Just started looking What Notebook Should Buy Question

I sure could use some help! Thanks in advance.

General Questions

1) What is your budget? up to $1100, but lower is better

2) What size notebook would you prefer?
Either b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen, or c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen

3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook? Internet surfing (at home I have broadband, but I'd like wireless capability while travelling), some word processing, watching movies

4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk? Mostly on desk, but taking on long road trips now and then.

5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games? Probably not.

6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like? No

7) How many hours of battery life do you need? Not sure what's normal; 7-8 would be nice.

8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person? No.

9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in? USA

Screen Specifics

10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen? Probably widescreen.

11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
Either:
d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.

12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen? Probably glossy.

Build Quality and Design

13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you? No.

14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last? Buying within 1 month; yes-the longer the better! I don't replace things very often.

Notebook Components

15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 160GB? Don't need much now, but it would be nice to add more later. Might get interested in video editing later on. Could use my desktop monitor if I needed better resolution.

16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive? Would like DVD RW, in case I want to transfer some old movies to DVD.

PS - I know very little about wireless; I probably won't use it at home, but would like that capability on the road since many hotels are now offering it. Just don't want a big setup or maintenance headache!