Questions on SX130 IS and other Canon models

First of all, I have had 3 Canon cameras and had all good luck with them. So I'm partial to Canon.

I'm looking at the SX130 for the wife and noticed two things. Due to a lack of viewfinder, the LCD is the only way to see what you're taking. How does the LCD stand up to the sun when the sun is directly behind you and you're taking a picture? I know my current camera is lousy in the sun with the LCD, but my viewfinder fixes that (I can't live without my viewfinder).

Also, with the 3.4 widest aperture opening, how good do pictures come out? My current camera (S3 IS) has 2.7 at its widest opening, so I'm wondering should I bother with this camera or will 3.4 be sufficient?

The camera would be used to do the following:
1. Scenery (sunny/partly sunny/cloudy days)
2. People (indoors and outdoors, light would be anywhere from a sunlit room to a darker room, the type where you turn out the lights and sing happy birthday)
3. Museums (where objects of interest are generally indoors where flash may or may not be allowed)

So if anyone has an SX130 that could offer some advice that would be great.

Any other recommendations would help too. My wife tends to use the LCD more when she uses my camera, but with the sun behind her, it is very hard to see it so she uses the viewfinder. She's not into the different settings, so Auto would be just fine for her. If it can record video, fine, if not, we still have my camera so its not a must have.

Viewfinder - not as important as long as the LCD can show up good in the sun
Aperture - I prefer to have under 3 to avoid dark/noisy photos where full sun is required for decent photos.
Battery type - AA is desirable (we already have a few sets due to our cameras) but can live without it.

Thanks!

The SX130 would not be my first Canon recommendation according to the needs you specified.

Apart for just a few exceptions, no point and shoot can take decent photos of a dark, happy birthday,
blow-out-the-candles scene with no flash. There are some which will do better than the SX130, though.

The SX130 is mainly a decent low-budget high-zoom camera.
If you care more about image quality, especially in low light situations, I'd take a look at the SD4000,
which has a maximum f/2.0 aperture or, if budget permits, its replacement - the new ELPH 500.
Both of these would perform much better in those events, in museums, etc.