A pixel is a single point in a graphic image. The more pixels used to represent an image, the closer the result can resemble the original. The number of pixels in an image is sometimes called the resolution, though resolution has a more specific definition. Pixel counts can be expressed as a single number, as in a "three-megapixel" digital camera, which has a nominal three million pixels.

A megapixel is 1 million pixels, and is used not only for the number of pixels in an image, but also often to express the number of sensor elements of digital cameras. For example, a camera with an array of 2048 x 1536 sensor elements is commonly said to have "3.1 megapixels" (2048 x 1536 = 3,145,728).

Thus the more Megapixels; results in a larger higher quality image. So you would want to go for a camera with a megapixel display that is 1.2 megapixels or higher. Right now, a really good phone would have around a 2.0 megapixel camera or greater. I haven't seen any with a megapixel display greater than 3.1 as yet.

My advice... Go for the Motorola V3X that is a good phone with a 2.0 megapixel camera with flash and 8 x zoom.

I'm not aware of any prepaid plans that offer an option through the plan to directly download pictures to your computer. I believe that your best bet would be to determine what phone would allow you to connect it to your computer via USB cable and has PC Suite, for example, and then use the phone's software to download the pictures to your computer. For example, you can purchase a special USB cable for the Motorola Razor that will allow you to connect it to your computer. You can charge it that way and also download the contacts and pictures to your computer.

If your cell phone has Bluetooth, you can also purchase a Bluetooth USB Adapter (Iogear makes one, model GBU221P) that will allow you to use Bluetooth to connect to your computer.

To my knowledge, the cell phone providers do not sell the phones with these cables. You would need to purchase the cable from the cell phone company or a third-party provider. I purchased my Iogear Bluetooth adapter at Best Buy.

The cell phone providers want you to use their wireless service to send pictures, because they charge you either a monthly fee for a specific amount of kilobytes or typically $0.02 per kilobyte for this service.

The answers to your questions are dependent on the phone you choose, to generalize most camera phones do have the capability to transfer picture to PC. You may have to purchase a cable as an extra or it may come with the phone, it depends. Depending on how you transfer you picture from phone to phone, e.g. sending them as a picture message (you will be charged for this) or via Bluetooth (this is free), will determine how much it cost.

You do not have to pay for a text service to be able to use the camera, but if you want to send them on then you will. Once again photo quality and format is very much dependant on the phone, most Nokia phones have reasonable quality cameras and save pictures as .jpg in 640x480. With the quality of Lithium batteries these days I would not worry about the phone running low due to camera use, most models will last at least 48 hours before dying! It's a good habit to charge a phone over night anyway so no problem there.

Most camera phones that take photos in 640x480 can store about 600 picas, if you can use a memory card like i do with my Nokia 7710 u can potentially store around 10000, but that a bit excessive! Depending on how much you spend on the phone will depend on the quality; if you can I would advise you to go for a Nokia, as they are extremely user friendly.