Granite is a great surface for ease of care. So much easier than most other counters. If you are worried about smudges, definitely look into more of a patterned granite to disguise them.

I am very fond of countertops that are made of recycled glass right here in the U.S.A. and depending on the colors of the cement and the glass, you can match almost any cabinet/floor/wall color. Take a look: http://www.icestoneusa.com

You might want to take a look at the engineered stone products that are out there, such as Zodiac, Cambria and Silestone. They are essentially made of ground quartz and require zero maintainance.
If you go with a granite counter. Consider and antiqued or brushed finish vs. polished or honed. It's a beautiful low luster effect that takes on the look and feel of leather.

I like granite for it's authentic stone look and durability. Ceasarstone and similar type products are also great for durability and even color. The recycled glass product mentioned by David would complete my top three counter list. This material has great colors, some whimsical and others practical, also very durable. I use this product often for kids bathrooms because the colors are fun, but also perfectly suitable for kitchen, bath and laundry installations. Hope this helps. Good luck with your project.
Charmean Neithart

Re: black granite------
I'm not a pro or anything, but we put a home depot grade black granite as our vanity top in a bathroom and the spots and finger prints do drive me crazy, and I'm the last person to call a neat freak. It never seems clean. I was recently at floor and decor looking at granite (dreaming of finishing a basement) and saw a honed black granite that looked really nice if your heart is set on black. I've seen that (honed black) in a kitchen in a luxury home and it looks extremely nice. It's a bit more expensive, but worth considering if choosing between black granites.

Personally, I'm more of a marble fan and have marble in the kitchen. It's more high maintenance (meaning, you just have to use common sense and not treat it like you did in college). I've also owned a home with silestone and that is one durable and tough stone.