Am I the only dope who tried to insert my SIM card in the SD card slot?? Yup, seeing what I was certain was the SIM insert, I basically pushed, turned, twisted and otherwise forced the SIM card into what looked like the only possible place to put the card...visited my local Cingular dealer only to see the guy slide the SIM card into some obscure slot to the left of what I now know to be the SD card slot!

Now my SIM card appears to be corrupted even when I switch back to my old trusty reliable BB. Then, to add insult to injury, the new 8800, after charging all last night was glowing red when I woke up (not a good sign), and now does not turn on at all....back to Cingular!!

Can anyone let me know if they've had similar problems and if I've damaged my SIM card past all recognition, what's the damage done?

Why would you FORCE it into anything? Like if it does not fit we just push it harder?!?

Most likely the SIM card is damaged and you will have to have another and there is a possibly damage to the handheld.

Just a few minutes of checking the instructions would have really helped. I have heard of people questioning the way the MicroSD slips into the holder before pushing it down and locking but NO ONE who just shoved it till the broke not only their SIM card but possibly the device.

I am 50 years old and sat down and figured where the SIM card goes and how and where to insert the MicroSD is just a few minutes. I will have to admit that I find the SIM card holder rather strange but it sure is one hell of a lot more easy than my 8700 when it comes to removal.

Sorry you hurt your device. Hope Cingular help you out

Don't worry I had trouble figuring this out initially. I also tried to put it into the MicroSD slot. But it didn't fit so I kept looking for the right location.

I kinda thought the SIM card fit a little loose in it's slot but it works quite well. I can see that unless you look closely at the MicroSD holder, many will fail to see that the card slips into the holder before you flip it down to lock. I could not get my holder to lock down untill I noticed that the tabs on the holder that the MicroSD had to slip into.

What's confusing is that other phones have used that metal type flip to hold a SIM card. So it's not silly to think that the SIM could go there. It even looks as if it could fit.

Well to me it was a consideration but the width instantly keyed me. I do see how it could be confused but how hard did you push?

Wirelessly posted (eighty-seven hundred: BlackBerry8800/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

Wow. I would've kept that s--- to myself.
But thanks for sharing your experience with us.

For those who read my post last Saturday when I first opened up the 8800, I mentioned in my zeal to get the unit up and running, it took me a bit to determine where in the heck to put the sim card. The first thing you see is that SD card slot so you might, at first glance, think the sim card goes there. But you can also see that it isn't quite the right size. It was a trick by RIM to see just how observant we are. I was almost at a point that I thought I missed some memo and this new 8800 didn't use a sim card (haha).
Oh well, live and learn.
Brandon, I'm with you though, I don't know that I would have shared ALL the details but I am glad that pjh felt comforatable doing so.

Rtfm

There were tiny graphics on the inside of the phone that ponited to where the SIM card needed to be inserted, and where the SD card needed to go.

Blackberry Darwinism

I was thinking the exact same thing! :D

Went to see my friends at Cingular today and the salesguy there laughed for the first 5 mins about my putting the SIM card in the wrong slot...turns out he got the phone a week ago and did the exact same thing...misery loves company!...and this from a guy who should know better.

In either case, they replaced the SIM card no problem and I'm back and more mobile than ever before.

To the old fart who indicates I was an idiot, I actually run technology at my firm, but it's the simplest acts that confound me Thanks for the support!

Now that comment was funny.

i'm sorry to be ignorant myself but i just got the 8800 today and still dont get it - they gave me the SIM from the 7290 and told me to insert - but it won't go in...it is a smaller one isnt it?

strike that i just noticed what you meant by that - so what is the other small slot for?

Well, the old fart did not RAM him SIM card into the worng slot until he broke it. Only you and your "sales guy" have reported that they pushed so hard! Most others had the sense to look a little closer.

I hate to put you in the class with sales people but . . . . . . I fire people like you !

Hey old fart: ck out most of the postings and the general view is that the SIM card holder is in a pretty obscure place...couple that with the fact that even my Cingular guy had problems with finding it, then sprinkle in a dose of even the "Get Started" guide makes no mention of where to put the SIM card and I kinda think you get my drift.

Oh, and about firing my @ss, that would be tough, in that I not only run technology, I also own the firm!!

I did not say you were the only one to get it confused. Read it again! I said you were the only to keep on pushing till it broke! <vbg>

+1

Never said it broke, but my guess is I did corrupt the card...if you don't own the phone, tough to explain, but as others here have indicated, it's easy enough to mistake the SD reader for the SIM card slot and the SIM card slot as reviews have indicated is in a rather obscure place. No explanation in the Guide on how to insert the SIM card doesn't help much either.

Apologies for the honesty, but I thought the essence of these forums was to get answers to questions or share stories, not get berated by some old fool.

You, yourself called yourself a fool. I simply agreed. You were big enough to admit it as I was that I am 50 years old. You calling me an "Old Fart" does not hurt my feelings. Me agreeing with your statement should not hurt yours!

Children ... Problem is solved, no? Suck it up and move on?