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@fjtorres is right. This is not a general Google Android tablet. If you are looking for that experience, you will be disappointed. However, it's not sold as a general google Android tablet. This is an Amazon Fire OS 5 tablet that has very nice features and support for a $50 tablet.
If you have Amazon Prime, you can get a lot of value from this tablet. That's who it's really for. And there is plenty of extra "Amazon Value". There is the Underground (the name Amazon gives to it's free games library). Some 11,000 apps completely free (included in the price of the tablet) - including all the in app purchases and powerups. And there is Amazon Free time which allows you to lock down the tablet for kids and set how much time they can use it.
There is the Kindle lending library as well.
These are features you don't get when you have an iPad or a general Android tablet, even if you are an Amazon Prime member. Yes, on my iPad I can watch Prime Movies, listen to Prime Music and read Kindle books. But I can't use the Kindle Unlimited library, the Underground apps and iOS has nothing like Freetime, neither does generic Google Android.
At $50, the research that most people should do is buy one for themselves and send it back if it's limitations don't suit your needs. If you aren't expecting a Google Android tablet, you will most likely be delighted as I have been.
You can indeed "sideload" apk files. I have the Aldiko ereader so I can read epubs. I've already tested loading an mp4 movie file and a player app from the Amazon App store played it just fine. However, acquiring apk files puts you on the dark side of the internet. Beware. It's not a good user experience and you just might be installing malware. And just because you have an apk file, doesn't mean it will work on this tablet. If the app uses Google services api calls, it won't work on this tablet.
But for me, I got my use cases covered. I have all the Amazon content, streaming from Netflix and HBO Go. I can load and watch my own movie files. Even better than my iPad - there is a memory card slot and I can take multiple cards with me with lots of movies, tv shows and books. I did have to sideload the Aldiko app for reading epubs. And I did have a bad experience trying to sideload the Moon+ app. Either I got a bad apk file that was nothing more than adware trying to force me to install game apps....or the actual Moon+ app is a real piece of sh#t app. But given it's high rating, I don't think that's the case.
And I don't want to pirate apps. I'll pay the $3-$5 asking price...but these reading apps are not offered via the Amazon app store. And even if I could buy them from another app store via my computer...I'd not want to pay upfront only to find out that the app wouldn't work on my tablet.
My first weekend with this tablet has me very pleased. So much that I now get the 6-pack Amazon is offering. I see lots of grandparents buying these in bulk like that
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