Thanks once again for your input and help.
Purchased the multimeter.
Just note of clarification: AAA batteries, not AA.
From the time of posting, I have poked and prodded around, and nothing appears burnt or broken. I'm not going to say I'm particularly skilled in this area.. but with the right equipment and reading up, I do master new "tricks" with ease.
In the end, as just got my second one in the mail this evening... I may just save up (these go for $60-80 or more on eBay) enough for a third. As for what I do with the "dead" one if it is totally unrecoverable.... part of me wondered if with enough knowledge, tinkering, modifications, equipment, resources and time... if I couldn't somehow modify it into a functioning cellphone. Though I supposed it'd lack a screen, unless I figured some area for it, and would be pretty "thick" (
see photos) for a phone used in 2012.