How To Select A New Notebook Based On Minor Features?

Unlike the other current thread "Buying Laptop", I do not care much for MHz and $, but I care for minor features. However, it seems really difficult to get any information via the Web & Phone on these, for example the HP phone salesman for UK could tell me after some waiting time for each specific model whether or not it had three mouse buttons, but he would not really help me choosing given the list below. So where can I go or phone to get some advice on such things?

The must-haves that I care about:

• Three button touchpad
• Horizontal and vertical scrolling touchpad
• Docking station, docking and redocking without restaring X
• Dual-head via docking (either internal+external OR 2 external)
• Secondary Battery connector to have 2 batteries at once
• Bluetooth
• Firewire
• SD Card reader

Minor wanted: WLAN, DVD-writer, large HDD, ambient light sensor, built-in Webcam, Microphone and Speakers

Least priority: Weight, Size, Power consumption, Price

Currently I run a fine HP nc8230, where all of the above, except for the non-existent webcam, work with SUSE after some fiddling. However, after 3 years the thing is mechanically falling apart (keyboard and mouse buttons need hard presses, CD bay does not stay closed, various bits of the case are missing), so I need a new one. I am sick of HP, because the docking station is no longer supported and their salespeople are not very helpful.

* So which brands are worth looking at for my needs?

* Do I need to consider business models or can consumer models have docking stations too?

* Which brand has helpful salesmen that know about docking stations and the number of mouse buttons?

Dell has optional secondary batteries in its business class lines. I am having trouble finding the 3 button feature though.