The 1% cash back award is a good idea, but be careful to read the fine print. A lot of cards talk about 1% cash back but that is only after you reach a threshold of spending. For the first $1000 of spending you only get something lik 0.25% back.

One card that I use that does give 1% back is the REI visa. It has no annual fee, although you do have to be a member of REI (a recreational/camping goods co-op). There is a one-time fee to join (about $20 IIRC).

The downside to this is that the 1% is collected over a calender year and then issued to you as a dividend that you can spend at a store. You can get cash, but have to wait until July 1st. So for a purchase you make on Jan 1, you will need to wait 18 months for the rebate.

Another option is to go for the starwood preferred guest card from AmEx. The upside is that you get 25,000 miles for every 20,000 points you earn (one point = $1 spent) on most airlines (United Airlines is a notable exception). So you get a choice of airlines, and more bank for your buck. Additionally if you sign up with this link you get an extra 4000 points to start you on your way.

The downsides are that it is an american express card so it is not taken everywhere and has an annual fee of $30.00 after the first year.