Black Friday, for those of you who have yet to be initiated, is the day after Thanksgiving here in the U.S. and it is marked by huge sales at retailers and lines that stretch around the store. During these sales prices often hit rock bottom and this year, thanks to many of the major retailers eschewing rebates for instant savings, retailers will be setting records for low prices. Dan de Grandpre, CEO of dealnews, is an admitted techie who with his team of experienced bargain hunters has compiled their predictions for Black Friday 2008!

There are too many categories and deals to list here but here are a few that tempt me to do something I detest: wait in line!

• Small portable laptops starting at $199.
• 42" and up plasma and LCD TVs starting at $499!
• Blu-ray players from $149.
  
• Flash drives, routers and more free after rebate.
  

These are just a few of the deals the dealnews team is predicting. If you are in the market for any kind of electronics this year you should definitely check out the full breakdown of Black Friday items that made the list.

Normally you won't find WalletPop bloggers pushing a large purchase but it's evident to me that those of us who are frugalists still need to purchase big ticket items from time to time and the thing we love most about it is getting the best price. If a good deal isn't enough to convince you to head out on Black Friday then maybe you should check out Buy Nothing Day which takes place the same day and advocates 24 hours of consumer abstinence!

Here at WalletPop, we're always on the lookout for signs that the American consumer isn't a complete moron.

Every few months, we find evidence of intelligent life in America's malls. Today, the New York Times reports that the next-generation DVD formats -- Blu-Ray and HD-DVD -- aren't selling real well, and neither side is emerging as a clear winner either:

The two camps are victims of their own earlier success with DVD. The standard DVDs offered a quantum leap in quality from the picture and sound of VHS videotape, and for many that was more than adequate.

In addition, DVD players that can convert images to near high-definition quality can be found for under $100, hundreds less than a true high-definition DVD player, further reducing the urgency to upgrade to one of the new formats.

That's exactly right. DVDs offer pretty good technology. Unless your retirement is fully funded, you have no debt, own your home free and clear, and have 6-figures stashed away for your childrens' college tuition, you should not even be contemplating thinking about thinking getting one of these high definition DVD players.

Perhaps the soft economy will force people to behave as more responsible stewards of their personal finances. If so, it could be a tough stretch for gadget-makers.