Weekend RoboShopper: Incredibles Phone, James Bond Spy Camera, Life-Size X-Wing, Popemobile

One day last Fall, I discovered a colorful little flyer accompanying my monthly SBC phone bill, enticing me with an offer of a free Limited Edition The Incredibles Collector's Phone. It was pretty. It was red. And it lit up! All I had to do was sign up for some new plan, which seemed not particularly extravagant or irrational, so I happily called the number, waited an interminably long time for an actual person, and finally told her, "Hi, I'd like to sign up for this plan, and get my Incredibles phone." I was put on hold. Eventually I was told that the phone offer was only for new customers. Well, first of all, the flyer said no such thing. And besides, if that were the case, why on earth had it been sent to me, an existing customer? Just to taunt me?

The hapless corporate minion (er, customer service representative) couldn't answer such rational questions. So I peppered her with more. Can I just buy the phone? No. If I tell you to cancel my service right now, and then immediately reactivate it, will I then qualify for the phone? She couldn't promise anything, except that I'd have to pay a disconnection fee. I asked for a supervisor. None was available. Eventually, after repeated calls, I finally spoke to one, but to no avail. All I wanted was that red phone, dammit - which I'd have happily paid for - but they wouldn't let me have one, under any circumstances. And I was a loyal customer.

Suffice it to say that SBC sucks, and are populated by evil bastards.

Anyway, I eventually ended up snagging the phone on ebay for under $50, and love it - except for the damn SBC logo. But now, months later, SBC is selling the phone on its website to anyone who wants it for a mere $30 plus tax and shipping, no strings attached. Bastards.

Speaking of ebay... (I sorta was, wasn't I? Oh, just humor me.) A nearly full-scale X-Wing Fighter replica was up for bid through yesterday, but didn't sell, so it'll probably be relisted soon. (The minimum bid was $40K.) And over on German ebay, you have four days left to bid on a 1999 Volkswagen Golf previously owned by Cardinal Josef Ratzinger, aka Pope Benedict XVI. The current high bid is 61K Euros (approx. $79K).

Finally, you can also snag the first officially licensed James Bond Spy Camera at ThinkGeek for $100. It's a tiny digital camera in a brushed metal Zippo-esque lighter casing, but unfortunately only takes 640x480 (.3 megapixel) pictures - though it does have a nifty surveillance mode (you can set it to take shots at up to 90 minute intervals over days on end), and can make short video (or long audio) recordings.