laptop: macbook v. everything else

Do you use a laptop? If so, what kind and how do you like it? I despise those little rolly ball mouse things on the one or two laptops I've ever worked on, but it seems I'm going to have to make the plunge if we're going to continue to travel every couple of months. I have researched online until my face is blue. Now I'm wondering about the actual experiences of others. My two computers now are just regular PCs, nothing special. I never do games, don't need a lot of software. I take a lot of photos and upload them to an internet host, email, this rambling, and that's it.

Part II of laptop: Do you have wireless capability? Do you use a wireless card or do you just grab a connection out of the sky? I am such a technophobe, I don't even know the terminology. Help?