Tech Review: Apps to help you navigate Black Friday

The day after Thanksgiving is the Super Bowl of shopping, when retailers officially kick off the holiday season with big bargains and special promotions. Whether you are looking for the best deals or are just trying to keep your gift buying on budget, these apps can ensure you won't be in the dark on Black Friday.

TGI Black Friday

(iOS, Android; free)

This app offers hundreds of Black Friday deals from scores of retailers. You can search by category or store, and save prospective items to a shopping list. The app makes it easy to share the deals you uncover with friends on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. TGI Black Friday also alerts you to early-bird specials being run in the days before Black Friday.

Shopular Black Friday

(iOS, Android; free)

Don't be surprised if as soon as you step into a big department store or little boutique, Shopular sends you a message about a Black Friday bargain nearby. The app uses GPS to know where you are and personalizes deals by your location. You can also filter deals by individual stores or by shopping center, so if you are in, say Roosevelt Field, you can have Shopular advise you on bargains at stores in that mall.

ShopAdvisor

(iOS, Android; free)

Want to find out if that Black Friday deal really is a bargain? Type in the name of the item or use the app's scan feature on the product's bar code, and ShopAdvisor searches its database of millions of products in thousands of local and online retailers for best prices. If you're in one of the stores that offers "Internet price matching," show the readout to a salesperson. You might get a better price, although it may cost you a dirty look.

Christmas Gift List

(Android; free)

The frenzied Black Friday free-for-all at the mall can get costly if you don't watch your spending. With this app, you can set up a gift list and spending limit for each recipient. Each time you make a purchase, log it in, and the app lets you know if you go over budget. Users of iOS can check out the similar Christmas List ($1.99).

Tech Bytes

Dot-London calling

London has been awarded its own Internet domain name. The Guardian newspaper reports that London-based businesses and individuals can apply for Web addresses with a ".london" suffix beginning next year. The domain was approved by the Internet Corp. for Assigned Names and Numbers, which regulates Internet names. The Guardian says "tens of thousands" of businesses are expected to apply for the ".london" suffix. -- Peter King

Intel pop-up in NYC

Following the lead of Apple and Microsoft, Intel is opening its own retail stores -- kind of. For the holiday season the chip maker is opening three Intel Experience "pop-up stores," including one in lower Manhattan. Nothing in the stores is for sale, but Intel says visitors get "access to Intel tech experts" and can test-drive products featuring Intel's technology. Products in the store can be purchased online. -- Peter King

Three sides to the story

Samsung plans to release a Galaxy smartphone next year with a three-sided display that wraps around the edges so messages can be read from an angle, two people familiar with the plans said. The world's largest maker of handsets is fighting with Apple to introduce innovative devices as they brace for a slowdown in the high-end smartphone segment, where Samsung sells about one of every three devices. -- Bloomberg News