Thanks for your many thoughts guys!
I've chosen a machine to get, however much outside my orignal budget:
http://www.amazon.com/VivoBook-X202E.../dp/B009F1I1C4
The only quagmire now is the choice of CPU:
intel Core i3-3427U vs i5 3317U
Actually right now I snagged the i5 at a cheaper price the i3, but which processor would give better battery performence?
Thanks!