Last year at the BB sale I bought a Nikon Coolpix 
3100, it was the best, affordable, one they had. 
Depending on what you are taking pictures, 
depends on the type you need. For megapixels, 
unless it is a really detailed thing, beyond 2 to 
3, you won't be able to tell the difference. If 
you are looking for a professional one, and have 
lots of money, they have some up to 10+ meg.

I would recommend around 3. For brands... I had a 
canon one about 7 years ago, it was difficult to 
use and the quality was very poor. I upgraded to 
a newer Nikon and I won't go back. I really like 
the ease of the Nikon and the picture quality. 

Almost all d.cameras will come with a viewing 
screen and ability to edit pictures on the 
camera. I would also suggest buying a card reader 
(about $20 depending on the brand). It is usually 
much quicker than using the camera, and they fit 
nicely on a desk.

If in doubt, go to Best Buy and ask. They do not 
work on comission (in comparison to other stores.