Fortuner! You're on a shopping roll these days, my friend!
Since you're a newbie SLR photographer, get a Nikon d40. It's just a little above $400 these days. Not bad for a very good SLR camera. 6.1 mp, very good ISO rating etc etc
The d40 can help you produce clean files, Less Noise and overall better quality that can shoot raw files. You will also have more control of the camera, as opposed to P&S. An SLR, in this case the Nikon d40, has a bigger Sensor and this means better image quality, better detail, color depth and dynamic range.
Plus you will also have a wide, wide range of accessories for your SLR
Apart from lenses (get a fish eye lens, by the way! Using it is funnnn!!!), you get to choose from filters, extension tubes, flashes, brackets, tripods, and specialty products like the lensbabies.
What I also like about the Nikon d40 is the decreased shutter lag. No need to wait for your camera to process the photos. Hope this helps!