Xbox 360 For $99 Deal Alert

If you don't have an Xbox 360 yet and want to get one for extremely cheap, you need to go to Target. Now! Their sale runs this week, which is the usual Sunday through Saturday period.

I've never seen the Xbox 360 this cheap before. Of course they are trying to move out all the old modeled Xbox to make room for the new shorter Xbox 360 with the glossy black shell. The model is the barebones Arcade version without a hard drive. So be prepared to spend another $40-$100 for the hard drive depending on the size you want.

So the deal is the Xbox at Target is $149.99, but because there is an error with the listing that it includes a headset which it doesn't, Target is further reducing this to $129.99 when you check out at the register. Couple this with the $30 gift card, and you effectively pay $99.99 for a brand new Xbox 360.

Target - Xbox 360 Weekly Ad Sale

ESPN3 Sports Streamed on Your Xbox 360

If you remember my post from yesterday, I couldn't connect to ESPN3 because my ISP isn't one of the participating providers to join. I can see how this would affect them if they didn't also have a stake in cable and satellite content. People would quit their cable and satellite subscription and just get their sports programming online, while their internet infrastructure experiences a higher load due to all the bandwidth used.

I was told that the Xbox Live service will soon be able to provide ESPN3 streamed directly on my Xbox 360. Great!

From the Xbox.com site:

With thousands of sporting events and the interactive social network of Xbox LIVE, ESPN on Xbox 360 brings the excitement of a stadium experience into your living room. Access over 3500 live global events from ESPN3.com, including out-of-market programming plus fresh video clips from ESPN.com . Enjoy features like HD programming and on-demand viewing, participate in polls, predictions and trivia. See what the Xbox LIVE community is watching and declare what team you’re rooting for. With Kinect™ control the action right from your couch with just your voice or the wave of your hand. ESPN is the best way to watch and follow the sports you love while connecting with friends, fans and rivals on Xbox LIVE.

BUT HOLD ON! What the marketing folks at Microsoft / Xbox doesn't state is that I'm still limited to the participating ISP! Dammit! And don't forget you need to have the paid Xbox Gold subscription in order to access it. The Xbox Silver (free) level subscription won't allow you to connect.

So really, it's not that big of a loss for me because if I'm home where my Xbox is, I might as well watch ESPN on my TV.

Xbox.com

Assassin's Creed 2 Videogame on Sale $23.54

Videogames aren't just for kids anymore. Some of my friends still play videogames and they are in their 30's and 40's. So when Dad wants a little time to get away from the daily madness and immerse himself in some game time, what better way to play a fun game and not break the bank. Here's a pretty good game deal I ran across. It's Walmart's online price. I'm not personally a big fan of walking into a Walmart and have to deal with the crowds, so buying this online is great. I haven't seen the game this low before so it's an excellent deal and definitely a Deal Alert if you don't already have the game.

A quick excerpt from Walmart:

• Discover an intriguing & fascinating new epic story of power, revenge and conspiracy set in a pivotal moment of History: the Italian Renaissance.
• Features Include :
• The lineage continues…introducing Ezio, the new Assassin
• Experience the freedom and immersion of an all new open world and mission structure
• Master the art of the assassin with all new weapons and instruments created by Leonardo Da Vinci himself

I enjoy open world games where you aren't doing going to point A to do something, then move to point B and finish the task, then move to point C. Open world settings allow you to do non-linear tasks and goals, so it gives you a little more freedom to move and explore and tackle challenges on your own time. I am trying to relax afterall and that's the reason I'm playing, so an open world environment allows some virtual freedom.

Walmart.com Assassin's Creed 2 for the PS3

Walmart.com Assassin's Creed 2 for the Xbox 360

Xbox 360 - $50 price drop

With Microsoft releasing the new black “slim” Xbox 360, they confirmed with a post-conference announcement they are no longer manufacturing the original “fat” Xbox 360s. So in order to move out their stock, all older units have dropped by $50 to make room for the new sexy black and slim Xbox 360s that should be showing up at retailers shortly.

You can find the Arcade models without a hard drive for $149.99. The Elite models with the 120 gb hard drives have dropped to $249.99.

These price drops should be widely available at your local department stores as well as online e-tailers like Amazon and Newegg.

Kinect for the Xbox 360, Microsoft’s answer for motion control

No matter what you think of her silly pose, you’re going to look like a dork using the new Kinect motion control for the Xbox 360. It’s former codename was Project Natal. Microsoft summed it up best: You are the controller. So if you get over the fact that everyone will look as silly as you, expect to get up off the couch and start wiggling, shaking, balancing, twisting and flailing your arms to control your onscreen avatar or other game control functions. Driving? Yeah, you’ll put your arms in a driving position using an “air steering wheel” just like playing the air guitar. Need to get your character to jump to the next platform, you’re going to jump in real life also.

Just like the Nintendo Wii, it brought casual gamers and grandparents to videogaming. Something the Playstation and Xbox systems seemed to initially overlook. I can see the real benefit of Kinect being used for exercise programs. I think it’s much more advance than the Wii’s motion controller or the Playstation’s Move controller. Although preliminary hands-on testing from a select few journalist noted the need to have an uncluttered background and a certain amount of lighting. Hopefully these will be worked out when it’s finally released later in the year. Expected availability is in November 2010. Just in time for the holidays.

Xbox Kinect

Xbox 360 – smaller, shiny, quieter and now with built in WiFi

At E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, held in Los Angeles, Microsoft announced the new Xbox 360.  It’s essentially the same Xbox 360 they’ve been selling for the past 5 years, but has shrunk in size and comes in an oh-so-sexy glossy black shell.  The new unit is quieter thanks to one large fan spinning at a lower rpm, instead of two small fans spinning at a higher rpm.  The disc tray eject button is now a touch sensitive button similar to the Playstation 3.  This standard edition comes with 250 gb storage.  The biggest announcement, and much to the delight of many people, is the new Xbox 360 slim comes with built in WiFi.  You can now take your Xbox and move it around the house and quickly set up on another TV without the hassles of an ethernet cable.

Microsoft began shipping these to retailers today, and you might just be able to grab one at your local department or electronics store like Target, Best Buy and Walmart.  Just be prepared to fend off the little kids and teens camping out during their summer break!  $299.99 msrp.

xbox.com