new wheelset: need input

I've got an Bruce Gordon BLT touring bike that I'm going to / have stuff(ed) some 29er tires in for dirt/off-road use. I'm starting with a new slate to build up some wheels for road and off-road touring, and I need some input.

Rims will be Rhyno Lite. Rear hub will be XT. How many spokes are people running? Would 32 be OK in the front?

Generator hub?: A friend suggested this to me but I'm going to need some convincing. I don't intend to tour or race during the night. I do see how it could be nice for USB charging my iPhone, camera, etc, but I can also use a battery pack for that. Of course the generator would mean that I wouldn't need to find a place to plug in every few days. This bike does get ridden around town a lot during the non-frozen time of the year, with a different wheelset. I could see a generator and light being useful for that. But of course I'd need 2 hubs then. Ready to be convinced if you can recommend it, but not feeling it at the moment.

Tires: looking for something that will roll pretty fast, I'm thinking semi-slick rear can't be bigger than 2.0, front, I would prefer greater than 2.2 (I have room up front for 2.4, easy). Best I can find are the Conti Race King Protection. I wonder if there' something out there that might roll faster on pavement in the sizes I"m looking for.

Thanks in advance for the input!