Europe : The Nokia 6680 imaging smartphone is the new 'Best in Class' 3G device according to a report by Strategy Analytics. Four leading 3G devices currently available on the Western European market were rated by Strategy Analytics' Advanced Wireless Laboratory (AWL) panels in London, UK and Milan, Italy.

Each device was assessed on the basis of four categories: Video Features, User Interface & Input, Display, and Style/Design. The Nokia 6680 smartphone achieved the highest individual rating in two categories,

Display and Style/Design, as well as a joint highest score for User Interface. The Nokia 6680 was also the only device to score above the mean score across all four categories.

"This acknowledgment underscores Nokia's leadership in 3G devices," said Joe Coles, Director of imaging product marketing at Nokia. "The Nokia 6680 is an example of an engineering masterpiece that offers very sophisticated technology combined with ease of use and extremely desirable design. Devices like it pave the way for transforming the way people live, work, play and communicate."

Kevin Nolan, Director of Strategy Analytics' Advanced Wireless Laboratory commented: "As handset manufacturers compete to launch compelling devices that will meet the demands of the advanced buyers who will drive multimedia content consumption across 3G networks, the Nokia 6680 has set a new standard for performance in terms of usability and device size and style."

Particularly in the Style/Design category, the Nokia 6680 scored well ahead of the others. When asked which of the four devices they would consider the "coolest", 98% of the research participants nominated the Nokia 6680. Users were also virtually unanimous in praising the clarity, resolution and brightness of the Nokia 6680 smartphone's display.

Within the User Interface category, the majority of users considered the menu system on the Nokia 6680 to be "logical and easy to use". The Nokia 6680 scored highest for 'Configuration and Usability of Hot-Buttons' and 'Ease of switching between text options'. Panel users also found the simple camera activation mechanism of the Nokia 6680 very appealing. Furthermore, according to the report, those who explored the additional imaging applications were impressed by the full range of features on the device.

Optimized for visual sharing, the Nokia 6680 imaging smartphone boasts a wide array of features including two integrated cameras, a flash, the Nokia XpressPrint printing solution, an active slide for easy camera activation and a bright screen of up to 262,144 colors. Smartphone features, including organizer, video streaming, Internet browser, and email, are further complemented by 3G-enabled services, such as two-way video calling* and video sharing*, making the well-designed Nokia 6680 a versatile work tool.

The Nokia 6680 imaging smartphone is now widely available in markets across Europe, Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. A full list of the smartphone's features is available at www.nokia.com/6680.

For a summary of the Strategy Analytics report, please see here

*To check the availability and cost of the service, contact your network operator or service provider.