For those whose idea of exercise during Black Friday week is clicking a mouse button rather than tramping through a store, Amazon has announced its Black Friday deals, which kick off on Sunday, November 24 and run through Black Friday itself.
Based on some of the deals we've seen, it looks like Amazon's being keeping an eye on its brick-and-mortar competitors, as many of its deals seem awfully familiar.
For example, just like Walmart, Amazon will have a $98 720p LCD TV, though this one is from Seiki; Walmart's is from Funai, which usually sells TVs under the Emerson and Magnavox brands. Amazon is also touting a a 60-inch 120Hz 1080p LED LCD TV from Vizio for $688. Although the model isn't mentioned, we believe this set is the E601i-A3 model that Walmart will have for exactly the same price.
Among the other TVs being offered as special deals:
• a 50-Inch 1080p LED LCD TV from Seiki for $229
• a 55-inch 120Hz 1080p LED LCD smart TV (E550i-A0 ) from Vizio for $480
• a 55-inch 240Hz 1080p 3D LED LCD smart TV from Samsung for $1,298
• and a 65-inch 120Hz 1080p LED LCD TV from Samsung for $999
Find more deals and buying tips in our guide to holiday shopping.
We believe the 50-inch Seiki could be the SE50FY28 model that Kmart will have for $400. (It could also be the the SE50FY10 model that sells for about $600.) The 55-inch Vizio now sells for about $775, so it will be almost $300 cheaper during the Black Friday sale.
Based on its specs and price, we think the $999 65-inch Samsung is the UN65FH6001FXZA, which is currently selling for about $1,400. If it is the same model, Best Buy will also have it for about $1,000 during its Black Friday sale. The $1,298 55-inch 3D Samsung set could be the UN55F7100 set that currently sells for about $1,600.
Also listed are the Google Chromecast streaming media player for $30—a $5 discount—and the Jawbone Jambox Bluetooth Speaker, for $100, down from its usual $150 price. Best Buy will have the same prices on both items. Amazon will also offer a Sony Blu-ray player (BDP-S3100) for $55; we think it's the same Sony Blu-ray player Best Buy will also have for $55, though the specific model wasn't listed.
For those with the time and nimble enough fingers, Amazon says it will be supplementing these Black Friday specials with new daily deals, with some updates coming as frequently as every 10 minutes.
Although we've already made some early picks for the top Black Friday TV deals, we'll continue to monitor holiday sales at all the major retailers to let you know the best deals we find. Keep checking back for all the latest Black Friday information.
—James K. Willcox
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