Brand new iPod won't turn on.

Question

I've recently purchased a 30GB iPod video, but it does not seem to work. I've studied the help documents to the best of my abilities and consulted friends who also own iPods, but have yet to find out how to solve my problem.
As the subject line says, it will not turn on. It has never, since coming out of the box, been on. Any idea what is wrong with it?
To speed things up, here are the things that I have done:
1. Installed the companion software on a first computer (running Windows XP), then connected the iPod into every available USB port. The charging icon did not come on. The iPod was not detected anywhere on the computer.
2. Installed the companion software on a second computer (running Windows XP), then connected the iPod into every available USB port. The charging icon did not come on. The iPod was not detected anywhere on the computer.
3. Uninstalled and reinstalled the companion software on the first computer, retested the iPod in all USB ports, then had the same thing happen (or not happen, if you like :D).
4. Confirmed that one of the USB ports was functional by inserting a spare mouse into it, which was detected and powered by the computer.
5. Proceeded to insert the iPod into the tested port and waited for over an hour on the suspicion that it may simply not be working due to a lack of charge. No success.
6. Went through the "Five R's" as best I could. Though probably futile since it has never been active, I attempted to Reset it. I believe that I've established that I've Retried, Restarted, and Removed, and of course, I don't really know how I can Restore an unused iPod that won't do so much as to activate.
In trying all of this, I tend to get the feeling that it shouldn't be this hard. If I've overlooked some detail, it would be helpful to know it, but I feel that I've been fairly thorough in testing it. It also doesn't particularly help when most of the guides assume that my iPod will (or at least did) activate .
I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I suspect that my iPod is defective, if you know anything that would suggest otherwise, then thanks for your help. Otherwise, thanks at least for you time and consideration.
30GB iPod video   Windows XP  

Answer 1

"XP Engergy Savings Disable USB Ports"
I followed the steps and made sure that all of the USB ports would be enabled. I tried the iPod in two of them (one for over ten minutes). The charging signal did not come on. The screen remained blank. I followed the link at the bottom of the help page, but it took me to a document that would not help since it assumed that I could put my iPod in disk mode, which dosen't seem to work (more than likely because it needs to turn on to do this). No luck here.
"Windows confuses iPod with a network drive"
I followed the steps up until step five, at which point, I could go no further because it requires the iPod to show up on the Computer Management screen. Mine doesn't .
"iPod missing in iTunes and or Windows, includes 5R's"
There were several things here to try. I looked to see if there was an infection on the computer. I feel relatively sure that there isn't one, especially on the second computer that I had used (since it is new and has not been used on the internet for more than a few days).
Next applicable item: system requirements. I actually have one question to ask here. Adobe Photoshop Album 2.0 is listed as required, and I don't believe that it is on either computer. What are the implications of this--will not having this software cause to iPod to fail to even display a charge icon? This seems to me like it may be the source of the problem. I had only looked at the box which did not list this software as a requirement. It feels like a little bit of a stretch (I'd expect the iPod to at least charge), but has the lack of this software been known to cause the iPod to fail to work in the same way that mine fails?
Next applicable item: formatting for Windows. I need someone else's expertise here. Do iPods ever ship formatted for a certain type of computer? I wouldn't expent them to, be even if they do, would this create the symptoms that my iPod has? It would seem rather inflexible if an iPod couldn't do so much as to charge on an incompatible machine. I can't check how it is formatted (or if it is formatted at all) because it won't turn on. Do you feel that this area is a potential source of the problem?
This next applicable item is "Your iPod needs service" . I'm nearly sure that this is true, but I'll wait at most a couple more days to see if anyone will be so kind as to answer these questions (and hopefully to see if I can resolve this issue). Thanks in advance.