Jan has a Panasonic Lumix DMC FX9 - Full review
HERE.
She has the version with the black non slip covering , which I'd recommend for looks and practicality. Jessops were selling these recently for sub 250 quid which is a 100 quid less than they were 6 months ago.
It's the size of a packet of fags, so there's no excuse for not taking it everywhere, it easily slips into a breast pocket. It doesn't have a fully manual mode but there are more than enough settings to satisfy a serious shutterbug when you don't want to cart the SLR around. It's beautifully made and has image stabilisation, a Leica lens, and large LCD screen.