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.
Cell phones on the playground? Toddlers text messaging? These could become much more common 
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Matthew said 10:07AM on 6-25-2009
I think this quote is appropriate:
Wash: (as Stegosaurus) Yes...yes. This is a fertile land, and we will thrive. We will rule over all this land, and we will call it...this land.
(as Allosaur) I think we should call it...your grave!
(as Stegosaurus) Ah! Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
(as Allosaur) Ha ha ha! Mine is an evil laugh! Now DIE!
(as Stegosaurus) Oh no, God, oh dear God in heaven...
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Kayla said 8:08PM on 6-27-2009
I love it! That truly is the most appropriate quote.
Inertiaman said 10:37AM on 6-25-2009
How is this new? Firefly phones have been around for years with similar limited calling capability. Eight year olds can have emergencies too.
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citylady829 said 10:45AM on 6-25-2009
Yes that is ture their is a lot less time spent with family no ones talks anymore
everyone is in their on little world because of this texting.
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boli49 said 12:31PM on 6-25-2009
Hey Caleb, it's s-i-g-h-t, NOT s-i-t-e. You get paid for writing, so please use a dictionary.
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rohrscheibroh said 3:44PM on 6-27-2009
hey dumb ass. the word was even corrected. if you really choise to read instead of looking for typeos or a miss spelled word. i love the aol teachers
Chad said 1:54PM on 6-25-2009
Thanks boli49, fixed. Chad (Switched)
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Sanskrit said 3:26PM on 6-25-2009
"These could become much more common sights" vice "sight". Don't forget the fact that the sentence is plural.
jenkinsdarnell said 5:16PM on 6-25-2009
I think chad's tween word was meant as a joke, much like his article. Why would anybody give a 4 year old a phone? What are they suppose to do with it besides talk about dora the explorer. Unless you're in walmart and just want your kid to have a phone to make it easy for customer service to let you know they have him, I see this whole thing as just another dumb way for greedy corporations to make a buck.
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tmechoes2112 said 12:08AM on 7-03-2009
Yes! It`s time to teach kids you`re never too young to be self - absorbed.
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kellylemongrove said 2:12PM on 6-27-2009
Firefly has been around I got my son one when he was 7.He is now 12.
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Rebecca said 2:31PM on 6-27-2009
Hm...I wonder when a 4 year old wouold be left alone so that they would actually NEED to call mom or dad. Isn't a 4 year old always with an adult? Is this to call mom or dad from their bedroom at night to ask for a drink of water? Or perhaps if they get kidnapped they can whip out their phone to call for help? I have no doubt that a 4 year old COULD use this phone, but the question is- why should they ever NEED to?
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Julie Frein said 2:43PM on 6-27-2009
One of the things that struck me the most in the movie "Wall-e" was that the people would be side by side, yet talk to each other via their virtual consoles. By giving children cell-phones at such a young age, we are ultimately training them not to directly communicate. Not to mention the abbreviated language most use when they text. I can imagine the child who has been raised this way will find life difficult once they reach school as they will have to relearn English.
My now-grown boys survived just fine without carrying around cell phones, just as my husband and I did. Even now, my husband will not carry one. Although I do have one, because it is for emergencies only; the only time I keep it on is when I am expecting an important call.
I agree that this product reeks of a company trying to take advantage of a "consumer group", mainly parents who are nagged by their small children for an item they couldn't possibly fully understand. Whatever the original target group was for this item, retargeting small kids to make a buck is not the right thing to do.
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Nadine said 4:00PM on 6-27-2009
I'm not trying to be rude, but I can tell your from the older generation. You sound unwilling to accept change. I'm willing to bet you still write checks too. My dad will be 70 soon and he uses a cell phone, although he refuses to learn to program it. He says the buttons are too small. I wonder if we will have a modern version of the Amish, people who want the convenience of washers, dryers, cars and the like but wont touch technology. LOL
lhendr9802 said 2:49PM on 6-27-2009
HMMM Yes the FIREFLY phone has been around a while..... and its great for a kid HOWEVER-- a 4 yr old?? WHY are you leaving ur 4yr old alone?? a 8 to 12 yr old Maybe might be alone.. on a playground but not a 4 yr old.. Whats wrong with people.
As a kid of 4 I either had my mom, granny or auntie or even a babysister.. never was I alone.. Maybe if a a kid goes to divorced parents house and needs to hear other
parents' voice to go to sleep or be assured everything is OK.. but really..... And people are getting more complex phones for kids anyways at younger and younger ages... my cousins are 9 and 11 and they have gotten new cellphone every single yr since they started school.. They started out with FIREFLY.. Now the 9yr old is a text addict like her 16yr old cousin. they holidays both sit texting ..
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slyshy77 said 3:10PM on 6-27-2009
I don't agree with giving a 4 year old a phone. Especially considering how irresponsible most kids are around that age. But I can kind of see how a cell phone for younger children would be useful. My kids are 9 and 10 and both of them have those cheap prepay phones that I have them take with them when they sleep over a friends house or if they go out on an outing with their youth group at our church. So they are supervised but still have a way to reach me if they want to. I have them carry it just in case of an emergency. I definitely would not let the phones become my kids "babysitter" and leave my kids unattended with the thought that they can call me if something goes wrong.
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tbrad517 said 3:12PM on 6-27-2009
I don't agree with giving a 4 year old a phone. Especially considering how irresponsible most kids are around that age. But I can kind of see how a cell phone for younger children would be useful. My kids are 9 and 10 and both of them have those cheap prepay phones that I have them take with them when they sleep over a friends house or if they go out on an outing with their youth group at our church. So they are supervised but still have a way to reach me if they want to. I have them carry it just in case of an emergency. I definitely would not let the phones become my kids "babysitter" and leave my kids unattended with the thought that they can call me if something goes wrong.
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shannonecrz said 3:14PM on 6-27-2009
My daughter is turning six in August and I am thinking of getting her a cell phone. She spends two days a week with her not-so-responsible father and I am sometimes unable to get ahold of him to check on her. Also most of the cell phones marketed for children have GPS tracking devices so that I could find out exactly where she is should something happen to her.
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hello asca said 3:15PM on 6-27-2009
im sorry but i see no need for anyone younger than 10 to have a cell phone as they should be with an adult at all times due to the risk of all the sickos out there
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katlyn11535 said 3:15PM on 6-27-2009
I think this cell phone business for 4 year old is kinda crazy but on the other hand i think itt would be good to have one for your small child like if they were on a playground or somthing and they needed help they could call thier parents or 911.
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