Extra Extra: Consumer Reports Electronics Buying Guide is on sale

It may be a tad early to start your holiday shopping, but there's a good chance you've at least been thinking about it. Maybe you've had a big-ticket gift—like a new TV or home theater—in mind for a while now, but are putting off the purchase till November or December. If it's sales you're waiting for, you probably know what you want and how much you're willing to pay. On the other hand, you might just a teeny bit leery of throwing so much cash at something you know very little about. Which is better: a plasma or LCD TV? Should you upgrade to a Blu-ray player or stick with standard-def DVDs?

If you find yourself in need of expert advice, consider the newest edition of the Consumer Reports Electronics Buying Guide. Inside you'll find a wealth of information on everything from televisions and computers to smart phones, GPS units, and much more. For each product, the Consumer Reports editors walk you through the basics, explaining what's available, which features matter, brand profiles, and offering tried-and-true shopping tips.

In addition to product information, the guide offers advice on how to shop smarter, including:

• Netting the best deals online, and protecting yourself when you shop on the Web


• When to repair and when to replace a broken item


• How to haggle effectively


• Finding the best electronics retailer based on our comprehensive annual survey


• How to save—and what to be wary of—with refurbished or open-box products on store shelves


• Where to get free office software, free computer security programs, and more useful freeware

(Click to enlarge.)

No Consumer Reports guide is complete without our signature blobs. Red, white, and black, you'll find hundreds of them in the Ratings section of the book, which contains detailed tests results and rankings for over 600 brand-name products, including our editors' and testers' recommendations.

The Consumer Reports Electronics Buying Guide is published twice per year, and the current Winter 2010 version boasts a brand new design with full-color product images and a sleek layout. In anticipation of your holiday shopping, look for it at a bookstore or newsstand near you, or click through to our online bookstore for information on how to order. —Nick K. Mandle