What will $99 get you? A Zonbu!
There’s a cheap computer on the way that undercuts them all, the $99 Zonbu - $249 if you choose a non-serviced based model, due this summer in a silent-running form factor that’s about the size of a paperback book. It has 4GB of flash memory on board, and automatically backs up a copy of your data online.
I may likely get one of these to see if it can be made into a decent appliance, for $250 it’s worth the experiment.