If you're not technically inclined, an Android phone (like the Samsung phones suggested) may not be your best option. It takes a little tweaking to get it set up the way you'd like, and sometimes doesn't always work the way you might expect, unless you've used it before. Of course, if you have a friend who knows Android and will help you set it up and figure it out, that might not be too big of an issue.
Of those phones, the ones I'd look at are the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, or Google Nexus 5. If you prefer the biggest screen you can get, the Galaxy Note 3 is the current big screen champ. It has a correspondingly gigantic battery and will probably last several days, or even a week between charges. You can also use the included pen to make little handwritten notes, instead of the onscreen keyboard. The Nexus 5 is the least expensive in terms of its full price, and is probably one of the best phones out there, because it's a pure Android experience without all of the clutter that most other Android phones have. Android is, of course, great at integrating with Google services, like search, Gmail, and maps, so if you're heavily into the Google world, Android is a decent companion.
I'd strongly recommend looking into an iPhone and seeing if it will do all that you want it to do. From what you've said, calls, texts, emails, and Google search, it will do that job perfectly. The iPhone has a much more streamlined design that doesn't have as many features or options, but that also means there aren't as many ways to get lost. I also think iPhone's voice control is a lot better--you can have an easier time dialing people or sending messages via voice with an iPhone than with an Android. If you're into customizing your phone's operating system and having all sorts of little widgets all over your screen, then an iPhone is not the one for you. If, like me, you just want it to do what it does, and do it very well, then the iPhone's a great option. Apple has put a lot of time and thought into making the iPhone the way it is, and from a user's standpoint, a developer's standpoint, and an accessory maker's standpoint, it's my choice.
I've used both, have several different phones, and would be happy to make some videos of doing stuff on each if you'd like to see specific comparisons.
T-mobile is my carrier of choice. Their coverage isn't the best, but their plans are the nicest out of the big four (AT&T and Verizon all charge way too much for what they deliver) and they are growing quickly as a result. You can get unlimited minutes and messages for $50, and you still get a bit of data, plenty enough for email and web browsing. Unlimited data for $20 more. You can even use your phone as an internet connection for no extra charge.
The big thing with T-mobile is either you buy the phone full price and bring it yourself, or you buy it from them and pay it off in installments. If you buy it through T-mobile, typically they set it up in a 2 year payment plan for ~$20 a month, but after that 2 years, the price of your phone service actually goes down unlike the others who want to keep charging you the same price even though you've already more than paid off your phone.
My previous carrier was AT&T, I was grandfathered into their old unlimited data plan (which they no longer offer), and I got tired of them treating me like I was a criminal or a bad person for using my phone too much. I got rid of them a little over half a year ago and have not once regretted it.
