Wal-Mart has a sub-$500 laptop.
Its not much in performance but it has a low power processor, decent battery life, IS A LAPTOP and is so cheap that gettig it stolen would not be that much of a financial loss.
click below.
<a href=http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3504708&cat=179113&type=19&dept=3944%20%20>WAL-MART LAPTOP</a>