I wish these options were available a couple months ago, as I wouldn't have been forced to move to WP8 Nokia Lumia 521 phones for my entire family...
The prices for usable budget androids were too high, and reasonably priced ones were too handicapped.
Google had no choice but to start selling reasonably priced, reasonably specified Android phones, less they loose the remaining, still very large, group of 1st time smartphone late adopters, who are quite pleased when they opt for the low-end WP8 phones... They don't want to dare loose out on the potential growth as they have been.
For my family it is too late. Me, my wife, my brother in law, my dad, my other brother in law have already opted for Lumias (521 and 1020) and we are quite pleased with our decisions.