TechRadar rounds up some useful tricks for getting the most of Microsoft's Xbox 360 gaming console, offering 17 suggestions across two posts on how to make the machine a more flexible and useful device. Many of the tricks rely on the Xbox being networked to a compliant PC, and a couple sound dubious (wrapping an Xbox that has suffered the "red rings on death" failure in a towel, anyone?), but for new Xbox owners, it's a handy resource. Check out our own guide for more hands-on ideas on how to spruce up your Xbox 360.

As both Nick at Gizmodo and Logan at Kotaku reported this morning, Microsoft has dropped the Australian price of the Xbox 360, making the cheapest model $349. Those price cuts might well tempt you to add the Xbox 360 to your technology arsenal, but remember that the machine isn't just a console and media player. Check after the jump for five mods you can make to your new discounted Xbox to render it more useful and more efficient.

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