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.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mopie said 9:39PM on 9-11-2009
what a crock, nylon beads require huge amounts of resources to make.
Reply
Blue Dog said 10:34PM on 9-11-2009
One cup of water prototype?? And it's going to stay a prototype. LOL
Reply
Donovansdanes said 10:58PM on 9-11-2009
O what fun. Washing? laundry with out water. I'm sure its going to be so wonderful finding plastic beads in pant and shirt pockets. Not to mention in my underwear.
I'd like to see just how these little plastic beads clean a load of baby diapers. Something tells me, the diapers won't do well passing a sniff test. Nor would I care to recycle the same beads that cleaned? the diapers, in another load of laundry.
Its just like these newer washers that have a steam cycle. The steam cycle works great on removing wrinkles, and truly does freshen clothing. Providing the the clothing being steamed/freshened is (CLEAN) to begin with. Again, steam does not work well removing poo, poo. One would tend to end up with a "dung" not so fresh smell.
Reply
me said 11:16PM on 9-11-2009
And who the hell is going to pick through the clothes to get out all those little beads?
Reply
rehanna said 11:58PM on 9-11-2009
...and do those nylon beads get dummped into the ocean clogging the gills and intestines of the seal life?
Reply
G Harris said 12:22AM on 9-12-2009
What a bunch of crap! We now have a front-loading Whirlpool washing machine that takes less water, and I absolutely hate it!!!!!! Sure, it uses less water and less soap, and it also DOES NOT get your clothes clean. Especially for my husband's clothes that he plays tennis in, I put twice as much soap, and then run them through the wash and then run them through again with only water to get out the soap.
I can't believe that we the consumers allow manufacturers, who are influenced by big government, to make the garbage they make in the name of green.
Reply
sillygirl said 12:43AM on 9-12-2009
G Harris you hit the nail on the head! My front loading Bosch (supposedly one of the best) is garbage! It takes the oils left on your clothes by lotions, etc. and deposits them on anything white in the load, in the form of nasty grey globs that do not come out, no matter what I try! I use more water re-washing stuff than if I'd kept my old top loading machine! And what a smell if you don't leave the door open to dry out the washer after each use! P-U! One more surprise they don't tell you about when you buy it!
Reply
ProfSmartski said 12:49AM on 9-12-2009
Easier just to do away with clothes ... let's all go naked ! LOL. Kinda reminds me of the 'race to the sun' by the three super powers. Five years later, one had built a rocket to fly to and land on the sun; one built the spacesuit so man could walk on the sun; and the last one had nothing to new to show but their old technology. Asked why they didn't develop anything new, they replied, "We were ready to go five years ago. You wouldn't listen then, but we kept silent until today. We simply recommend going at night !"
Reply
suddendeath11 said 2:26AM on 9-12-2009
bought one of the new front loader washer and dryer to do my part. had it less than a year. clothes started to have a smell to them like they weren't clean. talked to a plumber and his comment was not enough water went through them (washer) to get rid of the grey water. gave set away and went back to new set of top loading washer with second rinse available. can't find that smell anymore, thank goodness.
Reply
David said 4:56AM on 9-26-2009
"Available commercially but the home market will soon follow", only after they bend you over and butt slam you like the pharmasudical companies do with a new drug. Wonder if President Obama would give us a cash for junker's program to get one of these babies! I gotta go, I have call waiting on this here eco friendly lap top, I think Al Gore might be trying to call me already!
Reply
Nightowl said 3:11AM on 9-12-2009
Front loaders suck, I despise them. It's very difficult to get clothes clean in such a small amount of water and there is no ability to soak items such as tennis shoes. My kids need their sneakers cleaned every once in a while. Not a fun experience! I went back to a top loader.
Reply
Crimsonrayne said 4:03AM on 9-12-2009
....nylon beads?!?!?! are u serious!!!??!? have you SEEN how much they have polluted the ocean? They are very popular as a small and transportable ingredient in plastic products...but they easily fall and make their way, inevitably... to the ocean. Where they dont decay and they float."The Eastern Pacific Garbage Patch, situated in remote waters between California and Hawaii, is created by ocean currents that pick up millions of tons of the world's discarded plastic."
Reply
Crimsonrayne said 4:05AM on 9-12-2009
The eastern pacific garbage patch is twice the size of Texas. I would rather use a little more water.
Sorry about the double post...first one did not post until i sent the second one.
Reply