[Havoc]

>Due to lack of programming tools and evaluation boards I was only able to review most devices by datasheet

hmm. Well I don't blame the author but that kinda killed my interest

[rtpg]

I wonder what the lowest-priced chip you can pick up with a reasonable toolchain that is accessible to hobbyists?

[hazeii]

PIC10F200 in 8 pin DIP is about 41 pence (~50 cents) in 1-off here in the UK; great for quick hacks (e.g. I just used one as a 60KHz clock generator). The IDE is free, works on Windows/Linux/Mac and there's an online version too.

[zokier]

Attinys cost like $.50/piece and are supported by avr-gcc.