None of the Kodaks in the Canon's price range can touch the A590IS in quality and features, and Kodak models are usually rebranded models from other manufacturers.
Read the reviews, and don't buy anything like a camera at Wal-Mart unless you already know how it's rated. There's a lot of camera junk out there in the same price range as the A590IS. And $109 for an A590IS is an absolute steal. Out of all of the digital cameras that NewEgg sells, it's the most highly-rated, regardless of price.
I'm not loyal to any camera or brand. My "beater" digital is a Nikon E3100 that I bought brand-new about five years ago. It has taken almost 15,000 pictures, and it still works fine, even after being taken to the beach, biking, skiing, tubing, and fishing. Our other digital is a Nikon L14.