I have an Olympus SP570UZ(since 2008), I use AA rechargeable batteries and it works fine. I recently visited Fujifilm dealership and was impressed by the quality of their products, the build quality was better than Nikon, Canon, Sony or Olympus. So, I would suggest that you pay a visit to Fujifilm dealer and check the available models. Their model 'Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR' was selected as the best bridge camera by many people/sites.
As far as best camera for learners is concerned, I can only recommend the type of camera - which is 'Bridge Camera', it is a point & shoot digital camera but not quite compact, generally it is a super zoom (at least 15X zoom) and it has extra controls available which are available in DSLRs not in compact models. Olympus SP620UZ is a bridge camera. When you intend to 'learn', forget about automatic and scene modes, the camera should have Aperture priority mode, Shutter priority and full manual mode.
One feature I miss on the Olympus is its inability to use lens filters. You might need the feature, look for a camera with an enclosed lens that does not extend or one with a wide lens barrel that can take a normal sized filter.
Make sure you take the camera in your hand and check how it feels, whether you can access all the controls easily and you are comfortable with the size and weight.