What do you get when you cross a tech column with the month of December? You get a gadgety Christmas wish list, that’s what. And that’s exactly what I’ve got for you – with the added bonus of Black Friday and Cyber Monday to ease the strain on the purse strings.
Black Friday has officially begun for many of the major retailers. While some manufacturers and retailers will wait for the actual day – Friday 29th November – for their main money-savers, you’re well within your rights to start snapping up the deals that are already on offer.
Allow me to give you a few of my favourite Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Christmas shopping outlets, and my top gadget from each one. You’re welcome.
AMAZON
Amazon’s Black Friday event started on 22nd November and runs until 29th November – and new deals have been appearing all the time. Some of the savings are quite extraordinary, and are certainly worth scrolling through.
Black Friday or no Black Friday, you’re sure to find the perfect gift for the person who has everything on Amazon. No doubt you’ll have shopped on the site before, but it’s a good idea to consider it for more outside-the-box gifts and swift delivery options.
Claire Recommends: Pandora’s Box 6S – £124.99
This unusual-looking device has a whopping 1399 games – yes, you read that right – built in. Designed as a multiplayer unit, all you need to do is plug it into your TV and you’re away, with HD copies of your favourite retro games.
CURRYS PC WORLD
The Currys PC World Black Tag event has become a bit of a well-known thing now, and I think almost everyone I know has got at least one of their Christmas presents from its nationwide sale.
This year promises to be no different, and shoppers are already taking advantage of some of the fantastic deals. Check them out, because they won’t be around for long.
Claire Recommends: Dyson V7 Motorhead Extra Cordless Vacuum Cleaner – £199 – SAVE £100
We’ve all heard the hype about the innovative technology that Dyson impresses us with on a regular basis, and its V range of cordless vacuum cleaners have become dark horses on the nation’s Christmas wish lists. Make that special person’s wish come true with the V7, coming in at £199 with a whopping £100 off in this year’s Black Tag event.
ARGOS
Everyone’s favourite warehouse-based retailer definitely grows in popularity during the festive season. And it’s no surprise why, when it houses, as comedian Bill Bailey calls it, the ‘laminated book of dreams’.
We all love going in, picking up a tiny blue pen, and scribbling down the seven golden digits from said book of dreams that will magically grant us with our sought-after item. Combine it with Black Friday and it’s the place to be for your Christmas shopping.
Claire Recommends: Amazon Fire 7 with Alexa 7-inch 16GB tablet – £29.99 instead of £49.99
It’s almost hard to believe that a branded 7-inch tablet with front- and rear-facing cameras, a memory card slot and Wi-Fi can be purchased for £29.99. But now it can. From taking advantage of the device’s built-in Alexa, to watching TV on the go, this’ll probably be one of the best £29.99s you ever spend. Don’t miss this one.
HERBERT TODD & SON
When it comes to technology and electricals (and now kitchens, too!), then you’d be crazy not to visit our local hidden gem, Herbert Todd & Son. From fridges to TVs, audio equipment to smart heating, and more, the odds are you’ll find whatever it is you’re looking for.
And you’ll be pleased to hear they’re getting in on the Black Friday madness, too. I’ve had a good look through their website and there are absolutely loads of fantastic deals already available to get your hands on.
Claire Recommends: Sony 4K 65” OLED UHD HDR Smart Android TV with Freeview HD – £1,999 – SAVE £600
That’s right boys and girls – you can save a whopping £600 in this Black Friday deal. With a beyond-stunning picture, over 8 million self-illuminating pixels, and Acoustic Surface Audio meaning the sound comes from the entire screen, you’re in for an experience like no other.
GAME
Obviously if you’re a gamer, or you’re buying for a gamer, then shopping somewhere called Game probably sounds like a logical place to get searching for the latest must-haves. And that’s true – it is. But you might be surprised to learn that they actually sell more than just games – with other products including mobile phones and TVs.
And, of course, Black Friday has gifted us with these fantastic gadgets at lower-than-normal prices. So snap them up while you can.
Claire Recommends: PS4 Pro White 1TB + Death Stranding + NOW TV – £299
Yes okay, we all know the PS5 is on its way. But that’s going to be extortionate, and it takes a very long time for the predecessors of new consoles to become obsolete. And this isn’t just a standard PS4 either, this is the 4K Pro version.
And it comes bundled with Death Stranding – the latest high-anticipated action game from legendary director Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions. And two months of NOW TV. All for under £300. Bargain.
SORE THUMB RETRO GAMES
Okay, these local legends are an absolute MUST if you’re any one of these things: nostalgic; a gamer; alive. And if you’re reading this right now then I can guarantee you fit into at least one of those categories. I personally fit into all three, therefore I’m a regular at this brilliant shop – often frequented by Jason Bradbury of The Gadget Show fame.
Inside is a real Aladdin’s cave of retro video games, Japanese memorabilia, collectable consoles and limited edition peripherals, and more. Hell, they even sell laserdiscs.
Claire Recommends: Sega Game Gear + Columns + 4-in-1 – £28
There are far too many wonderfully unique gadgets in here, but the Sega Game Gear is a personal favourite of mine. They’re not easy come by these days, and so it’s always worth grabbing one while you can – even though they do literally inhale batteries.
I still like to argue that these bad boys walked all over their Game Boy rival back in the day – given that they boasted a colour screen and played 8-bit games like their flagship sister console the Master System. And if you never had one – now’s your chance.
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