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)
John said 7:57AM on 10-26-2009
Once you recover, you're immune for life, anyway. But, only to that exact strain! The problem with these things is they keep mutating, making our bodies think we're seeing the virus for the first time...
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sue marston said 8:09AM on 10-26-2009
Might as well join all the rest of the hoaxes - the pandemic is a hoax and the shots are a cruel hoax that can cripple and kill, and DO NOT PROTECT.
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Takurai said 11:22AM on 10-26-2009
It's people like you will are killing Americans by making them afraid of people who are trying to help them! The flu shot will do nothing more then kind of hurt, and you may get a mild case from the nose spray, which is a hell of a lot better then dying because you never got the flu shot. Why would doctors cripple and kill their own patients?
Marilyn said 11:42AM on 10-26-2009
Amen, Sue! I wish more people thought like we do, instead of panicking because the government isn't "protecting" them by having enough dangerous, untested, toxic "vaccine" to go around! It's scary how many people rely on government sources and mainstream media for information, instead of searching out the truth! Dr. Mercola and Dr. Sherri Tenpenny are excellent sources for flu and vaccine info of all sorts, including NATURAL methods of protection. 4-5,000 IU of vitmain D per day is one excellent way to protect yourself, for example. This is THE TRUTH, even if you don't hear it from the CDC or your local pediatrician.
Mom of Special Needs kids too said 12:10PM on 10-26-2009
If "millions" have gotten the flu, according to Mr. Obama, but only 1,000 have died from it, according to the CDC, it is not very deadly. If 40% of the population has already been exposed, and the flu is peaking next week, both according to the CDC, there is not a real risk to the remaining 60%. The vaccine is estimated, by the FDC, to cause 30,000 deaths. Um, to risk being one of 30,000, or to risk being one of the 1,000 out of "millions"? If you are really afraid of the flu, self-quarantine. It is the only 100% guaranteed no-risk method.
John said 7:56AM on 10-26-2009
Once you recover, you're immune for life anyway. The problem is, these viruses keep mutating, making our bodies think we're seeing them for the first time...
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weiluonika said 8:43AM on 10-26-2009
This is pretty funny, considering that the swine flu vaccine is a hoax itself.
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Deliah said 9:24AM on 10-26-2009
I don't trust my politicians and I don't even trust, unfortunately, my doctors anymore. Everyone has their own best interests, and it seems to start with my pocketbook.
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onocm0208 said 1:40PM on 10-26-2009
Couldn't have said it better myself!
jonmark222 said 11:06AM on 10-26-2009
Well, I have heard it said that the ancient Romans thought up of a cure for everything, although it is a bit radical. . .
They put it into an epigram.
"Death is the cure for all diseases."
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Debbie Penland ! said 11:15AM on 10-26-2009
THIS ADMINISTRATION IS U-S-I-N-G EVERY "TRICK" THEY CAN TO D-I-S-T-R-A-C-T US ALL FROM EVERYTHING THEY ARE W-O-R-K-I-N-G HARD TO "CHANGE" OUR NATION TO R-U-I-N-S...YES, THERE I-S FLU...ALWAYS H-A-S BEEN...THERE ARE A-L-W-A-Y-S DEATHS FROM IT, ALSO...BUT QUITE SIMPLY...THEY ARE "SMOKE-SCREENING" AS THEY "DO THEIR DIRTY-WORKS" BEHIND CLOSED DOORS!!!
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Truthisnow said 11:21AM on 10-26-2009
The government should also come out and say their swine flu vaccination is dangerous and it doesn't work. Obama, is now saying this is an epidemic. What a joke. Nobody nows if this swine flu is going to mutate into a deadly form. Sounds like Obama is in bed with the vaccination makers. Maybe because he owns stock? This swine flu isn't killing that many people. The regular flu kills more people every year. Any virus can mutate and be deadly. It could be another 1000 years before this virus mutates into a deadly form.
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Bamarina06 said 12:45PM on 10-26-2009
This is just a joke. The FDA doesn't acknowledge anything except vaccines and tamiflu, but the truth is that there are many, many products that can help boost your immune system. If you boost your immune system, then you allow your body to fight off the flu more easily. Most of these products are not claiming to "cure" the flu, but the FDA is attacking them because they are trying to help people. You should always be cautious of what you buy online, "buyer beware", but this is not a circumstance where the FDA is trying to protect anyone. This is blatant, outright CENSORSHIP. People should be free in this country to make their own decisions and treat themselves in the manner they feel is right, and this current tyranny in the health care system is unacceptable.
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Mike said 6:05PM on 11-16-2009
It's funny to listen to all the wacko's that believe there is some huge conspiracy by the government and health care workers to kill them all.
The saddest truth is that they are all breeding and spreading their ignorance.
When this is all over, I encourage them to look back and identify everyone who died from taking the H1N1 vaccine, THEN I would like them to post back here confessing their ignorance.
The trouble is that they won't learn anything at all from this exercise, they will simply repeat it everytime someone just like them screams "the sky is falling".
Truly sad
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Alice said 1:54PM on 10-26-2009
Nobody can trust the so called swine flu vaccines and it is possible it has hidden chemicals in it that can harm people in various ways. Think about it, if Obama wants "Death Panels" in the new health care package, who's to say he wouldn't do something evil? Even our Pastor said Obama possibly wants millions of people to die so that he can have complete control. Since he is a Muslim, he is surely helping Iran to destroy Israel which will cause world war 3.
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Jim said 3:39PM on 10-26-2009
Your pastor is an idiot - Christ's way was one of forgiveness and love and if you remember correctly the Golden Rule is Do unto others as you would have them do unto you....what kind of church or cult is this. Our country is based on separation of church and state - so he is obviously a fanatic.
Jim said 3:38PM on 10-26-2009
Haven't you heard anything but Sarah Palin's stupid remark....their is not a death panel in any of the legislation - if you believe that you will believe anything and if your Pastor does indeed believe that the president wants to kill people and that he is a muslim - you are a total fool and not at all well-informed. Take out your Bible and read a few passages that address this subject - Thou shalt not bear false witness. Jesus was all about peace, love and forgiveness or perhaps you would rather dwell on Revelations and see this as the end of days. Perhaps you don't even read the Bible or you would certainly believe Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. You are a hypocrite...as the Bible also states to love your enemies...what kind of church or cult do you belong to and who is this Pastor of yours who preaches condemnation and not forgiveness?