Nokia LD-4W Bluetooth GPS Module

With GPS becoming more and more popular, the push for navigation continues to gather pace. If your mobile phone or PDA doesn't have a built in GPS receiver, then Nokia's LD-4W -- a simple, but practical Bluetooth GPS receiver -- can turn it into a full navigational device.

The most notable aspect of the LD-4W is its design. There are plenty of GPS receivers hitting the market, but not many are as compact and stylish as this one. Its gloss black plastic design featuring silver edging and a rubber back makes this unit attractive and weighing just 31g, it's practical too. Included in the sales package is a suction cup and belt clip, so you can use the LD-4W in a number of ways.

The LD-4W uses the popular SiRF Star III GPS receiver and we found it falls in line with most dedicated navigation units in terms of response time. The first time you switch it on out of the box, it can take up to a couple of minutes, but this time is reduced to about a minute and a half once it's connected for the first time.

We were impressed with performance, testing the receiver with a HP iPAQ 112 Classic PDA running the latest CoPilot Live 7 GPS software. The LD-4W also obviously works with most Nokia phones and the Nokia Maps application. We experienced no dropouts despite testing in and around large buildings and trees which sometimes affect the GPS signal, though performance was notably stronger when attached to a car windscreen via the suction cap, rather than hanging off a belt, or in a pocket.

The LD-4W only has a single power button. Pairing is as simple as turning the unit on, whereby it automatically enters pairing mode. Three LED indicators on the front signal power, Bluetooth connectivity and GPS reception.

Nokia claims the LD-4W can provide up to 10 hours of operating time from a full one hour charge. The unit is charged via a proprietary Nokia connection -- the same as most of the new Nokia handsets on the market. An in-car charger is bundled in the sales package, but unfortunately, there is no AC charger included. This seems strange considering the unit works with most phones or PDAs that support Bluetooth and is disappointing considering the price tag.