Do you have advice on a laptop for me in my classroom?

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Tomorrow is "b" day -- the day I have to buy the new laptop at school for me.  Yes, it has to last me another five years. The trusty Toshiba I got five years a go lasted until the backlight went out.  I don't have a lot in my budget for this, but here is what I'm looking at right now.

• 64 bit Windows 7
• 8 GB Ram
• fingerprint reader
• Media card reader
• docking station (so I can hook to external monitor)
• Adobe Suite
• New MS Office
• Pinnacle 12 (Man, I love that movie program.)

Ok, these are just some of the things and I looked at a Tablet PC but all of my machines HAVE to be able to edit video and the Tablets seem to have a lower power processor of some kind that has issues.

Now, those of you who read my blog know that I don't really ask for too much, but today, I'm asking.  Throw it at me -- give me advice. What advice would you give a geeky kind of teacher who doesn't have a ton of money ($1100-1200 probably not including adobe) but wants to be as current as possible and edit video.

And no, I cannot go with a Mac at school -- we're PC and that is the way it is going to be for now with our budget.

I'll tell you that the new multitouch has me fascinated as do touch screens.  Please, my friends and readers - I would so much appreciate if you took a moment to either share what you have, your regrets, your wishes, and what you'd get if you had the chance to buy a laptop today. (And please, no vendor bashing unless it is done in taste.)

Thanks!

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