stationchief

The typical XP netbook that runs about $250 has gone down in sale prices to $200, and even $150 so far this year at places like Target. With the popularity of such netbooks growing, I think it's definitey possible to see a good one somewhere in the $100-200 range for BF. I'm hopeful we'll see at least one as a doorbuster and drop to the $99 range, most likely with rebates attached to get it that low. And I seriously doubt netbooks will be goin' away anytime soon. There are some things they can still do that iPads and tablet PC can't. My prediction for BF: An Atom processor nnetbook with either Windows XP Home or Windows 7 Starter for $99 after -$50 mail-in rebae and -$50 gotta-send-it-in-a special-way rebate. That's what they usually gotta do to get it that low.

Some things I came up with: Tent - Kinda goes without saying. Just a small one.Sleeping bag - To catch some zzz's.Food/water - Plenty of non-cooking food and plenty of drinks. Ice chest - For the water, and as a makeshift refrigerator.TV or mini DVD player - Gotta entertain myself. PC - Another means of entertainment, and hopefully store might offer wifi.Dunno what some places will let me do as far as providing power to all these devices, like an extension chord. But, if need be, perhaps a mini power generator.

Well, this might be the year I finally do it. I've waited in lines for a few hours on BF years ago, but this year might be the time I finally go all crazy and camp out in front of a store. My new job that starts up next month is finally gonna allow me to save up enough cash in time for some major purchases on BF, and since it's a re-hire I've already got paid personal time off accurred for a day or two before/after thanksgiving. Dependin' on what happens in the upcommin' ads I'm still debatin' whether it'd be worth the whole line waitin'/campin' thing on BF, but I think I'm inching closer to actually doin' it. I've got some major needs this year which include, but not limited to, a new good spec laptop, an HDTV, possibly an iPod, and maybe some computer parts among other things. The problem is, as of right now, my supplies list total = 0. I'd have to buy the whole complete set (tent, mini generator, etc.). I might go ahead and do that, that way I'd have the campin' supplies for a real campin' trip to the mountains later. For those of y'all campin' out in line this BF, or have done so in the past, what's on your checklist of supplies? Any advice ya can give to a first timer? What to do's/don'ts?

Camp out at a few electronics stores anyways, tent and all. Tell 'em you're waitin' for black friday. Don't forget to record the responses ya get from passer bys and from store management.

Whazzup with this, Brad? Since those previous updates to the GD forums, not only are pics we try to attatch to our posts all messed up, but I've just noticed certain links don't work when ya click on 'em. Tried to post some YouTube vids but they seem to get messed up in the redirecting process. We can work around it and embed the vids into the posts, but I'm afraid not everyone will know how to do that. Plus I think it's better if we're given a choice to click or not. For the record, I'm not liking these new updates.

My planned routine for this year: Show up Wednesday mornin', find somethin' to do in line for 48 hours, Friday mornin' go in and buy what'cha want, leave store Friday afternoon. Although that routine will probably change a bit until then.

Just got Office Depot's ad for this. Their $0.01 school supplies sale is goin' on now until August 28. It's in-store only (no online) and looks like it includes Acrylic Rulers (assorted colors), 2-Pocket Paper Folders (with or without prongs), and Slider Pencil Boxes (pencils not included). There's probably a lot more but ya gotta go in to see 'em.

Nothin' a lil' masking tape, some post-its and a sharpie can't fix.

Now that I think about it, I'd change the 'ELITE SHOPPING TEAM' to 'SUPER SHOPPING SQUAD' or some other cool soundin' name. Or is it too late?

The family has been BF'ing it for over 10 years now. I really didn't get into it myself ultil I became a member of this site and did my first BF line wait for a laptop back in 2005.

I'll take a pair of each, please! What? No GD lunchboxes, mousepads, or window stickers? No 'I LOVE GD!' bumper stickers or 'GD ON BOARD' window signs? C'mon, Brad. Let's put that GD logo on EVERYTHING!

Do tell! When's the first shirt-winnin' contest?

It seems like the ads don't have as many 'hot' electronics items as they used to. I think most major retailers are focusin' on not just BF anymore, but other major sales like cyber monday and early/after BF sales.

If it's possible, I agree with puttin' the site logo on one or both of the sleeves. If it doesn't fit well, how 'bout just the circle logo (circle with 'GD' inside it)?

Great design as always! Are they gonna come in different colors, or is blue gonna be it?

I've been debatin' over an iPod lately. Maybe if the price is right I might add that to my doorbuster list.

I think they allowed this in previous years, but ya never know when they're gonna change the rules. Ya might need to wait for the fine print in the ads.

For those lookin' for a sub-$100 netbook, this just might be your BF. With some good netbooks droppin' in price down to as low as $200 this year I'm willin' to bet my GD t-shirt we'll see one of the first ever $99.95 netbooks. It'll probably be somethin' like $150 with a $50 mail-in rebate or some detail. Then there are those Windows CE mini netbooks (pocket organizers I affectionately call 'em) out there for $100 now, so we might see one store (Best Buy?) drop a lil' lower and become one of the cheapest computers to own. A possibility we might even see a <$100 price on a desktop as well since the previous years have came close. Prices on laptops I'll bet will stay the same as they usually are on BF (about $200-300 for the doorbuster) only slightly better specs than the previous years.

I gotta agree with that. There's so much more to runnin' this site nowdays than form years ago, with the popularity of the site growin' every year and all . It was RossMan that pulled it off the last time and I'm sure that alone was a full time job for him. Thought with all the new members and all the new questions about BF it might be a cool lil' addition to bring back. But, like ya said, It'd probably take settin' up a call center with full time employees to pull somethin' like this off now. Just post if anyone remembers it. No offense to all the thousands of newcomers, but I miss GD's early days.

Ah, here it is: Have Black Friday questions? Call us at 415-287-3325. Hope ya don't mind me posting the old number. Seems my memory fails me some. It was Ross, not Brad, that I talked to. And he was the one who set it up. Maybe I'm just reminiscing about old times. Been feelin' nostalgic lately. :)

Does anyone remember the old BF hotline we had years (many years) ago? Somethin' like an 800 number Brad set up where folks could call and get advice on what to get and the best deals out there. If I can find the old thread about it I'll post it here for reference. Just got me thinkin', with all the new first time BF shoppin' members and all the new questions out there, maybe we should consider bringin' it back. Don't remember the exact specifics behind it, but I do remember callin' it one time and havin' a nice conversation with Brad for a good half hour. Whaddaya think? Discuss ...

Done? All I've done so far i s dream about what I want. For some reason the savin' part always comes last.

A new decent specs laptop for college. Possibly an HDTV if the price is right.

Exactly 98 days, 11 hours, and 50 minutes until the first BF doors open! (5am on BF)