said 8:56AM on 5-24-2009
And that is why the carnage on our highways will continue, until some of these defiant yunggins realize that they are not invincible.
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ccvvggg said 12:03PM on 5-24-2009
I work at a hospital and we are getting more and more of these driving & texting teens, oftentimes with very serious injuries. Paralyzed for life, retarted for life due to head injuries, burdening the society. One teen survived serious injuries but will be a able to walk. The retarded mother smiles and says, she does it too and sees nothing wrong with it. And we are supposed to have compassion for people like that! Very very hard to do! Driving and texting should be outlawed! These people should go straight to prison.
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Mister Poo said 9:44PM on 5-24-2009
Let me just say this in regards to the serious lack of human intellect involved with the use of texting and driving : If you are gonna live by your stupid and selfish behavior ( you do know what your doing is extremely dangerous not only to you but EVERYONE else that has to deal with your inattentive ass) then you also sure as hell better be ready to die by that same behavior. Honestly, I personally believe that if you die as a result of your stupidity from such actions... you deserved it 100% and thats just less stupid DNA running around in the human gene pool :)
strider_mt2k said 12:48PM on 5-24-2009
Make it an organ bank crime.
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Cindy said 2:11PM on 5-24-2009
Wow, imagine that, there are idiots on the roads!
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adaminthemiddle7 said 2:29PM on 5-24-2009
I on rare occasion will text will driving. But only when I am 100% certain it is safe (I'm sitting at a red light, no one else is on the road, etc.).
One of my friends, who had just turned 21, recently crashed and died. She was texting while driving. I'm all for making it illegal.
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T said 11:57PM on 5-24-2009
First of all, i think doing anything while driving is a bad idea, the phone is worse though. You all complain but ive seen people put on socks while driving. Also that "your brain wont develop untill youre 25" Excuse me, but most people in jail are over 30 i guess you havent done your research. Obviously your judgment hasnt fully developed because your wise crack self things youre better then every one else. Im happy that much like how the whites used to treat blacks you think youre better then every one based on age. Again amazing society we have.
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Rob said 7:57PM on 5-25-2009
"T",
You're generally correct. Doing anything while driving, other than driving, is a negative. You're also correct that talking on the phone is worse, as it is mostly a cognitive distraction and not a physical one. I do take issue with your correlation that because people over 30 are incarcerated, they exercise worse judgment that those under 30. Assuming your facts are correct, you're simply upset that my remarks about brain function applies to those 25 and under. There's no science in your correlation. No wisecrack to be found either. Here, read this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52687-2005Jan31.html
This is one of many studies done over the last decade. I'm also not entirely sure how it is you come to these conclusions race and age. But it speaks volumes for your inability to form a coherent thought. Keep working on it though. It should improve with age. (That is a wisecrack.)
sue said 9:15PM on 5-27-2009
So, most people that are in jail are over 30? Perhaps, but at what age did they START serving their sentence? Their FIRST incarceration was at age what? Yeah, people get older when they are in jail, but if jailed at an age of less than 25 they usually fail to mature in ability to make good judgement, then when they are released they are prone to recidivism.
The idea that the brain does not reach full potential until a certain age is based on many things. Arbitrary numbers are based on single factors, but the truth to any argument here is that to have the brain develop to its full potential, ONE has to be alive that long. I teach HS and I would like to see my kids reach their full potential, what ever age that is! But driving (and drinking??) and texting certainly does not seem like an activity that is going to insure this outcome.
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gene said 1:37PM on 6-28-2009
wheres the laws for this or is it hard to convict
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