Computer died, how can I salvage data and apps from iPhone?

This isn't a mechanical repair question, but I hope it's okay to post it here.

My MacBook Pro's hard drive died, and was replaced under AppleCare warranty. No, I did not have a current backup. Yes, I have learned my lesson, and have purchased an external drive for Time Machine backups. That helps me in the future - I need help salvaging the past while I lick my wounds.

I want to synch my iPhone to the like-new system but want to salvage everything I can first. I would like to just keep my phone as-is and push everything on it to my new laptop, but it's my impression the phone will essentially get wiped and start from scratch if I let it synch. Is that true?

Assuming that's the way it is, I've seen apps for pulling various sorts of data from an iPhone to a computer, but the choices are a little confusing, and there doesn't seem to be simple, one-step solution. I would appreciate your wisdom on the best steps and tools for achieving the following goals:

- All my photos and music were synched to the Iphone. All of the music was ripped or recorded live, none purchased through iTunes. The photos will be lo-rez but that's better than lost. How best to get my music and photos off the phone, into the iTunes/iPhoto, and resynched?

- I have several dozen downloaded iPhone apps, free or paid, all useful in their way. Will the synch preserve them, or will it wipe and start from scratch? Once I authorize iTunes on this machine, can I download the apps again since I paid for them once already? Do I have to hunt them down individually or is there a more efficient method?

- How can I preserve my contact list and calendar data?

- Hardly required, but any way to preserve application-specific data such as Banking accounts, game high scores, etc?

Thanks