Compact P&S

Need a simple but effective P&S camera for vacations.
Criteria is simple,

Image quality
Battery life
$250-300

Thanks all!

So far I'm thinking PowerShot ELPH 300 HS. This little gem seems to be top notch for 149.95.

Thoughts?

The ELPH 300 is indeed a fine camera for its price and in general as well.

The Sony WX10, however, is better than the ELPH 300 in many respects -
It has a larger maximum aperture setting of f/2.4, providing better
image quality in low light situations, better battery life (360 vs. 220),
sweep panorama mode (seemingly redundant buy effective and fun),
a larger zoom range and the same extra wide angle 24mm lens.

True, it costs more than the ELPH 300, but for $239, you get even
more 'camera' and it's under your stated budget. Give it a look.

If not the WX10, go for the ELPH 300 and don't look back.

-eyalg

for a travel camera, i personally prefer the versatility of a superzoom compact such as the 230hs ($240 @ adorama) or the new 260hs (~$350) from Canon. Both have high zoom capabilities and GPS tagging for all your travel needs. It also comes with manual controls. However, just a warning, battery life is not Canon's strong suit right now for all of their cameras. Most people just spend some money and get an extra battery or two.

The 300hs is a fine camera. Most of the Canon HS 12mp cameras use the same sensor. So youre not getting much improvement in IQ when comparing within the Canon family. The only differences are the features and lens zoom range. Most of the Canon's HS branded cameras are strong performers in IQ and image processing. However, like eyalg said, if you want more features or better battery life check with the other brands.