Everyone’s heard of Google earth; how can you not have? It has spread worldwide since it was created, and is a widely used geographical tool. From GPS to Atlas to touring the world from the comfort of your own home, Google earth has it all, and to top it off, it’s free – or is it?
Everyone’s heard of Google earth – how can you not have? It has spread worldwide since it was created, and is a widely used geographical tool; from GPS to Atlas to touring the world from the comfort of your own home, Google earth has it all, and to top it off, it’s free – or is it?
If you go to the Google earth homepage, you will see the button for downloading Google earth, along with comments made by celebrities you have never heard of, but if you follow this link, you will come to another which does offer the Google earth free download, but next to it is another optional download, offering Google earth “pro” which apparently costs $450!
I have had the “privilege” of using Google earth pro, and I can tell you now, there is very little difference between it and the normal free Google earth. As far as I can see (and as far as Google suggests) all that is new is that you can plan routes and then upload them too your sat nav, now, whilst this may be useful for say, a very rich travelling salesman, it is of little use to someone like me, who doesn’t own a car, and gets around by using public transport.
Here I have two pictures of Google earth, both taken in approximately the same spot, one from the free version, and one from pro – there is no difference! The graphics are the same, there are no extra features, only the option to upload to sat nav, take a look, they are exactly the same!
Now, you would think that anyone knowing this would have the common sense to just opt for the free version, and buy a decent sat nav that already has the points programmed into it by the company who they are buying it off, but this is apparently not the case, Google boasts a record of over 300,000 sales of Google earth pro – that’s 135 Million dollars!
Now, I know that Google earth is a useful program, and I have a few friends who use it for things such as finding places to walk, or looking at the place they are going on holiday, so I know that it does have some practical uses, but I think you will agree that this time, Google are going a little too far.
December 9th, 2008 at 11:14 am
hey guys, if you could click the I like it button when u have finished reading I would greatly appreciate it! thanks! =P
December 10th, 2008 at 5:45 am
I was thinking of buying this aswell!
Not any more!
Thanks Biddlyboobaa!