Black Friday Computer Deals Post here

[rhody]

As Black Friday is fast approaching, I thought it might be helpful to share your potential computer related purchases here, so that others may benefit from store and online purchases.

There are people I work with who get up at the crack of dawn to get a good position in line at your favorite Tech Store (corrected from Best Buy, that set Peng off !), etc... You may want to post your "buy wish lists" here too, so that if others find deals before you do, they can share them.

Rhody...

 

[Pengwuino]

If anyone wants to buy me a new computer, feel free :)

Also, F best buy, that place is the biggest rip off since CompUSA. I almost wanted to go torch the CompUSA building when it finally went out of business.

 

[rhody]

If anyone wants to buy me a new computer, feel free :)

Also, F best buy, that place is the biggest rip off since CompUSA. I almost wanted to go torch the CompUSA building when it finally went out of business.

Peng,

Thanks for venting, I feel so much better now... NOT... :tongue: Seriously, is there anything you want (don't need) but might buy if the deal was good enough on Black Friday ?

Rhody...

 

[Pengwuino]

If Best Buy were a star, I would hope it goes supernova and lives out the rest of its life as a black hole that no one would ever see again. Ever.

 

[rhody]

If Best Buy were a star, I would hope it goes supernova and lives out the rest of its life as a black hole that no one would ever see again. Ever.

OK, take a deep breath, vent (tell us why BB should be reduced to a black hole), then address my question in my last post...

Rhody...

 

[Pengwuino]

Their crap is ridiculously overpriced. They try to con people into spending stupid amounts of money on stuff they don't need or is not worth it. For example, the Monster cables they sell. A quick look at their website shows that they sell an 8' HDMI cable for $130. ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY DOLLARS. And is there absolutely any difference between that cable and the cables I got for $5 off newegg last year? No. Every site I've seen that has compared them shows 0 difference (along with the technical reason why there's no reason to expect a difference in the first place!).

Plus their sales people, at least where I go to, are awful. They just stand there going "uhh derp derp, this tv good, you buy now?". I went to buy my father an LCD TV for Father's day and this a-hole just stood there as if he didn't even want to be there. I hear people get such behavior in most Best Buy stores.

And don't get me started on Geek Squad.

 

[rhody]

As Black Friday is fast approaching, I thought it might be helpful to share your potential computer related purchases here, so that others may benefit from store and online purchases.

There are people I work with who get up at the crack of dawn to get a good position in line at your favorite Tech Store (corrected from Best Buy, that set Peng off !), etc... You may want to post your "buy wish lists" here too, so that if others find deals before you do, they can share them.

Rhody...

Peng,

Does this work for you then, and is there anything you need on your wish list ?

Rhody...

 

[rhody]

Since Peng basically laid waste to this thread, does anyone (other than Peng) have a wish list they would like to share. How about stories of strategies you use when making your break for it when the doors fly open and the thundering heards rush for the goodies.

From past experience with online adds/promotions and such, if the offer looks really good, make sure you take a screen grab of it and save it as a graphic file. It is not uncommon for companies management and sales departments to become disconnected, sometimes in your favor. I saved over $ 175.00 on the purchase of a desktop a long time ago. I never would have been able to prove the promotion that was "too good to be true" had I not taken the minute it took to grab and save the graphic file. This proved my point with sales, who had to sell me the PC I was looking for for $ 175.00 less. The promotion I took advantage was up for less than fifteen minutes, and saving the URL would have done me no good. A screen grab is the only sure way to prove it. There, rant over. I feel better now.

Rhody...

 

[jhae2.718]

Newegg!

 

[rhody]

Newegg!

Funny, smarty pants... you guys are a hoot. I will do some searching and try to be productive here. Peng, you coward, get in here and do some good for the PF peanut gallery will you ?

Rhody...

No good deed goes unpunished...

 

[phinds]

Their crap is ridiculously overpriced. They try to con people into spending stupid amounts of money on stuff they don't need or is not worth it. For example, the Monster cables they sell. A quick look at their website shows that they sell an 8' HDMI cable for $130. ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY DOLLARS. And is there absolutely any difference between that cable and the cables I got for $5 off newegg last year? No. Every site I've seen that has compared them shows 0 difference (along with the technical reason why there's no reason to expect a difference in the first place!).

Plus their sales people, at least where I go to, are awful. They just stand there going "uhh derp derp, this tv good, you buy now?". I went to buy my father an LCD TV for Father's day and this a-hole just stood there as if he didn't even want to be there. I hear people get such behavior in most Best Buy stores.

And don't get me started on Geek Squad.

Gee Peng, I was surprised you didn't bring up the Geek Squad. I have to assume that you have not had the pleasure of dealing with that staggeringly moronic crew, else your post would not have been so tame in your condemnation of the store.

EDIT: OOPS ... I missed your last sentence. I see you HAVE had the pleasure.

 

[rhody]

Sigh... Here is the Official Black Friday Ads http://www.2011blackfridayads.com/" .

I say we close this thread from lack of due diligence, follow through... Please, put it out of its misery before Peng shows up to rant again...

Rhody...

 

[rhody]

http://paid.outbrain.com/network/re...=145&prs=false&scp=false&version=46171&idx=8"

Rhody...

 

[Pengwuino]

Gee Peng, I was surprised you didn't bring up the Geek Squad. I have to assume that you have not had the pleasure of dealing with that staggeringly moronic crew, else your post would not have been so tame in your condemnation of the store.

EDIT: OOPS ... I missed your last sentence. I see you HAVE had the pleasure.

Actually I never have but everything I read about them makes me want to punch them.

I say we close this thread from lack of due diligence, follow through... Please, put it out of its misery before Peng shows up to rant again...

Rhody...

IM BACK RAWR!

 

[phinds]

Actually I never have but everything I read about them makes me want to punch them.QUOTE]

Oh, if you HAD dealt w/ them, punching would be much more tame than the kind of things you'd likely want to do to them

 

[rhody]

I don't know if this qualifies but I got out of bed at 4 am on Saturday morning, drove over 120 miles to the annual http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...z76UX&usg=AFQjCNEGZPnDAZuASWWua-11PXIrdZjOAw" skis and bindings for $ 400. They normally sell for about $800, so I still got a good deal. Brand new too, when we left the store at 8:20 am. There were about 1000 people outside waiting to get in. They let in a limited amount to conform to fire codes. If I had been 50th in that line I would not have gotten them, the guy behind me overheard the salesman's comments and grabbed the two remaining pair. This early bird got the worm, or just barely this time.

Rhody...

 

[turbo]

Already got my tech-stuff for this year. A Dell Studio XPS 9100 with 12 GB RAM and i7 processor. Plus a 23" HD monitor. I had to replace that crappy Dell keyboard with a Unicomp, so that was a bit of extra expense, but well worth it.

 

[jhae2.718]

Hard drives are expensive now...

 

[turbo]

Hard drives are expensive now...

A few years ago, I couldn't have imagined ordering a new computer with an affordable 1Tb hard drive. HD capacity is dirt cheap.

 

[Routaran]

there was a flood in Thailand that damaged the factories that produce hard drives. that's why the prices have gone through the roof. we will have to wait a few months for someone else to pick up the slack and bring the prices back down.

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20111018PD214.html

 

[rhody]

For your information:

Black Friday 2011: Toys R Us, Target Thanksgiving hours spark protests

According to InMobi’s survey, 60 million mobile users will shop on Black Friday using their smartphones and 21 million intend to purchase goods directly from their mobile devices. That number is even higher with the more tech-focused Cyber Monday shoppers — the survey found 42 percent of shoppers plan to use their mobile devices to shop for gadgets and electronics.

More generally, smartphones have become an indispensable tool for holiday shoppers who are using them more often to compare prices and read reviews in stores. According to the study, 45 percent of shoppers will use their phones for price comparisons while shopping, up from 22 percent last year.

Shoppers also use their phones to check store hours and locations before heading to the mall. Wal-Mart recently released new iPhone and iPad apps that allow customers to check the inventory of their local stores during the holiday season.

I experienced the "Buzz" of knowing if I was crafty enough and got up early enough, I would score a deal. In my last post I talked about saving over $ 400 on a pair of skis at Building 19's annual ski sale, which is held a week before Black Friday. In addition to the skis I got, I got a "Buzz" from it, that dopamine rush from the anticipation and excitement. Black Friday to me is all about the "Buzz". For those who beg to differ with supporting evidence, I am all ears. I have a friend who really doesn't "need" anything, and yet, year after year he spends between one and two thousand dollars on Black Friday getting his "Buzz". He is doing the same thing this year. Whenever I mention the subject, his eye's light up, in anticipation of the excitement of running for those deals.

Rhody...

 

[rhody]

Ok, I want reports of your Black Friday experience, good, bad, exciting, frustrating, unbelievable. Don't spare any details !

Discuss !

Rhody... channels Pengy... in hopes of response...

 

[jhae2.718]

A few years ago, I couldn't have imagined ordering a new computer with an affordable 1Tb hard drive. HD capacity is dirt cheap.

I was looking at 1TB WD hard drives to upgrade some lab computers, and the price on Newegg went up from ~$90 to ~$250 because of the flooding.

there was a flood in Thailand that damaged the factories that produce hard drives. that's why the prices have gone through the roof. we will have to wait a few months for someone else to pick up the slack and bring the prices back down.

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20111018PD214.html

Supposedly the effect on hard drive supply may last through 2012.

 

[rhody]

Shameless self promotion failed, even channeling Pengy. Here is my experience, on line Black Friday Shopping. Bought a 64gb iPad 2 without 4G for $ 68 less than suggested retail through B&H Camera online. I don't like apple, I have an old iTouch and it has been really abused and still works well. The problem is iTunes. It messes with my songs, every time I synch it. For the reason I am going with a Sony walkman, 16gb. Every thing is drag and drop with it, no more iTunes, it is treated like another remote HD which is very nice. The iPad is for the Mrs. She doesn't realize it yet, but once she gets it, she will probably never use her iTouch or laptop again. Apple is an 8000 lb gorilla, and makes great products. That doesn't mean that I have to like them.

Rhody...

 

[jhae2.718]

iTunes is horrible. There are some alternatives you can use, but Apple tries to make it difficult.

Newegg's Black Friday deals were rather disappointing; I was hoping to pick up a couple >23" monitors with full rotation. They did have the Toshiba Thrive for $200, but it was sold out by the time I noticed it.