January 2, 2006

Nokia Corp. will demonstrate its new cell phones at every CompUSA location by March, the two companies said on Dec. 29.

Nokia, which already has a presence in about 200 CompUSA stores, said it plans to use the nationwide rollout to demonstrate new, high-tech devices including camera phones and smart phones.

CompUSA will also stand as the "exclusive offline retail home" for the new Nokia 770 Internet Tablet.

The move is the latest effort by the handset manufacturer to present its offerings directly to consumers in a retail environment-thereby bypassing the need for a wireless carrier partner.

Earlier last month, Nokia announced plans to open retail stores in "the shopping capitals of the world," starting with a flagship store in Moscow.

"As mobile phones continue to evolve into feature-rich wireless devices capable of advanced features like multimedia content delivery and e-mail connectivity, the ability for technology-focused consumers to experience our product line in a relevant retail environment like CompUSA becomes increasingly important," said John Bay, vice president of new channel development for Nokia.

Source: RCR