Ever since word got out about the Nokia 6760 Slide we’ve been following it quite closely and waiting patiently for an official release date and price. However, it looks like the wait is now over: The Nokia 6760 Slide is finally here. And, as an added bonus it’s a lot cheaper than we expected it to be! For more details, read on after the jump.

The Nokia 6760 Slide has been up on pre-order on the Nokia Online site for what seems ages. However, this morning the status of the social networking handset switched.

The Nokia 6760 Slide is the UK version of the Nokia Surge smartphone, and features the same full QWERTY keyboard, a 2.4-inch screen, and a unique design that really sets the 6760 apart from the crowd.

Check out our five reasons to get excited about the Nokia 6760 Slide

We reported back in November that Play.com had the Nokia 6760 Slide, on pre-order, for £189.99 9 (inc. VAT), which is hardly a big price tag for such an able smartphone. However, imagine our surprise when we realised that the Nokia 6760 had gone on sale, and was cheaper than we - and Play.com - previously thought it would be.

According to the Nokia Store, the Nokia 6760 Slide is now available and is priced at £179 (inc. VAT), which is a whole £10 cheaper than Play.com predicted last month and £20 cheaper than the original pre-order price.

What do you think about this price switch? And what do you think about the Nokia 6760 Slide itself? Tell us about it in the Comments below.