Issue

Places sidebar stopped working in Google Picasa 3. The following error is displayed instead of a map:

[object Error]
You are using a browser that is not supported by the Google Maps JavaScript API. Consider changing your browser.

Resolution

Close Picasa and perform the following steps:

• Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe)
• Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\FEATURE_BROWSER_EMULATION
• Create a new DWORD entry with name: picasa3.exe and Hexadecimal value: 2af8 (Decimal: 11000).

Open Picasa and embedded maps module should now work.

Update 05/2022

Due to Goole Maps backend change, the fix stopped working. A very similar error message is now being displayed instead of the map:

You are using a browser that is not supported by the Google Maps JavaScript API. Please consider changing your browser.
Error: The Google Maps JavaScript API does not support this browser.

Credit goes to José Miguel Parreño in the Disqus comments below and www.picxl.de. It seems that all you need to restore the fix (unclear for how long) is to follow the same instructions, but instead of value: 2af8, enter 0.

October 2018
Windows 10 Pro (1803)
Picasa 3.9.141