Hey Scott, I understand how intimidating all this technology is. Man, that is one of the main reasons why Arrangers are still viable and because they help you get inspired right away.
Don't give up and learn little by little. If you ever decide to get a Yamaha motif, check out this video that shows you how to turn it into a complete studio system with your laptop.

Cheers,

Musikman
http://files2.keyfax.com/video/mlan16e_mov/index.html