High-tech items that cost much less in 2011

LOS ANGELES

The more the demand, the faster the electronics industry brings out new and cheaper products.

There has been some talk that there might be inflation in the coming months, which would mean higher prices for a lot of things.

But despite that possibility, the electronics industry will be pricing some of their products in the opposite direction.

Just how much did you pay for that Kindle Ebook Reader or for your HDTV?

According to dealnews.com, a shopping website, those items and many others will be much cheaper later this year.

"If you wait, you can get today's model much cheaper, absolutely all the time," said the site's editorial director, Beth Pinsker. "The question is, can you wait?

Waiting can pay off.

The Kindle, for example, cost $259 in 2009, but this year is predicted to go for $99.

Remember when Blu-ray came out? It sold for hundreds, but dropped to $76 in 2009. This year, look for a $39 price tag.

Apple products usually drop very little in price, but the iPhone 3GS was $199 in 2009 and is now only $49.

The Wii was one of the first interactive video game consoles and sold in 2009 for $170. Look for this year's price to be only $99.

"This year in particular was a slow year for game systems," Pinkser said. "There wasn't a new exciting thing that everybody had to have."

New TVs always start out high, but drop quickly.

Today, a 55-inch HDTV that sold for more than $1,000 can be had for $599 or less.

Pinsker says a professional digital SLR camera is nearly half price.

Most of the prices are predictions and all of them are for new, in-the-box items, not refurbished product.

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