Everyone has abandoned the poor old Xbox: developers stopped making games for it, most online games have moved to the 360 and Microsoft has seized manufacturing it a long time ago. Now, if you've grown bored of the old Xbox too, (not360), GamePro has a few tips for you to put it to good use again, or to get something out of a deal that you thought wasn't worth a nickel anymore.

Instead of giving it away to a poor kid that might enjoy it quite a lot, be a total jerk and upgrade it to be able to store hundreds of Xbox games, movies, and TV shows. GamePro says that all you need to do is to:
-purchase the mod chip on the internet and install it;
-install the Evolution X dashboard (which replaces the default dashboard and allows you to back-up and play your favorite games, launch third party applications or set up an FTP server);
-be seriously careful when soldering is involved;

And if the hardware modding isn't what you had in mind (meaning if you have serious doubt that the Xbox won't make it through the operation), you can always go for the "soft modding" of your Xbox using the Action Replay device to install Linux or Mac OS X, thus keeping your hands clean of any blood coming from the hurting Xbox. And if none of these tips meet your satisfaction, then just use the machine the normal way, playing your old games or watching DVDs like you've done up until now, appreciating it for what it truly is: Microsoft's first gaming console and home entertainment system.