Great Industrial Design Made Me Do It!
Rack this one up under "I didn't need it but I just wanted to have it" category. Blame it on the great design, the moment I laid my eyes on the Nokia LD-4W, Bluetooth GPS Module I knew I just had to have it!
Given that I already have the the predecessor Nokia LD-3W, which is working great, buying the LD-4W was a bit of stretch.
But I caved in and bought it - great industrial design pushed me over the edge.
The Nokia LD-4W is significantly thinner and lighter than the previous model. The LD-3W was by no mean large or heavy but the LD-4W is tiny in comparison. It weighs less than half of the LD-3W and is half as thin.
Functionality wise, the LD-4W matches or surpass that of its predecessor.
The only negative difference I could find is that the new model has slightly worse standby time, up to 4 days compared to up to 7 days, and 11 hours of operating time compared to 15 hours. In my opinion not a big deal since the device is half the weight and thinness. However, the new devices is much faster to charge. The battery seems to be fully charged at no-time.
The GPS receiver is the same in both models - a SiRF Star III LT with 20 parallel channels. The module comes with a car mount (suction cup) belt clip, car charger and of course a manual. What I find surprising is that there is no real information in the package about navigation software. It seems as the perfect placement for information about Nokia Maps, TomTom, Route66 just to mention a few navigation solutions.
More information about Nokia LD-4W on the product page.
November 19th, 2007 at 10:56 am
So do you wanna sell your LD-3W?? I’m having a headache trying to find it here in Brazil, not even nokia dealers have it to sell.
I can pay using paypal.
thanks
November 19th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Hi Edson,
I think I will pass it on to my brother since it is still working great. I think it is a good idea to buy the LD-3W if you can find it, try eBay.
Cheers
Ed
November 19th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Hey Edson!
You wouldn’t have much luck with it in Brazil anyway: neither Nokia nor TomTom have any maps of Brazil worth using…
If you want one, let me know: going to Brasilia on Friday, could bring you one? 
November 19th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Edson,
I just came across the LD-3W at Nokia Brazil’s virtual store. Though, at R$ 699, I can’t say it’s cheap. But at least there’s the receipt, warranty and a certain ease-of-mind. heheheh
http://nokia.submarino.com.br/nokia/productdetail.asp?prodid=1923021&catid=67451&prodTypeid=11&PrevCatId=19352
November 19th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
I have a Nokia LD-3W new sealed in box. I upgraded my phone with a built in GPS, so if anyone here is interested, please write back to me at “hass.riz@sympatico.ca”
Thanks
November 20th, 2007 at 1:57 am
[...] over at Eseries has bought nokias latest bluetooth GPS receiver, the Nokia LD-4W. Read the review here or check the pictures that i posted a couple weeks ago here at [...]
November 20th, 2007 at 5:44 am
Hi, Thanks for all the replies!
Well, R$700 (reais) is about $350 (us dollars) and a receipt and a warranty for that price tag doesn’t gimme any peace of mind. Especially here, where gadgets rarely have a on-store exchange. If its faulty you take it to the manufacturer not the seller.
Well, about the maps, i really want to use the built in navigator for speed and altitude, distance and all. Not really into maps, but I think Route66 works in major cities here.
November 20th, 2007 at 6:41 am
Hey Edson,
You should buy the Garmin GPS 10X, its not as sexy as the LD-3W but it works great, and you have free maps for Brazil in an open project!
November 22nd, 2007 at 4:05 pm
Hi, Johan! I am in Brazil and would a reciever of those. Please contact me at bmruiz@gmail.com.
Thank u so much
November 26th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Hi,
does LD-4W have any turn on/off button?
Because if it doesn’t, it is very unpractical to have it as a key chain…
November 26th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Hi Opik,
Yes, the LD-4W has an on/off button. You can’t see it in the photos but it’s there.
Cheers
November 27th, 2007 at 3:54 am
I’ve got a generic made-somewhere-in-the-far-east Bluethooth GPS unit. It’s ugly, but it’s small and magnetic and works brillaintly with the Nokia Maps application. Best of all it only cost me €50 in a Dublin market.
That said the LD-4W looks gorgeous.
November 27th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Does anyone knows, if the LD-4W works with my Nokia E61? Nokia mentions only the E61i…
November 27th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
@Michael,
I have successfully used it with my Nokia E61 (as well as the E61i).
Cheers
Ed
November 28th, 2007 at 5:04 am
I have the LD-3W + e61i. Terrific product EXCEPT you got to carry both items around to use the GPS. Perhaps Nokia should have included gps into the new e61j?? hah!!
November 29th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
See this:
http://forum.symbianos.pl/viewtopic.php?p=122349#122349
November 29th, 2007 at 11:05 pm
Cool! I really like mine.
December 2nd, 2007 at 4:27 am
Hi
I’m quite new to this GPS thing! I was wondering if it will work with Nokia 6300? Under compatibility it say so, but Nokia Maps doesn’t?
What more than the Nokia LD-4W and Nokia 6300 do i need to get it to work?
Sorry for asking these dumb questions
December 2nd, 2007 at 5:11 am
Just got back to Malaysia from Hong Kong. Got a LD-4W in HK for US$113. It’s small, auto shut-off, fast recharge & etc. First timer with GPS thingy. Would like to have some suggestion on what GPS software that’s good and runs well on my E61i. Currently using Nokia Maps.
December 4th, 2007 at 11:59 am
Its exelaent GPS module!
December 18th, 2007 at 11:35 am
The LD-3w is awesome! Works so great with TomTom. I like the look of the LD-4w, the thinness and auto shut off is attractive but all the reviews say that the battery life is poor and that is probably the most important thing for me in a GPS device.
December 18th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
I was looking into this discussion, and it helped me make up my mind. If possible I’ll be getting the 4-W. looks nice, fast recharge (this one is good for me as I’m on the go all day and you can use all open-source and commercial map systems and apps with it. COOL
December 25th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Is it also compatible with E61 (not the i one)?
I don’t see E61 in the compatibility list…
February 21st, 2008 at 12:42 am
Is LD-4W using a non-replaceable battery? If not, what’s the type of its battery? It’s official page doesn’t mention this…
February 26th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
@ hengman
It is a non-user replacement battery, hence the slim, slim design. It’s very different in that aspect compared to previous model.
February 26th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
That’s not good. The reason why I look for devices from a same manufacturer is exchangeable peripherals, e.g. batteries, cables etc. Anyway, the keyring design of LD-4W is interesting.
Waiting for LD-5W…
February 27th, 2008 at 11:31 am
I’m using E50 and LD-3W with Nokia Maps, Trekbuddy and TrailExplorer GPS applications. One good extra option is that LD-3W and E50 use same BL-5C battery an same chargers, so I can use my space battery on both of them or use GPS units battery as a spare phone battery. LD-4W looks good and it’s small, but I will stick stay with LD-3W because battery life time and replacement option.
btw. TrekBuddy J2ME GPS applications works great on E50 and you can have your own maps in there and it’s FREE! . http://linuxtechs.net/kruch/tb/forum/index.php
March 28th, 2008 at 8:34 am
I just bought the LD-4W. Works fine but I have one issue which I don’t know whether it is a bug or a feature.
If the LD-4W was connected to my Nokia E61i and the device had found some satellites (GPS indicator light flashes white) I can’t switch the LD-4W off. I press the switch for quite some time but it keeps on running.
Has anybody the same experience or is my LD-4W broken?
April 1st, 2008 at 10:15 am
Hi all, I have a doubt about use the LD-4DW or LD-3DW.
So, always I have to use the E61 with GPS? Or, for example, I could to go running only with GPS and after my running I sync the GPS with cellphone?
I the first question is YES, how the duration of the cell batery?
Hugs,
Eduardo
June 17th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
IF I USED GPS NOKIA BLUTOOTH IN MY NOKIA E61I MY SERVICE PROVIDER WILL CHARGE ME OR NOT?
July 7th, 2008 at 3:41 am
Hi,
Finally, I’ve bought LD-4W in Dec 07 (several days after my previous post
)
I use LD-4W with my E61i, and it works great! I can use the GPS with 2 Nokia softwares simultaneously (e.g. running Nokia sportstracker and Nokia Maps) Unfortunately, not with AFTrack. The battery lasts for 11 hours, so it should be sufficient for a one-day trip. Since it’s very slim, I’m carrying it around attached to my keyring.
Honestly, I prefer to have a built-in GPS (such as E71), because it’s more practical to recharge, especially when using DC-8 external battery. But hey, I’m still happy with my LD-4W
July 7th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Great! How much did you buy and from where did you bought it le me know ok please>>>
my email is >>>> myasinafridi85@hotmail..com