The $70 laptops are here (sort of).

[littleman]

I bought one of these Viking tablets + keyboards for my mother and she loves it.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-Viking-Pro-10-1-Android-2-in-1-Tablet-32GB-Quad-Core/45804384


Technical Specifications:

    1.3GHz Quad-Core processor
    1GB DDR of system memory
    10.1" touchscreen, 1280 x 800 resolution
    Built-in WiFi and Bluetooth v4.0

Additional Features:

    Back 2MP webcam and front 1MP webcam
    microUSB 2.0 port, USB 2.0 port, miniHDMI port, headphone jack, microphone jack, DC-in jack
    32GB onboard storage memory, additional memory via microSD card slot
    Up to 6 hours of run time on a full charge
    Weighs 1.15 lbs; 10.2" x 0.39" x 6.5" dimensions

Nothing fancy, but good for checking emails, surfing the web, or watching an occasional video.  My mother isn't what you would call technically adept, but she took to Android pretty quick after I showed her the basics.  At that price its not that big of a deal if she breaks it -- which is a real possibility. 

I'm seriously considering getting myself one for travel.

[aaron]

some of these go as low as $40 to $50
https://www.ebay.com/bhp/irulu-tablet
https://www.amazon.com/Yuntab-Android-Allwinner-Quad-core-2200mAh/dp/B00UML152E/

Perhaps cheap enough that soon someone comes out with a rebirth of a NetZero styled thing where there's free computer and free internet, so long as you eat all the ads & don't change search preferences.

[littleman]

>NetZero

Right! That makes me wonder how many ideas were out there that weren't economically viable but would be today.

[aaron]

>NetZero

Right! That makes me wonder how many ideas were out there that weren't economically viable but would be today.

In 2010 Chris Dixon wrote about a card game named Burn Rate, where he matched up some successful web businesses that were aligned with the business models mocked in the card game.