Broken Flip camera USB?

Looking for a freebie digital camera. Sorta.

• Dublin Airport Security accidentally broke my digital camera this weekend, and I'm looking for creative and cheap options to get a replacement digital camera to use for the rest of my trip. I was passing through security at Dublin Airport en route to Grenoble. I was pulled aside to have my backpack checked. The security screener opened my backpack. I had put all of my electronics (cell phone, mp3 player, camera, extra batteries, alarm clock) and a tin can of tea leaves in a separate smaller bag in my backpack because they can check all those things at once more easily. I thought. She found the objectionable item (the alarm clock, whose 3 batteries look like revolver bullets apparently) and replaced the alarm clock, and in manipulating my backpack my camera was launched out of the backpack and hit the floor from about table/waist height. She gave me the green light to pass security and told me I should check to make sure the camera was in good working order. My camera is definitely broken. It's a Samsung Digimax 530. About 2 years old. Even with new batteries it won't power up. The screen comes on, but it doesn't display the Samsung logo like it used to, and it doesn't make the usual power-up noise either. The lens doesn't extend and my laptop does not recognize it as a USB device. She acknowledged responsibility, and we filled out an insurance form or incident report or something at the time. She gave me some contact information for her security supervisor, and the chief of security. Her tune changed after talking with her supervisor. The formerly sure-thing reimbursement became "a matter of getting the stories straight, because you were part of this incident". Airport security doesn't let you touch your bag while they're inspecting it. Presumably this is so prestidigitatory terrorists can't manipulate weapons or whatever during the inspection. I sent them an e-mail with my version of events. It seems clear to me that it's their fault (duh). My camera was working. Then I passed through security where they dropped it. Now it doesn't work. I realize accidents happen, but it was their accident. I'm not sure if my memory card somehow got zapped, but I found an SD card reader from a colleague at the nuclear plant where I work and I'll try that tomorrow. So I may have even lost my weekend trip to Dublin but I remain optimistic. Assuming I get no good (hear good means timely and favourable) response from the airport personnel, how can I salvage the trips I have coming up in the next few weeks and get a new camera? My best idea so far, because what does it cost to send an e-mail: I e-mailed Samsung and explained my situation and explained the potential PR benefits of giving me a (temporary or otherwise) replacement. My internship in France will be recounted to at least 50 other students at my university, and if I insert the part of the story where they come through HUGE, in the clutch, etc. with a camera to salvage my vacation. I'm sure the story of excellent after-sales after-warranty service (for a camera bought 2 years ago in Canada, not France where I am now and for most of the 30-40 days) would do right by the company. And I realize it's quite a cockamamie and harebrained scheme, but I'm desperate. I'm also planning on proposing the same ridiculous exchange with other digital camera companies, maybe a brand-switch is better PR. I don't have any contacts with those companies however, and I think it's clear that my approach is enough of a stretch as it is. Also:I am not interested in buying disposable film cameras as anything except a last resort.I am not looking to dig out a soldering iron and hot-wire a disposable digital camera.I don't have the means to buy a camera while I'm hereI can't get one sent from home (I'm only here for another month, with a few weekend trips and a full week right at the end).My backup plan is buying a metric assload of post cards and scanning them and pretending they're pictures I tookThanks in advance, and I'll try to be around to answer questions but I'm in GMT+1:00 right now and I have limited net access at work.

• Answer:

  I've never even heard of renting a camera... I hadn't either. I just happened to be standing in front of a photo shop in Vancouver when I realized I had forgotten my camera. I walked in the shop asked if they rented cameras, and indeed they did (although there was no indication they did - I just had to ask). It was $17 CAD per day for a nice SLR. The next day I found a different photo shop that rented a similar SLR for $4.33 CAD per day ($13 for 3 days). I had to leave a deposit though, in the form of an authorization on my credit card. I have no idea if photo shops in Grenoble do this, but I suppose it's worth asking.