Phone Situation

Yesterday, my phone crapped out.  Just over a year ago I got the Samsung Impression, and today the touch screen decides to go AWOL and not respond to any touch commands.  YIPPEE.  I took my phone to AT&T and Dave, the salesman, tells me he can't believe this phone has lasted this long.  Most of the Impressions didn't make it over a year, let alone a year and a month.  Which, he said, sucked because now I don't have a warranty  on it and it'll cost $80 just to fix the darn thing.  YIPPEE SKIPPY.

So, I opt to by a new phone.  The sales pitch:  it'll only cost $5 with a $50 rebate for a Samsung Solstice II and he'll throw in a free screen protector installation on that deal.  He would fill out the rebate (and ensured me 100% of his customers received theirs) and everything would be fine.  Okay, sounds good.  "Your total comes to $80 somethin'."  Whaaaa????  Okay, let me get this straight.  Last time I checked, 5+50= 55.  $55 does not equal to $80, even with tax.  Dave pulls out a calculator like I'm some friggin' idiot.  "Well, it's $55 for the phone (and remember, you'll get $50 of it back!!!) and the screen protector is $25."  Wait, didn't you say it was free?  "No, the the installation is free.  The screen protector I can't give to you for free."

THERE, MY FRIENDS, IS THE CATCH.  My screen protector costs 5x more than my actual phone (technically).  My friend, Chris, made a great point- I'm going to be using my phone to protect my screen saver...

So far, I'm regretting not thinking of buying a new phone through.  Spending only a total of $30 on a phone isn't bad, but I have a couple of back-up phones I can use, the screen protector (so far) has bubbles in it, the software on the Samsung is slow, but the interface is nice.  I guess I'm glad I have 30 days to decide whether or not I want this phone.  It's pretty hard getting use to the heat sensitive touch screen since I use to text with my fingernails....