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