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)
Sarah said 1:46PM on 9-03-2009
The writer of this half-assed article needs to research and fact check before posting this kind of garbage. The Halloween II movie is NOT A REMAKE YOU RETARD Jon Chase! I have to agree with him because I hate the fact that people can't just enjoy silence and solitude without an annoying cell phone being within ten feet of them. I'd love it if they didn't exist and think they are one of the worst inventions. You now have no privacy, you can be tracked 24/7, your service you pay outrageous fees for is not reliable and let's not forget people don't know how to use these things properly. There is no sense of public etiquette. They talk in movie theaters, when they're in the public bathroom on the toilet, in elevators, in line at and during checkout, gabbing through the drive through, etc.
Why don't you shove your cell phone through your ear into your skull since you aren't using your brain. You are a pathetic excuse for a writer!
Mr. Zombie is absolutely right in this case. People are so deluded into thinking that they need to watch crap on youtube that they ignore the real world. It's pathetic when people show you garbage like a stupid hamster on a piano, puppies and kittens! No intelligent person cares about that stupid crap! I suppose it's the only talentless hacks like you can keep a job by whining about people who realize what is actually important. The more technology advances the more people are constrained by it.
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sepirioth said 2:00PM on 9-03-2009
you tell 'em! besides maybe he gets so much done BECAUSE he hates technology. :)
Chad said 2:57PM on 9-03-2009
ROFLMAO
Hypocrites can be so amusing.
whoopn said 3:30PM on 9-03-2009
Hey Sarah. If you hate technology so much then maybe you should stop posting on blogs with your computer. Throw that computer away and cancel that iPhone plan you have, get rid of your movies and video games (which are far more of a time waster than a cell phone is).
Believe it or not, cell phones are very helpful. People make money with their cell phones, they avoid huge problems using email and sms from their cell phones. Air Traffic controllers have saved the day when comm to an Airplane went out while a plane was trying to land and did it with...*drum roll*...A CELL PHONE! People's lives were saved by a cell phone conversation, amazing.
Sarah plz stfu and cancel your internet subscription so the rest of us don't have to see your meaningless banter.
ElevatorHappyFun said 4:15PM on 9-03-2009
http://www.switched.com/profile/2576029/
reading your previous posts i see you "hate" a lot of things/people.
enjoy your future ulcers and heart attack.
HShore said 11:37PM on 9-06-2009
Sarah, what's with calling people a retard? So 7th grade, don't you think?
reezer said 2:38PM on 9-03-2009
Yeah you tell 'em Sarah! Screw technology! I can be outside accomplishing something while retards everywhere are watching Rob Zombie interviews and then bitching at the writer. And SCREW technology because people talk while in the theater. Fricking technology, I hope it never cures cancer, that'll show it!!!
Anyway, he seems much tamer than I expected him to be. Weird.
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Eroded Fallacy said 3:38PM on 9-03-2009
There are ups & downs for everything that is made by man. You may invent something for a good purpose but some douche will find a way to use it some other way which wasn't intended by the creator...
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xenogears728 said 4:25PM on 9-03-2009
whoopn... The guy you are referring to who used his iphone to direct air traffic using his gps.
You forgot to mention the delay on the network which makes it very dangerous to use in situations like that. For safety purposes its not recommend. Also, the guy was an "actor" Air traffic controllers have been told, if you use your phone to direct traffic you will be fired.
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Noah Genda said 12:21PM on 9-04-2009
What about me boy in stains? He's got no techmology at all... you can check his website he's got nuffin
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cowell.iain said 1:04AM on 9-05-2009
Sarah, I guarantee you have a cell phone. Also i think if you do even a little bit of research you'll find it is a remake of Halloween II (1981). SHOCK! Imagine that!
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bkinblk said 10:58AM on 9-07-2009
Rob does make a good point that some people are "too involved with technology" but like it or not its the way things are right now. I take a break every now and then , getting fresh air, going to a ballgame, going to concerts.( not filming it on my phone!! )and reading a good book!! P.S. Thanks cowell.iain)-for informing Sarah that Halloween 2 is indeed a re-make from 1981!!
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John said 2:40PM on 9-07-2009
Me love Rob Zombie, me agree with him speech 'bout bad technology. Good thing me type it on magic picture box with letterboard and not technology just like him use soul stealing box to make moving screen pictures. Magic good. *grunts*
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mrfixit said 9:29PM on 9-07-2009
This guy is a crazy as his movies, and the freaks that go see them.
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raulzeke said 10:58PM on 9-07-2009
Wow! Rob has normal hair! LOL
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Robert said 7:11AM on 9-13-2009
Rob Zombie uses the latest in cinematography technology in his movies; state-of-the-art recording technology in his music, and then makes them available through leading MP3 distributors and on-line video sources. But we're told Rob Zombie is "...vehemently anti-technology..."? LOL, sure, he hates technology all the way to The Bank.
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YTSprinter said 11:13AM on 10-07-2009
I'm sick of these "artists" putting down everybody for use of modern technology. Rob Zombie wouldn't be shit without modern technology, like others have already said on here. People agreeing with him, but using their computer to post a response to an online article is just laughable.
When Rob Zombie records or directs a modern classic, we can start listening to him as a credible artist. Since when is quantity more important than quality? Great...he's a busy guy. He does all kinds of things. They usually suck, though. That's my opinion. Why do you think Daniel Day Lewis is always involved in critically acclaimed (and usually very good) projects? Because he doesn't jump at every opportunity to make a movie. Otherwise we would have seen him in some crappy romantic comedy with Jennifer Aniston or one of the _______ Movie movies (Epic Movie, Date Movie, Scary Movie, etc.).
Somebody tell these "artists" to get their noses out of the air. Modern techonology is way more important than any of these people make it out to be. We'll put Rob Zombie in the middle of Harlem with a sign on it that says EXACTLY what the sign said in Die Hard with a Vengeance. He'll wish he waited on line for the new iPhone ;-)
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