I get asked a lot about cameras. In particular, point and shoot cameras--which ones, how many pixels, what brand, etc. I know a lot about photography, however I am not an expert on all of the different cameras out there. So I put this guideline together as a rough draft for people to pick and choose a camera that is right for them.

First of all, I would stick to a brand that is KNOWN for making cameras, not for making televisions or CD players. Brands include, but are not limited to, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, and Fuji.
Secondly, This about what you are going to use the camera for. Do you want to make huge poster prints? Or are prints up to an 8x10 going to be sufficient. If you're not going to make huge prints, I wouldn't go crazy on the pixel count (five or six should be good).
Thirdly, When size does matter!! I know that the super small cameras are cute, but they may be harder to hold steady, think blurry pictures. Once you narrow your choices down, go to the store and hold the camera in your hand.
Now you're a little ready for some online searching. Here are some great online resources that I would start with, pick a few cameras that you like and then narrow it down;
*DP Review is yet another great resource. They have reviews of all current cameras, forums, and prices of the camera at several stores.
http://www.dpreview.com/
*B&H is a great photo megastore in New York City. The prices are great, and they have everything photography. Plus, the shipping is super fast. I'm talking next day fast.
http://bhphotovideo.com/
*This is an obvious one, but amazon.com is awesome because has customer reviews.I like to compare the reviews to see if there is anything that I like or don't like. Yes, they're just people's opinions but it's just another resource to help sway me.
http://www.amazon.com/

Once you have your camera picked, you may want to consider buying an extra battery if it's rechargeable. Also, get a big memory card (a gig or two). Please note that the more pixels your camera has, the bigger the file, the more memory you'll need.
Now that you have the camera, read the manual. I know it's not fun, but you'll get better pictures if you know how to use the camera. There are so many settings on these little point and shoot cameras, and if you know how to use them, you may get some really great images.
Last, but not least, download and back-up! Make sure you back-up all of your files. Load them to the internet, back them up on DVD, and/or put them on an external hard drive.