Help

I am thinking about asking for a new point-and-shoot camera for Christmas. My boyfriend has given me a budget of about $250.

In the past, I've had Kodak cameras and loved them. My pictures always turned out nicely with them. However, with three consecutive Kodak cameras I had the same problem after owning them for about a year: the camera wouldn't recognize new batteries. I would put brand new batteries in the camera, and the camera would turn on only for a second and the dead battery icon would show up. Before this problem, batteries didn't last long at all. I was buying new batteries a lot. I did finally get rechargeable batteries but they still didn't last too long.

Anyway, after the third Kodak camera, I decided to try a new brand. I got a Canon Powershot because my roommate had a Canon and she loved hers, and it had lasted forever. I like that instead of AA batteries it comes with its own rechargeable battery, and the battery life is great. However, I hate the pictures it takes. I can take about 50 pictures and end up with 10 or so I like.

I do realize it's the operator that mostly controls the picture quality, and I'm no professional. But I never had that problem with the Kodaks.

My boyfriend has some sort of Nikon point-and-shoot with a touchscreen, and I don't like it. I am not sure what I don't like about it, though, so it may be something I could just get used to.

Any advice?