A while back I wrote about the OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) program. Originally intended to be sold in third-world countries, the company has announced they will make the computers available to poor children in the U.S. working with the state governments.
Back when the computers were available to be purchased by individuals there was talk at RTC about buying a couple and somehow getting local schools interested in the technology. But since that program ended in December there wouldn’t be any way for the schools to get them. Now that it looks like they might be made available, there is now way for RTC to buy any to share with the schools.
Given the recent budget crisis as presented the Guhvanator, California may not be lining up to buy laptops for any children, poor or otherwise, in the near future. Of course, that would be short-sighted.