Recommended mobile phone for texting and internet

[Melfish]

My Sony Xperia mini sat too long in a pool of apple juice and the battery now runs down within the day (even if I don't use it). So I would like a new phone. Can anyone recommend a decent smallish phone which is best for surfing the net and texting? I have seen the Samsung Galaxy Mini or the Blackberry Q5 which look nice but it would be helpful to get any views on recommended phones, or whether the Blackberrys are any good as I have never used one before.
I am on PAYG and don't want a contract as I don't use up the £10/month, so I would need to buy the phone SIM free.

regardless of phone advice too get, DON'T get a blackberry. The company is struggling pretty badly and are likely to be purchased in the next year.

Need an idea of your budget, because 300+ is not unusual for a brand new SIM-free mobile. As you are on PAYG, which network (in case they have a range from which to choose). There are also alternative sources, often cheaper than the network price, for the same phone. EG AffordableMobiles.co.uk

FWIW, I bought the Sony Xperia Tipo earlier this year and it's much better than a number of other phones which are being sold at about twice the price (in fact, I bought a refurbished one from O2 for about 50 quid and later a brand new one from T-Mobile for the same +10 top-up).

Have just run a quick comparison *> link

Thanks NetworkGuy, I had a browse around the shops at the phones but they weren't too inspiring. They all seemed rather big and angular. I'm afraid I was super-boring and went for the iphone 4s