stationchief

Stores should have car DVD players w/ either one or two LCD screens for BF. They'll be able to play music CDs, and most seem to even come with video games.

I'm kinda hoping BB will lemme get some BF sale computer parts, like memory, hard drives, and the like, so I can use all my Best Buy Bucks (see the McDonald's Monopoly Game thread) to get 'em online. Then I can go pick 'em up at BB after I do the rest of my shopping the day of BF and completely avoid yet another line. That'd be awful nice.

All depends on where you're going and what you're getting. Just remember to be very careful what you're buying. They won't consider price adjusting or ad matching on BF unless the item you bought is the EXACT same item, right down to the model number. Some items on BF are special ordered for BF only (ex.: a specific version/color/bundle of the Nintendo DS). And they might have specific rules about no price adjusting or matching on BF.

Did that WM early bird ad really come that early last year? I still remember the chaos the price on that HP desktop & laptop created. Can't wait to see what happens this year. Eagerly anticipating WM, BB, and Fry's Electronics.

You can get car adaptors for your laptops that plug into the cigarette lighter for power. Far as internet access, probably have to have cellphone service with a compatable phone PC card or the proper phone cables. To keep it safe you can put it in the trunk or somewhere else nice and safe. Maybe even take it in with 'ya and have a manager put it behind the customer service desk or something. Never EEEEEEEEEEE-ver leave it in your car, even if you think it's covered up. I plan on takin' mine with me to the waiting line at the WM where the wife works. We've already talked to the boss. They're gonna set up a tv or two around the line so we can hook up the old laptop (the one from last year's BF we're sellin' to my aunt) and all of us in line can watch DVDs while waiting for our new BF laptop. All six Star Wars movies should just about cover the wait. (That's 12 hours )

Most of the specials in the general ad, perhaps. The BF doorbusters, like the limited supply of cheap desktops and such, fat chance.

If it's a Dell you're lookin' for, and something a lil' more powerful, then go for one of Dell's sales now. The BF desktops are most likely gonna be the older models and won't come with wide screen monitors.

Are we counting line waiting outside the store and waitin' in lines to check out? If not, then last year my BF shopping took me about 20 minutes. Grabbed a laptop, a TV, a few other things, and wanted outta there. This year I'll probably spend a good few hours or more.

Those smileys pretty much says it all when it comes to Vista. and I've heard both good and bad things about it. We'll just have to see if it's worth it. Gonna get a new laptop that's Vista compatable, get the coupon for a free upgrade to Vista OS, and see if it's worth puttin' Vista on my desktop or just keepin' Media Center Ed 2005.

Same here, just that I'll be custom building my own. Lookin' for those Core 2 Duo processors.

We don't know exactly what the 'cheap' computers are gonna be just yet, but the basic ones that are most likely gonna be the doorbusters would suit your needs just fine for internet, educational games, and overall basic use. Just about any type of processor (ya probably don't need the dual core or the 64-bit ones), at least 256MB of memory (512MB would be better), and whatever type of media drive you'd like (CD-R/RW, DVD-ROM). Not that difficult, just probably have to be very close to the front of the waiting line on BF. They'll go very fast. It's pretty much the same as tryin' to get something you really wanted that's really popular on BF. They're usually in very limited supply (like 10-20 maximum) and they go to the first few people in line who ask for 'em. Prepare and get in line early enough. Sure, you can buy one online, but it won't be nearly as cheap as it will be on BF. That's the point of waiting in that long line compared to the comfort of your home.

Apparantly far too often. When I'm home, I keep the laptop turned on and the web browser tuned into GottaDeal. I hit the refresh button about once every 15 minutes or so.

Multiply the thousands of people you're used to seeing there by ten fold. That's the BF a friend of mine told me he went through. He waited in that line and nearly got killed once he got inside. By the time his girlfriend finally got there to meet him afterwards the place literally looked like it was looted. Almost nothing on the shelves. I didn't chance it last year, but this year I just might be desperate enough for computer parts. Goes to show 'ya just how insanely popular both Fry's Electronics stores are here in the Phoenix area.

Ah, but that's because you didn't show up early enough. There's a good chance I'll be gettin in line at the second Fry's in Arizona on Thunderbird Rd in Phoenix sometime the evening before. The real fun begins once 'ya get inside. It's standing room only and even when you're in the building it's almost impossible to stand still cuz 'ya keep gettin' pushed.

Those rebates! I hate rebates! I want my savings NOW!

These 'puters should have either CD burner, DVD player, or a DVD reader/CD burner combo drive. Plain 'ol CD drives aren't standard anymore. Far as games, all depends what kinds. The cheap 'puters will have only about 256 MB memory and substandard on-board graphics. They probably won't play any high-tech stuff without a significant upgrade, like more memory and a new AGP graphics card, but they should play a few of 'em with the computer as-is. Definately look for a computer with an open AGP slot just in case you do decide to upgrade the graphics.

I prefer to go to a regular Wal-Mart then a 24 hour supercenter. Just so 'ya don't have to play the guessing game with those black tarps. THe smaller stores will have everything out for 'ya and they even hand out maps.

All too true. For just basic, everyday use like surfing the high-speed net and checkin' your emails, even the most cheapest computer on the market today would do that almost exactly the same as the more expensive ones without much difference. Maybe there's a difference in HOW you do it, like WiFi capability and wireless keyboards, but no difference in the task itself. Sure 'ya might not be able to burn DVDs or play 'Doom 3', but who really cares? I remember last year people on this board were arguing that these doorbuster 'puters couldn't do email or high-speed internet. I was like ...

Think they're just tryin' to keep one single person from picking up all 20 laptops the store has and selling 'em on eBay. Plus, that makes it more possible for people further down in line to have a shot at a doorbuster.

If cheap is the key, then get ready for cheap. With all the new dual-core processors coming out (Core 2 Duos), expect the less powerful desktops to probably drop to as low as $100. Maybe less.

Actually, the laptop chart wasn't me. That one was someone else and his wasn't as in-depth as my desktop chart was. I prefer to make mine more beneficial to the PC 'tekkie', comparing the specific types of processor clock/bus speeds and cache, memory type/speed/number of open slots, internal workings, etc. And yes, more outstanding charts are planned. Just patiently waiting for the first few ads with PCs in 'em.

Arrowhead would be the best bet for hittin' Wally's Mart first then shootin' over to those shops. The WM where the wife works is where we're gonna be waitin' in line on BF. Last year we got in line for the HP laptop at about midnite and were about line person #20. Got there just before the line really got insanely long. This year I'm takin' no chances.

Just glanced at their websites. Looks like there's Anchor Blue and Aeropostale shops in most of the malls around town, including Metrocenter by us. Never really noticed it there before. Maybe because I get all my clothes from Wal-Mart.

One of the benefits of signing up for a subscription to the local paper just before BF. Not having to get up super early to get a paper. Learned my lesson last year when I tried to get a paper at my usual time. Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY was out of papers everywhere in town. Tried numerous grocery stores and a dozen Circle Ks. Good thing I had a printer and the ads downloaded from GottaDeal.

Sound interesting. Excuse my ignorance, but can 'ya be a lil' more specific as to exactly what that is? Sounds like an electronic tool from Ace Hardware or something.