OK, so I wasn't very smart--but in my defense, it's not like the user guide covers this.

I stuck the card in the wrong slot--and it slid WAY up there. I tried shaking it out, using tweezers to gently dislodge it... nada. Is there a way to get this out?

Any help greatly appreciated!

PS: If it matters, I've got the Blackberry 8830 Smartphone World Edition. (And so far, everything still works fine!!)

Oh boy...I'm guessing the device will have to be disassembled to get it out.

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. Is this a "take it to Verizon" kind of thing--or something that a "trusted device techie" (certified IT guy for a Fortune 100 company--knows what he's doing around machines, but not necessarily BBs) could do?

I do not know why BB doesn't put this in the user guide. I've found the documentation lacking in many instances.

My guess is that the IT guys at Fortune 100 companies don't have time to disassemble a device. There are lots of disassembly pictures and videos all over the internet. I would do a simple search on Google for 8830 Disassembly or disassemble and see what you come up with. You'll need Torx screwdrivers, though.

And I wouldn't blame the documentation for this one. Sorry...

Doesn't the 8830 come with a SIM card already in that slot? I know Sprint's does...maybe Verizon's does not.

And I once had a user with a brand new T-Mobile device completely destroy the SIM card when she tried to get it out. She had to go to a T-Mo store to get a new SIM.

Isn't there a little sketch of a SIM card next to the slot? At least on the 8320 there is. Maybe not.

Thanks. I was nervous about a "non techie" taking off the back of the BB--beware of blondes wielding screwdrivers--but I'm sure it will be fine. My husband (friend of the aforementioned IT dude) is bringing the right tool home tonight.

And I totally will take the rap for being lame--but come on: would it be so bad to put a diagram in there? It's not really intuitive that the card goes under the clasp for the battery cover--especially when there's a nice empty slot RIGHT THERE... ;)

Thanks so much for your help!

On my 8830, there's just an arrow, begging me to "Stick any little techno thingie that will fit RIGHT HERE!!" ;)

The place where the card "actually" goes is literally RIGHT underneath the clasp where the back opens. I figured that mechanism (which I now see holds the card in place) was part of the clasp.

Neither Sprint nor Verizon use SIM cards... unless there's a 'dummy' card in the slot... but then again, why would there even be a slot on a non-GSM phone?

The 8830 DOES have a sim card slot. It's called the "World Edition" and is CDMA in North America but has a GSM radio for International use.

Wirelessly posted (My blond BlackBerry)

Yes, it does have a SIM card slot and the Sprint ones come with the SIM card.

I've deployed almost 400 of them in my company in the last year.

Wirelessly posted (8330)

^^^
8830 is a World Edition. CDMA and GSM capability.

The SIM isn't required in the 8830 for use in the USA. When you ask for the International calling kit, a SIM comes with it, to be inserted in the slot.

Understood. Thanks for the clarification.

BlackBerries are remarkably easy to take apart, at least in my limited experience, with the right instructions and this is a good place to find them.

And after a moment thinking about it, for someone who doesn't do regular SIM swapping like say a GSM phone geek (like myself) might, I could see how one might be confused by the two card trays. You're not the first person I know who has done this. If you're not familiar with the size and shape of a SIM card I could see how you could mistake one for the other.

Good luck with the retrieval. I can't wait to find out how this turns out. :-D

Well, for anyone who cares... This is a bit like the 3-year-old with the penny up his nose.

We did end up needing the services of the IT guy. After a couple of attempts, we just didn't trust ourselves to go any further: neither the hubby or I is very mechanically inclined. My husband took my baby to work with him (yes--BBless for an entire day. I almost passed out.)

The IT guy did manage to get it sorted out, but not without informing the hub that I was "definitely a catch." Apparently, I had managed to get the card WAAAAAY up there--"into the chasis"--whatever that means. I was the laughingstock of the (insert big oil company name here) IT department for most of the day. He also installed the card properly for me--because, well... "She obviously doesn't need to be mucking in here."

Best quote of the day came from the hub, who said when I called him to ask how it was going. "We're suturing up right now. Let me call you when the patient is stable."

Again, many thanks to those who pointed me in the right direction for dissassembly videos and such. I won't be trying any more of these ill-advised tricks without proper supervision. ;)

Thanks again!

This is one of the funniest threads I've read in a long time. Your sense of humor here, and playing into all the jokes made it quite good. You're a good sport. Glad to have you around!

Welcome to BBF!