SLRs are a great way to go especially canon. thier elph series is awesome as well. look into the sd1000. they are exactly the same as the sd750, but have a smaller screen(longer battery life) and cost at least $50 less. I just bought mine a few months ago for $150. Its really your best bang for your buck!
here is an example of one...
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/p...530&lid=627063
ps. the color swap and the time lapse photograpy are the best features. you can also set the aperature open for 15sec for some sweet night pics (better than any point and shoot ive ever seen). if you want some examples just let me know. good luck!