Forget the hype you hear about 'image quality'. Cameras don't make pictures, lenses don't make pictures; PEOPLE make pictures. in 99% of cases the quality of the photo will be determined by you. You choose the subject and the composition, the time and the place to take a photo. That is far more important than megapixels or lens resolution or any other piece of technical jargon you may hear. Pretty much anything these days made by a major manufacturer will produce sharp, correctly exposed pictures. You don't need to fork out $$$ for the fastest, sharpest lenses. In fact, a photo book has been produced with pictures taken only on an iPhone.
Similarly forget features like HD video and GPS and all the other addons crammed onto cameras these days. If your photo is rubbish, GPS tagging isn't going to improve it, and neither will any of the camera's 'features'.
However this does not mean you should choose any camera and what the hell (well, in theory, you could, as in the iPhone example) but there are some factors of the camera that relate to how well YOU as the photographer can use it. You have to be careful about the following factors:
1. Ergonomics. Take care to handle lots of different cameras in a shop. Does it feel 'right' in your hand? Are all the controls in places that your fingers can reach? This is an entirely personal thing and there is no absolute rule for deciding. You decide which camera feels best.
2. Interface. As above: are the menus easily navigable? Are important settings easy to find, reach and adjust? I personally like the Canon Powershot interface most but again it is a personal choice.
3. Reliability. This is difficult to judge in a shop, but how well does the camera feel put together? Is it mainly made of plastic or metal? Do user reviews on the internet suggest it has a tendency to break down often?
4. Battery life - simple enough. This will genuinely affect your ability to take pictures. Easy to find out.
5. Price - fairly self explanatory. Look for rival brands' offerings and compare prices. Canon, Sony, etc all do bridge cameras.
In summary: the best camera is the one you know how to use and you have on you working well.
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