Google Earth Pro is Free!

Google Earth Pro As of a few days ago, Google Earth Pro is now free. Google Earth Pro is a mapping/virtual globe/geographical application and service which used to cost $399 per year, and is obviously the “pro” version of the popular and free Google Earth.

Google Earth is a popular (and useful) application for those conducting genealogy research. It can help you in situations where you can’t physically visit an area, say a farm or a house tied to an ancestor, and it can also help you plan genealogy-related trips.

Among the features that set Google Earth Pro apart from the free Google Earth service are:

  • Print high-resolution images
  • Measure areas
  • Measure distances (feet, miles, kilometers, acres, etc.
  • Create peronsalized maps, which can be printed as an image or PDF
  • Check parcel boundaries
  • View demographic data
  • Import address through a CSV spreadsheet
  • Record HD movies of virtual flights

Some of those features are present in a limited capacity in Google Earth, but you can see the possibilities for genealogists.

You can read the full announcement here at Lat Long (Official Blog)

You can obtain a free key here (Google.com)

Requirements:
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  • Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 or later
  • CPU: Any Intel Mac
  • System Memory (RAM): 512MB
  • Hard Disk: 500MB free space
  • Network Speed: 128 Kbits/sec
  • Graphics Card: DirectX9 and 3D capable with 64MB of VRAM
  • Screen: 1024×768, “Thousands of Colors”
  • [/ul]

    You can read more about Google Earth Pro (and the limitations) here (Google Earth Pro Features).

    You can download it here: Google.com/Earth