SOLVED What on Google Earth?

[Bif]

Has anyone else noticed that apparently Google Earth is offering the Pro version for free now?...or is it just me??...opened it yesterday for the first time in months and all of a sudden GE Pro opens with the Pro Icon and seemingly Pro Licence...strange thing is I never signed up/paid/or entered any "free" offered "code" or the like.
Could it be that the Google gods are truly offering gratis??...it's a head scratcher.

 

[Norton]

That's strange, about a month back, maybe two, Google Earth on my PC changed to the Pro version for whatever reason, maybe a trial version?
If my memory serves me right, it didn't work all that well. Uninstalled it.

I just downloaded Google Earth Pro again to my laptop, after it installed, it said my graphics card didn't support the pro version and I would experience problems running in the GS mode. It then asked if I would like to run in the DirectX mode, clicked yes and I'm up and running again.
Initially when it switched to the Pro version, it did so without any consent. Now the mystery is solved.

 

[davehc]

I once had it installed, and had the same experience as Norton. I have, since, removed it as taking up unnecessary space. Under most circumstances now, if you are googling for a place, it will open up in Google Earth anyway.
That could be why they are offering it free - it no longer has a purpose.

I did notice, when I had it installed, that if you went into the help tab, it had a notice advising that the help was out of date. Following the link took you onto the web, where there were tips to encourage the user to install Chrome.
Maybe Google are trying to get more Chrome recruits through that source?

 

[poorguy]

Google watched the success of another big corporation take command of end-users computer and the accepted success they had in doing so.

Google being as large of a corporation as they are figured they could do the same thing and so they have.

Google realized that end-users aren't willing to pay the cost of Google Earth Pro for the so called extra features when an end-user could have the same results from the free version of Google Earth.

This of course is only my cynical point of view and perhaps I may be wrong although I don't believe I am.

Life is Good.

The PoorGuy

 

[Bif]

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one to have noticed this, damn decent of Google to be so generous with free offerings!...we ALL know how great free offerings that are thrust upon us can be?
But to be honest, I've noticed nothing different as far as features and/or performance with the Pro version... I'm always leery when things are offered for free... don't even like taking the free pens at the bank!

 

[Clintlgm]

A few months ago, or maybe a year or two I got a message from Goggle with a
free upgrade key to upgrade earth to Pro