Mediamonkey does a fabulous job!
I used to use Nero but after it got bloated, I decided to switch to Ashampoo. Works well.
So with an Andorid from Samsung.
- Intel i5 or 7s are better, but AMDs are cheaper - SSD would be out of your budget, but go with WD or SamsungHDs - Go with ATI graphics cards -...
Get Kaspersky . It's very good.
Do not use your cd-rom drive. More tips: http://www.friedbeef.com/top-15-ways-to-extend-your-laptop-battery-life/
Go with Android. Support open source!