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.
While it's hard for us to imagine, there's still a small segment of those who don't have a cell phone. They claim life is simpler when you can't be reached all the time, but we beg to differ. Have you ever tried meeting a friend without a cell phone for drinks? According to The New York Times, a recent study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project showed that most people who don't have a cell phone are older, less educated, or simply can't afford one. 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Hope said 9:26AM on 10-25-2009
This is a stupid article - people who don't have a cell phone are older, uneducated or can't afford ...... I am educated and run my own business out of home so why in the hell would I want to spend additional money for a cell phone ????????????????? The author is another stupid pompous ass. Stupid people have stupid conversations on their cell phone while driving and putting everyone's lives in danger but do they care ??????? These are the same stupid people who have their cell phones stuck to their face as soon as they leave their office and can't seem to look where the hell they are going because they run into other people or vehicles in the parking lot and can't even stop to say ... excuse me. These are the same stupid people I encounter every time I go into a store because they are so busy having a stupid, inane conversation that they can't see the person in front of them. These are the same stupid people who feel the need to have a cell phone by their bedside and then complain they didn't get enough sleep with all the LED light shining from their stupid cell phone or stupid ipod. Stupid authors of such stupid articles need to put their stupid cell phones away and take a nice long walk outside and try to meet regular folks before making such stupid comments.
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Shawn Bushway said 9:59AM on 10-25-2009
I wonder who funded the Pew Internet and American Life Project Study? To suggest that those who don't own a cell phone are less educated than those that do smells of biased polling to me. If that is true who are the "no texting" or "no cell phone use" while driving laws made for? Who holds-up the check-out line flaunting their sense of self importance because they have a friend that knows how to dial the phone? Since the early 20th century people have had to deal with mechanical failures, running late for work and forgetting to take out the frozen pork chops and life continued. I say cell phones have dumbed down Americans and there's not one bit of evidence to suggest otherwise especially when you compare our standardized testing results with those of countries like North Korea who despite their problems have a 99% literacy rate. Cell Phones lead to less creativity, less ingenuity, less imagination and a reduction in immediate problem solving capabilities a few of which this author has clearly demonstrated because of all the things he could have written about to make a difference this is the subject matter of choice.
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Bob said 10:42AM on 10-25-2009
So there is still 15% of the population who are still in control of their lives.
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Sue said 11:03AM on 10-25-2009
The next innovation in the Apple iphone will be a small compartment, just large enough for a condom. The market will be aimed at female students, the idea being that since they never forget their cell phone, they will always have protection.
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marshall said 12:04PM on 10-25-2009
I find it unlikely that I am less educated than the people that scream at their phones or have to call home because they can't decide what type of donut to buy.
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cedara said 2:25PM on 10-25-2009
This article is BS me and my husband own our own business and we dislike cell phones- which is why we won't own them. We are not old (both in early 30s), uneducated, nor unable to afford (we own our own business). We also refuse to let any of our four children have one - all you "concerned parents" saying our kids need cell phones at school in case the school gets taken hostage are full of crap. If your kid picks up their cell phone to call the cops during that situation they are painting a HUGE target on their forehead- if they even have the coherency to use it in an emergency anyway (most people would panic in that kind of situation- children especially). The only thing kids use their cells phones for at school is cheating on tests via text messages, texting/sexting their friends, and playing the games on it....oh yeah let me just run out and get my kid something that will make his hours spent at school worthless!
You cell phone junkies are just fools IMO. Go out and shake the radiation out of your brain and try a day without it glue to your ear.
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ariusmaris said 3:50PM on 10-25-2009
Cell phone plastered to the head idiots, they should just get implants. The implants would take up some of the empty space between their ears. Not one of them looks where they're going, whether they're driving or even walking. Freaks!
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SecludedLane said 5:04PM on 10-25-2009
Once you've had a rare tumor removed "like I've already have" then you will never look at cell phones that same as before.
I've worked in communications for nearly 30 years and have been exposed to more RF radiation than most would ever receive from a cell phone, but after using a cell phone for work off and on 24/7 and then having a disfiguring tumor grow beneath my ear canal was enough for me to pitch the damn thing and change jobs.
Just a word to the wise, one cell phone in an enclosed space is tested to be safe over exposure...... but what about 10, 20 or 30 cell phones when your plane lands??? Think of that when you take your kids on the next flight.
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yonnie said 5:11PM on 10-25-2009
cell phones are pretty damn useful though when you, ya know, have a life.
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Lulu said 9:18PM on 10-25-2009
Okay people, stop making such a big deal about this article. Hope, don't say that the author of this article was a pompous ass and wrong because he mentions that old, uneducated and people who can't afford cell phones. He's probably just stating the facts; don't take it to heart. That wasn't directed at you since you already claimed to be too cheap to get one but he does mention that 15% CHOOSE to stay off the grid. Read the articles thoroughly folks
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JoJo said 3:10PM on 10-29-2009
This article seems to be poking fun at those who don't have cell phones.
The elder, uneducated, can't afford crowd.
Are those really great results from the NY times article?
Nothing really important to say, so say meaningless things?
Why do I care if someone doesn't have a cell phone because they're old, uneducated or are not able to afford one?
Possible cancer from use? That's a reason I'm interested in hearing.
GPS tracking that can used by the government to track my every movement?
Sure that sounds like a conspiracy theory, but more interesting than, "Well. He's too stupid to realize that he should have a cell phone." or "He couldn't figure how to work it."
Those that are bashing people for having a cell phone are just as bad.
Out of all my friends, I am the only one that does not have a cell phone. They don't care that I don't have one and I don't care that they do have one.
They, I can't speak for all cell phone users, don't scream at/into their phone, typically don't rush and bump into people while talking and if they do, they stop and apologize.
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jlosikany said 6:25AM on 10-31-2009
its automatically an illitrate thought to think thank those chaps without phones are uneducated!!!
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vidadaist said 10:27PM on 11-03-2009
This writer asks, " Have you ever tried meeting a friend without a cell phone for drinks?" Perhaps the preponderance of text messages he has sent and received has destroyed his ability to formulate a sentence with correct syntax. (he implies that you must have a cell phone, not to meet, but as a requirement for the drinks, themselves.) Perhaps my argument is too esoteric...
Or perhaps I am older (than whom?) or more uneducated than my Master's Degree suggests. While I certainly can afford a cell phone, I'm too smart (educated) to buy into the commercial hype that suggests I must have one.
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moveover said 11:23PM on 11-18-2009
For dire emergencies pre-paid cell phones are the way to go. Straight-Talk by Walmart has a good deal: $45.00 per month for everything unlimited!!
As for people who always have a cell phone glue to their ear, I wish they would run into a tree. They think they are so sophisticated. Reminds me of sophisticated Obama, who was crying that no one was going to take his blackberry away from him. Who cares!
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