Another cheap computing device

[partycentralpartygirl]

$39 Android tablet, at this price even if it only gets use as a digital photo frame it's worth a shot.

One day only, as the URL says.
http://1saleaday.com/

The 800x600 is a way nicer resolution than the more common 800x480 on 7" tablets.

Yes I have one of these, it is not the best unit, but with Opera it is semi-usable. The touch screen is terrible though, you need to use a stylus or it won't work at all. Worth getting at this price though as it watches movies just fine.

[partycentralpartygirl]

Not sure what issue partycentralpartygirl may have been experiencing with hers, but I find no need for the stylus.  It's a perfectly usable resistive touchscreen, and much more precise than a capacitive one if you use your fingernail (could be a problem for compulsive nail-biters.)  However, resistive is old technology and most people are used to capacitive by now, and most resistive screens don't support multitouch.

If you're used to the performance of a Kindle Fire, I wouldn't look into anything significantly cheaper as you probably won't be happy with the speed.  There are a bunch in the mid-100s now that run ICS, many the same hardware with different branding.  I think I'd have a hard time settling for anything that isn't dual-core, capacitive and at least 600 pixels wide in the smaller dimension (1024x600 is a good size, 800x480 is not.) after the assortment I've had.  I'd probably shop for one of these A500s (ha, ha) if I were looking to spend a couple hundred on something. http://www.ebay.com/ctg/Acer-ICONIA-A50010S16w-16GB-WiFi-101in-Silver-/112225849?_refkw=acer+a500&_pcatid=839&_pcategid=58058&_dmpt=US_Tablets

edit: but yes, as don27dog said, rooting the Kindle Fire may be a good option, the hardware specs aren't bad at all.

Yeah it works with a fingernail but it was infuriating to me if my flesh hit the screen it would be inaccurate so I just use a sharpie marker as a stylus. Much more precise.

I have an Android 2.2 laptop that I hacked to get google play on, totally worth it. Though SlideMe is pretty good and so is typing:
 
"app_name filetype:apk"

into google.