Well, I believe DP Review does an excellent job at rating the image characteristics and CNet does a good job at rating the convenience and ease of use of a camera. I would consider models that were rated well by both.
However, there is no substitute for lots of hands-on shopping. A camera is something you need to touch and feel to see what fits well and works well for you. I believe a lot of the micro thin models are very difficult to use, so look at those with caution.
Image stabilization is an important feature. I recommend buying a camera with it whenever possible. Optical zoom is another key feature.
