Have $39 to spare? Then pick up this odd Sylvania 7” netbook with Windows CE

By Daniel Rubino
published

Ah, Windows CE aka “Compact Embedded”. It was the heart of Windows Mobile and for a long time, powered kiosks and all sorts of service devices (it still does, in fact). For consumers, it was never quite full-blown Windows, but it did have a lot of the core components including Internet Explorer.

So it’s weird to see this “factory recertified” Windows CE 7” tablet hailing from Sylvania going for the “daily steal” for just $39. The device came out in late 2009/2010, so you’re hardly getting relevant technology (even back then this was low-end).

But for $39? (regular is around $100), you hacker types could do some fun things with this little guy. Maybe not Matrix-level stuff, but we’re sure if you’re creative enough you could find a daily usage for it and if not? You paid $39 for a “netbook”.

Also, one word: kids.

Here are the full specs:

  • Compact design
  • 3 USB ports
  • Touchpad
  • SD memory card slot
  • Headphone jack
  • Microphone jack
  • 1800 mAh battery
  • WiFi
  • 128MB RAM
  • Windows CE 6.0
  • Ethernet port
  • 7” LCD screen

We may just pick one up because we’re silly like that, but are they any takers who will grab their own? If so, how will you use it? Share your ideas in comments, people!

Remember, this is a daily deal thing, which means you only have 12 hours left!

Source:  Daily Steals (opens in new tab)

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.

56 Comments
  • Wow
  • That's so ultra-retro
  • I'll pass and stay $39 richer.
  • This is junk anyway lol good choice
  • This is nothing new.  Daily Steal and Ice Monkey sells this on their site every other week damn near.
  • Wait, wait...a 2010 device on sale is nothing new? Gasp! lol
  • :-)
  • But does it have instagram?
  • Hehheh
  • 128 MB RAM I was thinking maybe I'd grab one as toy for my nephew, but I wouldn't put him through that.
  • Lol
  • "128mb RAM"
     
    Remember this is Windows CE, which was designed to run with a 32mb footprint.  The 128mb is actually a lot of RAM for Windows CE 6.0, especially when you consider than Windows XP ran fine with 128mb of RAM, and if 'hack installed' even Windows 8 runs just fine with 128mb of RAM due to the new reduce RAM modes.
     
    It wasn't that long ago the WORLD was having a major blowback that Vista needed 1gb of RAM for optimal performance and ran on 512mb of RAM, with Windows 7 reducing the footprint further to install and run just fine on 512mb Systems.
     
    Ironically the 'smartphone' world with Android and iOS needing 1gb of RAM to operate well on a 'phone' that the world now sees 128mb,256mb,512mb as 'tiny' because of the bloated nature of Android and even Linux when running the full graphical experience.
     
    The problem with this device is the OS is WinCE, which is older and limited in functionality. 
  • Id rather kids bash this up then play on the laptop...definitely.. But what does it do?
  • General computing.. It uses a subset of .NET and Win32 for its APIs. Think WinMo and other embedded systems.
  • ill get it
  • Sadly they don't ship to outside of us
  • That's cute it has wifi.  these type of computers 10 years ago did not have any built in. 
  • Can I load Ubuntu on it?
  • That's what I was thinking it would be great for internet
  • An rPi would be a better investment
  • I already have 5. 3 from the original batch, but i killed one.
  • Not 7.8 supported. Screw it
  • This is just silly.
  • ...and I just showed it to a kid and he said "ooh I can play minecraft on it!"
  • Good gift for a kid for his first laptop (might end up being a curse because they'll keep asking why they can't play minecraft and temple run *rollseyes*
  • If it was sold here in India, I would have purchased it. Just for the kicks :)
  • I know this is a US deal but it triggered something in my head. As far as I know WPCentral is British, so why does every article you post advertise the products in dollars?
  • Mobile Nations is global. I know a guy in Ottawa who writes for them.
  • "As far as I know WPCentral is British"
    False. I, as the editor in chief, am in New York. George is Alabama, Seth is Massachusetts, Paul is Texas, Sam is California. Rich and Jay (who is our app developer, not a writer) are British. Mobile Nations is technically based out of Florida, though we do have "global writers", including a few in Canada.
  • Ah okay that's makes sense. Sorry for confusion.
  • I wonder if Ubuntu will work on it....
  • I used to have a HP version which was awesome, I could connect to work via VPN, open files in Office; in fact I can see some parallels between these and the RT tablets about nowadays.
  • Does it have Bluetooth? A2DP? Could function as a music system if it did.
  • Winmo 5+ did a2dp. So it should do it.
  • interesting than my Samsung Focus 917 (first WP generetion) has more RAM, better CPU, GPU, Conecction, Screan, more storage.... Well, mine are not so good, i dont have qwerty phisicaly keyboard :P
  • Probably the best use of this would be as a remote desktop device
  • @titoyees...I'm not deriding you. I am assuming that English is not your first language. You spelled almost every word, in your post phonetically. That was a head turner! I've seen a lot of interesting spellings, in posts, on WPCentral, but that was unique. Bravo!
  • lol
    sorry my friend, i am really triying here. 
  • But can it run Crysis?
  • Windows "CE7" is called Windows Embedded Compact 7. CE stands for Consumer Electronics.
    Weird the device ships with CE 6. The next Embedded Compact is coming out this year...
  • If you can get your hands on the board support package (bsp) and a copy of platform builder (or whatever it's called now), then you can upgrade it to Windows CE 7 (or even Windows Embedded CE 8).
  • $39 bucks? Sure I ordered one. I need more toys!
  • seems like a better deal than a chrome book. :-P jk
  • Probably has more functionality. Haha. Why anyone would buy a Chromebook is beyond me.
  • Agreed!
  • You'll think that until you fire up this thing's browser and realize it doesn't support DHTML.
     
  • I was really just joking about it having more functionality...:P
  • If anyone here thinks that this is a worthwhile purchase to give to a kid or to use for simple computing, they obviously don't understand what WinCE is.
     
  • So does anyone know if has internet explorer or if you can load chrome on it? What about office word, power point, etc?
  • I'm gona run some wireless survey stuff with mine! :)
  • I processed returns for these at a Kmart all the time. They were often defective or simply didn't run at all. I wouldn't waste 20$ on these even for scrap metal
  • Let's get XDA to port Windows RT to it...lol
  • Nice one!
  • Just for people who don't understand the hints posted by others, this thing is flat-out useless outside of some speciality use cases.  The "browsers" rendering is nearly equivalent to IE 2, it won't render most modern websites.  It will not run any normal Windows applications aside from the pared-down ones that it comes installed with.
  • I wonder what version of remote desktop you can run on here. I have a server running remotefx if this could support that it would be amazing little thin client. But I doubt it.
  • WOW, old school.... With that being said, how about a 486 gateway handbook running WIndows 95 with IE 5.5 on it ? If that is $40, then You can have my old laptop (keep in the closet) for $300....lol