What's wrong with my iPod?????

So, I've had my ipod for a year and a half almost, and today, when I went to turn it on, the little apple icon appeared on screen, and after a short period of time, a folder with an exclamation point appeared on it, then it went dead. Is there any hope for my iPod??? I plugged it into my car charger, and the same thing happened, then I tried my regular wall charger, and no difference. Out of desperation I tried my computer USB hub thing, and it did not matter. HELP!!!! (I could quite possibly get a video iPod for Christmas...so it's not a life or death situation..yet)