Cameras, Cameras, Cameras

My trusty but aging Kodak Z1485 all plastic Point-n-Shoot is showing its age.  It's getting flaky, I have to whack it with my hand to get the color to show properly in the view finder.  It refused to take pictures under indoor lighting the other day.  The paint is wearing off the plastic making it look shabby.
  So, when a Nikon flyer fell out of my Wall St Journal, I gave it a look see.  Overwhelming.  Nikon is advertising 20 different models at prices from $79 to $2999.   They break down into three broad classes, the Coolpix point-n-shoot ($79 to $299), the Nikon 1 a larger point-n-shoot with interchangeable lenses($499 to $999) and the big black pro cameras with interchangeable lenses and thru the lens viewfinders  ($479-$2999). 
   Looking at the meager specs provided with each camera, it wasn't clear what each model offered, other than price.  The all claimed 10 megapixels and up.  9 megapixels gives as good an image as 35 mm film ever did, so even the bottom of the line $79 model can make photos as sharp and crisp as anyone needs.  Nikon doesn't talk about batteries.  I have no idea if batteries are included, rechargeable, buy-able at the super market, Lithium Ion, how long they last, and will the camera show you the state of charge? 
   All have zoom lenses.  The point-n-shoot lenses are speced as such and such a power (10x, 14X and so on)  The interchangeable lenses are speced in millimeters  (18-55. 30-110)  It is beyond my mathematical ability to convert from one to another. 
  And, Target is the store that carries all this hi tech goodness. Lots a luck trying to get a Target salesclerk to give you anything more than the price.