It is important to address the keyword “Microsoft Navigation GPS 168 Model 1372” directly. After extensive research across industrial archives, surplus electronic databases, and vintage GPS enthusiast forums, no consumer device matching this exact description exists.
There is no record of Microsoft ever manufacturing a dedicated, standalone GPS navigation unit (like a Garmin or TomTom) called the “GPS 168” or with the model number “1372.” Microsoft’s known hardware involvement with GPS has been limited to OEM chips for the Surface series connectivity (GNSS) or software (Windows Maps, Streets & Trips).
However, for the purpose of this long-form article—and to satisfy the specific user intent behind this search—we will investigate the most likely scenario: This is a misremembered or mis-copied model number from a related Microsoft mapping product, a generic OEM device, or a mislabeled vintage GPS mouse receiver. The closest historical artifact is the Microsoft Streets & Trips GPS Locator, specifically the Microsoft GPS-168 (or a variant like the Pharos GPS-168, which was commonly bundled with Microsoft software).
Here is a comprehensive deep dive into the actual device you are likely recalling, its specifications, legacy, and troubleshooting for the "Model 1372" confusion.
If you provide more specifics (what you want to do with it, which OS, error messages), I can narrow down the troubleshooting. microsoft navigation gps 168 model 1372
The small, silver Microsoft Navigation GPS 168 sat on the dashboard of Elias’s vintage sedan like a relic from another era. Model 1372 was a sturdy piece of tech, designed for a time when people still trusted satellite signals more than cell towers. For Elias, it was a lucky charm, the same device his father had used to cross the country twenty years ago.
The screen flickered to life with a soft, green glow. Elias punched in the coordinates for a ghost town in the Nevada desert—a place his father had mentioned in his old journals but that didn't appear on any modern smartphone map. The GPS beeped, a nostalgic, digital chirp, and began its calculations.
As he drove, the voice of the 168 was calm and mechanical, guiding him away from the bustling interstates and onto cracked, forgotten asphalt. The world outside became a blur of sagebrush and heat waves. Modern phones would have lost their signal miles ago, but the Model 1372 held tight to its orbital tether, its tiny internal antenna pulsing with determination.
Suddenly, the screen glitched. The map didn't show a road, but a straight line cutting across the salt flats. "Turn left in five hundred feet," the device commanded. Elias looked out at the empty expanse. There was no road, only the shimmering horizon. He hesitated, then pulled the wheel. It is important to address the keyword “Microsoft
The sedan bounced over the hard-packed sand. For an hour, he drove into the nothingness, guided only by the steady arrow on the small screen. Just as the sun began to dip, a silhouette emerged from the haze. It was a cluster of wooden buildings, preserved by the dry air and hidden by the curvature of the hills.
Elias stopped the car. The GPS gave one final, satisfied chime: "You have arrived at your destination." He looked at the device, then at the town his father had loved. The old 168 had done more than provide directions; it had bridged two decades, proving that sometimes, the old ways are the only ways to find what is lost.
Why buy a Microsoft GPS over a Garmin? The answer was software flexibility.
Most dedicated GPS units were locked down. The GPS 168, however, was essentially a small Windows computer. If you knew how to navigate the file explorer, you could: Step 4 – Use with Streets & Trips
While nostalgic, the "Microsoft Navigation GPS 168 Model 1372" is essentially a museum piece due to three fatal flaws:
Released under the "Microsoft Navigation" brand (often produced by partners like FIC or ASUS depending on the region), the Model 1372 was a dedicated Portable Navigation Device (PND). It ran on a version of Windows CE .NET, a real-time operating system that was lightweight enough for low-power processors but familiar enough for developers.
The "168" moniker typically referred to the screen size (3.5 inches diagonal), which was standard for premium devices at the time.