5 Gadgets to Buy Now

Consumers holding out for great deals on some of the latest gadgets don't have to wait any longer. With Apple's Macworld Conference & Expo underway and the International Consumer Electronics Show officially opening later this week, there's no better time to grab discounts on some of the most popular gadgets.

In past years, the slew of new tech announcements at these events forced consumer electronics retailers to slash prices for merchandise that was still lingering on the shelves. But this year, consumers may want to take advantage of the current highly attractive post-holiday sales instead of hoping for post-convention discounts.

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"Most of the things we're going to see [at CES and Macworld] are evolutionary, not revolutionary," says Michael Gartenberg, vice president for market researcher Jupiter Media. In other words, many of the anticipated new product launches will be a bit more sophisticated than current models, but not in ways that make them significantly cheaper, easier to use, or, for that matter, obsolete.

Also, keep in mind that just because you see a cool new gadget in the news coverage of CES, you may have to wait months until you can actually get your hands on it. "Remember, these shows are to a large extent a showcase for technology that shows up in the second half of the year," says Rob Enderle, president of technology advisory firm Enderle Group in San Jose, Calif.

Here are five deals worth looking into now, while there are still plenty of holiday leftovers on shelves:

GPS Navigators

With more cellphone manufacturers and auto makers including GPS capabilities as a basic feature, there's less incentive for companies to develop standalone models, says Vipin Jain, CEO of electronics price-tracking site Retrevo. He expects clearance-level sales on many models. TomTom, for example, is having a "givegive" sale, offering $50 to $100 off all models at participating retailers through Jan. 24. At Walmart, that sale cuts the price on the TomTom One 125 to $100 from its original price of $180.

Price-Controlled Items

Manufacturers like Apple and Activision Blizzard (which produces videogames such as "Guitar Hero") strictly control the price of their products, making them relatively insulated from the impact of announcements by competitors, says James Fisher, a professor of marketing at St. Louis University. If you're eyeing a particular product from one of these manufacturers, check sales on comparison shopping sites like NexTag.com, which tracks price histories. Jump if you see a good sale on the something that rarely gets discounted. Right now, Best Buy is offering the 16GB iPod Touch for $220, a $60 discount off the regular $280 price tag. Buy it online, and you'll also get a free $15 iTunes gift card.

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Digital Cameras

Most of the announcements regarding digital cameras expected during CES will concern features, as opposed to picture quality, says Jain. If you're looking for a simple point-and-shoot rather than a professional-quality camera, now's a good time to buy. Circuit City and Best Buy both have sales of up to 30% off select digital cameras.

Videogames and Game Systems

Very few game announcements come out of CES. Instead, most occur during June's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). Typically, games announced during the summer show don't see store shelves until late in the year, offering little reason for consumers who have their eye on a particular gaming system or title to wait, says Gartenberg. Dell Home currently offers a promotion on the Sony PlayStation 3, selling it for $340 instead of its regular price of $400.

Digital Photo Frames

This popular gift item doesn't tend to sell well outside the holiday season, says Dan de Grandpre, founder of Dealnews.com, an online consumer guide. While new versions debuting at CES will probably offer a few more bells and whistles — including more storage space and Wi-Fi — there's no major technological advancement worth waiting for. Meanwhile, many models already on shelves are priced lower than $40. Amazon.com has the Axion AXN-9702 7-inch LCD frame at $50, half its regular price.