vmwarefusion
Latest
VMware won't charge you to run a new OS in Fusion
Virtual machine software is theoretically a one-and-done purchase, but you know that's not how it works in practice. You typically end up buying an upgrade every year just to get the latest operating system support, whether it's in the virtual environment or your native OS of choice. You might not have to run on that treadmill this year, though. VMware is releasing free upgrades to Fusion (8.5 and 8.5 Pro) and Workstation (12.5 and 12.5 Pro) that support the latest and greatest platforms. The Linux, Mac and Windows versions of those programs can all run Windows 10 Anniversary Update and Windows Server 2016 in a virtual system, including multiple systems on Linux and Windows. On the Mac, Fusion will also take advantage of macOS Sierra features like Siri voice commands and tabbed windows.
VMware Fusion is ready to put Windows 10 on your Mac
Parallels may have been the first to bring Windows 10 virtualization to the Mac, but its rival VMware isn't far behind. Its newly released VMware Fusion 8 has full support for Microsoft's latest platform, including Cortana -- you can ask it questions whenever the virtual machine is open, even if it's in the background. Graphics also get a big helping hand this year, with faster overall performance, support for DirectX 10-only software (read: some games) and compatibility with super high-resolution 5K iMacs.
MacTech finds Parallels beating VMWare Fusion again in annual virtualization rundown
MacTech has posted its annual rundown of benchmarks between two of the most popular virtualization solutions out there on the Mac: VMware Fusion 5 and Parallels Desktop 8. Both are of course used to run Windows-compatible software inside of an OS X environment, and especially on the high end IT side (which MacTech covers well and focuses on with its ongoing conference series), just a few measures of speed or performance can make a big difference in productivity. Or, as the benchmarking study shows, game playing. As you can see in the comprehensive report, MacTech set up a series of Mac desktops and laptops, and then installed and ran both VMWare Fusion and Parallels on them, along with a series of games (including the great Warhammer 40000: Space Marine) and other productivity and benchmarking software. So who won? "When we look at the 'big picture' of all the top-level test results," says MacTech, "Parallels is, once again, the clear winner." Parallels has been beating VMWare in these tests for the past few years, and this year won over 68% of the tests by a total of 5% score or more. So if you need a powerful, comprehensive solution for virtualization, MacTech says the choice is clear. However, MacTech also says once again that both of these pieces of software work very well, and that virtualization is more viable than ever as a way to run even the newest Windows software like Windows 8. Bootcamp is still another option for running Windows on your Mac, but if you want to do it without even leaving your OS X environment, either Parallels or VMWare's Fusion will serve you well.
VMware announces Fusion 5 with support for Windows 8
Mac users that run Windows on their machines will be happy to know that VMware just updated its Fusion software to support Windows 8. The new Fusion 5 is also optimized for OS X Mountain Lion, so you can run the best of both desktop platforms when Windows 8 debuts later this year. The latest update adds more than 70 new features including support for USB 3.0 devices, better memory management on devices with 16 GB or more of RAM and improved power management. You can also now use AirPlay with the software as well as run Mountain Lion or Mountain Lion Server in a virtual machine. The standard version of Fusion 5 is available for $49.99. Customers who bought version 4 since the release of Mountain Lion are eligible for a free upgrade. There's also a professional version available for $99 that'll let IT administrators deploy Fusion in a corporate environment. [Via Engadget]
VMware intros Fusion 5 virtualization software with support for Win 8, integration with Mountain Lion
With Mountain Lion newly available and Windows 8 on the verge of shipping, now was a pretty good time for VMware to update its Fusion virtualization software, dont'cha think? The company just announced Fusion 5 with 70-plus new features, including support for Win 8 and tight integration with OS X 10.8. For instance, you can now view Windows programs in Mountain Lion's Launchpad, while VMware software updates pop up in the Notification Center. Fusion also supports AirPlay for the first time, and you can also run either Mountain Lion or Mountain Lion Server as a virtual machine. The company also added support for Retina Display MacBook Pros, so that everything looks crisp on that 2,880 x 1,800 screen. Also of note: Fusion now supports USB 3.0, and Linux users get some love in the form of Open GL 2.1 graphics support. The standard version of Fusion 5 is available now for $49.99, but people who bought Fusion 4 since the release of Mountain Lion can upgrade for free. There's also a professional version ($100 for one license), which includes all the above features, and also lets IT departments lock down settings for employees' virtual machines.%Gallery-163118%
VMware Fusion now virtualizes standard builds of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and 10.6 Snow Leopard
VMware released the latest dot update to its flagship Mac virtualization product today. The free update, Fusion 4.1, improves Lion full-screen compatibility, graphics performance and startup options; it can be downloaded immediately for all Fusion customers. While those changes are certainly nice, they aren't the big story in this build. Macworld's Jason Snell has discovered that alongside the acknowledged changes and improvements, a less obvious adjustment has appeared in Fusion 4.1 in the area of virtualizing Mac OS X itself. Unlike previous versions of Fusion (and other virtualization products for the Mac like Parallels and VirtualBox), which included a built-in limiter to prevent users from installing a non-server version of Mac OS X 10.5 or 10.6 in a virtual machine, the new Fusion build simply reminds you to respect Apple's licensing restrictions -- and then lets you go ahead and install vanilla Leopard or Snow Leopard anyway. Up until now, the only versions of 10.5 or 10.6 that were considered 'legal' for virtualization were the pricey Mac OS X Server versions. This may seem like a small difference, but it's a seismic shift in the Mac OS X virtualization landscape, and one that could have a major impact for specific 'abandonware' applications on the Mac platform. With the ability to virtualize Snow Leopard easily, VMware users can create a virtual machine that retains the Rosetta code translation stack Apple removed in Lion -- giving those people back the ability to run PowerPC applications. Quicken Deluxe is the most prominent app on the PPC roster, but older versions of Adobe's Creative Suite and QuarkXPress are also up for revitalization in a 10.6 VM. When I spoke to the Fusion product team during the Fusion 4 announcement, they were somewhat coy about the possibilities for virtualizing Rosetta-capable builds of Mac OS X other than the server versions; the decision on licensing was up to Apple, they said, while they would of course continue to explore their options and keep the lines of communication open to Cupertino. I don't know whether this move towards liberalizing the install was done with or without Apple's knowledge and consent, but I'll ask. In the meantime, if you're still holding off on your Lion upgrade because you've got PowerPC applications that aren't ready (or willing) to make the leap to Intel code, your options just got much more interesting.
Daily Update for November 2, 2011
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
MacTech benchmarks Parallels and VMware Fusion
The 2011 MacTech Conference starts up here in Los Angeles today, and TUAW will have reports and interviews live from the conference all week. Before things begin, however, MacTech has been busy benchmarking (as usual). Its latest benchmarking showdown features virtualization software options Parallels and VMWare Fusion. Both apps were tested under Windows 7 and, as with previous tests, Parallels stacked up quite well. Of the top tests, says MacTech, Parallels won 60% by a factor of 10% or more, and Parallels Desktop 7 beat VMWare Fusion in nearly 75% of the tests run. VMWare was faster in a few different places, as you can see on the full worksheet on MacTech's site. The software ran quicker during some of the virtual machine functions, like starting up or shutting down the virtual Windows machine running inside OS X. But on nearly all other points, Parallels topped the speed charts, including the 3D tests and tests of most commonly used apps on the system. The report concludes by saying that virtualization software is better than ever -- if you've ever needed to run Windows 7 (or even a virtual OS X installation) inside of your Mac operating system, Parallels will help you do it well. As usual, MacTech's report is extensive and conclusive. Stay tuned all week long for more from the conference.
VMware Fusion 4 brings full Lion support, wants to make Windows act less like Windows
Leave it to VMware to put the spotlight back on Lion when this is, without a doubt, Windows 8's week. The company just announced Fusion 4, the latest version of its virtualization software, and, as you'd expect, it pledges to play nice with Apple's newly minted OS. In addition to fully supporting Lion features like Spotlight, though, it makes Windows look more like, well, a Mac. The software includes improved support for Expose and Spaces on the Windows side, and adds the ability to use Mission Control and launch Windows apps from Launchpad. Additionally, you can run Lion as a virtual machine within Snow Leopard and VMware makes vague claims about improved performance, 3D graphics and resource-hogging. It'll cost $50 through the end of the year, with the price jumping up to $80 in January. Fittingly enough, VMware picked up on the fact that Apple's moving away from optical drives, and instead chose to ship the software with a USB drive (you can also download it and do the whole drag-and-drop installation thing). Oh, and if you bought the last-gen version of the software on July 20th or later, you'll get the new version gratis. Lots of screen shots below, and full PR after the break.%Gallery-133556%
VMware Fusion gets an update with some important Mac fixes
VMware has pushed out an update for their virtual machine software for Intel-based Macs. Version 3.1.1 includes: Improvements to iSight Camera access Fixes an issue where an incorrect disk error message pops up after A Mac hard crash while working in VMware Fixes audio recording issues when the device output was not 44.1 kHz The update is free for all VMware Fusion 3 users, and the update notice should appear when you launch the app. This is the 4th update to version 3 since it was launched in October of last year. VMWare Fusion 3.1 is available for US$79.99 as a download, and you can add a subscription to all updates for 1 year for an additional twenty dollars.
Mac virtualization face-off: VMware Fusion 3 vs. Parallels Desktop 5 (video)
With Steam officially hitting Mac in just a few weeks many Apple gamers have suddenly lost their need to emulate. But, for those who are hoping to get busy in a little Command & Conquer 4 under Snow Leopard this week -- or any of the other myriad of PC-only gaming options -- virtualization is the only way to go -- short of rebooting into Boot Camp, of course. Parallels is the most commonly used solution, but how does VMware's Fusion 3 stack up for gaming? Not too well, as it turns out. MacTech sat the two down together on matching Mac hardware and ran them through a number of benchmarks, including 3DMark. The results of that test fall heavily in the favor of Parallels, offering better framerates and far more consistent visuals, which you can see for yourself in a video below. Most of the many, many other tests run favor that option as well, but we won't spoil all eight pages worth of results just waiting for you on the other end of that source link.
Ask TUAW: Power adapters, Windows 7, iWork refresh, and more
Welcome back to Ask TUAW, our weekly troubleshooting Q&A column. This week we've got questions about MacBook power adapters, Windows 7 in Boot Camp and virtualization in general, resetting the Mac Setup Assistant, the next iWork refresh, and more. As always, your suggestions and questions are welcome. Leave your questions for next week in the comments section at the end of this post. When asking a question, please include which machine you're using and what version of Mac OS X is installed on it (we'll assume you're running Snow Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don't specify), or if it's an iPhone-related question, which iPhone version and OS version you have.
VMware Fusion 3 supercharged for Snow Leopard
The latest release of VMware's top-notch virtualization software "Fusion" has been announced and some of the new features are definitely worth taking a look. For the uninitiated, virtualization is the act of simulating a guest operating system while running a host operating system. Put simply, it allows you to run Windows without having to reboot. VMware Fusion 3 features highly improved Snow Leopard support. Most notably, Fusion now sports native 64-bit compatibility and support for the 64-bit kernel. What this means for the average user is improved performance for both the host and guest operating systems. Further, with support for OpenGL 2.1 and DirectX 9.0c Shader Model 3, gamers will now be able to play more demanding 3D games without the use of Boot Camp. Fusion 3 will also work beautifully with Microsoft's latest operating system by enabling the full Windows 7 experience, side-by-side with your Mac via Unity, complete with Windows Aero and Flip 3D. VMware Fusion 3 is available for pre-order now and will be on store shelves October 27. Suggested retail price is $79.99US and on the day of launch upgrade pricing of $39.99US will be available for existing customers with previous versions of VMware Fusion. I use Fusion 2 when I'm at my home office and while the performance has been good, I am really looking forward to Fusion 3's 64-bit support. Any other Fusion users out there, how will you make use of VMware's latest foray into the desktop virtualization game?
Installing Windows 7 RC1 on your Mac... for free
Sometimes you have to use Windows. Supporting clients in multiple-OS environments makes this a necessity for some Mac users, while others want to run applications that are available in Windows only. You can get a preview of the latest flavor of Windows, Windows 7, by running Release Candidate 1 of the new OS either in a virtual environment such as VMWare Fusion, Parallels, or VirtualBox, or in Apple's own Boot Camp. Christina did a thorough rundown of the options for running Win 7 on Mac back in January.Of course, you may not own Fusion or Parallels, and perhaps you don't want to have to boot into Windows separately. In that case, you can download a copy of Sun's VirtualBox application (it's free) and then download a copy of Windows 7 RC1 from the Microsoft website (it's free, too!). Follow these detailed instructions or watch the video, and you'll have a free way to test Windows 7 until at least June 1, 2010. Windows 7 will shut down after every two hours of use after March 1, 2010, which is Microsoft's subtle way of telling you to buy the OS or update to a later build. If you're a VMWare Fusion user, the VMWare team has instructions and a video available here. Want to try out Win7 RC1 with Boot Camp? There are instructions here. For Parallels 4 users, I was unable to find a good set of instructions, so if any TUAW readers can provide me with a link, I'll update this post.How is Windows 7 RC1 as an operating system? It's faster than Windows Vista on my 3 year old iMac, and some features look surprisingly Mac-like. I'll leave it to you as an exercise to see how much you like or dislike it.
Macworld 2009: Interview with VMware's Peter Kazanjy
In the world of desktop and enterprise virtualization for the Mac, two companies, VMWare and Parallels, top the list. Each offers a suite of products designed to meet the needs of virtualization aficionados -- whether they need to run a rack full of servers or just use Outlook to check email.At last week's Macworld Expo, TUAW's Michael Rose visited the VMWare booth and spoke with the company's Peter Kazanjy to get all the latest info on their VMWare Fusion product for the Mac and some news that will be of particular interest to those of you wanting to play some cool Windows-only games.Click through to check it out.
Parallels Desktop 4 updated
Popular virtualization software Parallels has been updated to build 3810. The software offers many upgrades and fixes, including Windows DirectX 9.0 with Shaders Model 2 support, as well as "experimental" support for Snow Leopard and Windows 7 beta. The "experimental" caution, as you might surmise, means not all features will work. For example, in Snow Leopard, there is no USB support, and Parallels notes there is no shared networking support.Parallels has been running a competitive race against VMware Fusion as each software solution tries to out-feature and outperform the other.The Parallels update can be downloaded at this link, or you can select "check for updates" from the Parallels application help menu. A complete list of the enhancements in this build can be found here. Some users are reporting faster performance and some improvements with use of peripherals.
VMWare Fusion - 50% off, today only
As if all the deals from "Black Friday" weren't enough, the good folks at VMWare are keeping the love going through today with this stellar deal offered exclusively for "Cyber Monday." Here's all the details, directly from the virtual horse's mouth:Get 50% off automatically when you purchase VMware Fusion online, using the coupon code "CyberMondayDeal" for one day only. *Regular Price: $79.99 Your Price: $39.99 *Offer Expires at 11:59PM PT on Monday, December 1, 2008.So, even if you love the Mac but still, on occasion, wish you could run that particular Windows app just like your Windows-loving friends, today is the day to get your hands on a tool that will enable you to do just that. Note that if you already own a license for Parallels or Virtual PC that you bought from a small selection of online retailers, you can get an additional $30 rebate when purchasing Fusion -- check it out.
Sun xVM VirtualBox 2 enhances the free virtualization experience
Sun xVM VirtualBox 2.0 has arrived! We did a detailed review of VirtualBox 1.6 back in July, and now a shiny new version is available. If you want to set up a virtualization environment on your Intel Mac, but don't want to spend money on Parallels or VMWare Fusion, xVM VirtualBox 2.0 is a free and full-featured package that may fit your needs very well.What's new in version 2.0? Mac users will see the following changes: 64-bit OS guest support (only on 64-bit hosts, as one might expect) New native Leopard user interface on Mac OS X hosts New-version notifier Guest property information interface Host Interface Networking on Mac OS X hosts Framework for collecting performance and resource usage data (metrics) Added SATA asynchronous IO (NCQ: Native Command Queuing) when accessing raw disks/partitions (major performance gain) A list of bug fixes can be viewed after the break. xVM VirtualBox 2.0 can be downloaded here.
VMWare Fusion 2 Beta 2 available now
The VMWare team has just released the second beta for VMWare Fusion 2.0, the company's popular virtualization program for the Mac. The new beta adds a TON of new features, as the video above demonstrates. I got a chance to talk to VMWare today about the new beta and it is HOT. I'll be posting a more in-depth overview tomorrow, but until then, here are some of the highlights: Unity 2.0 - The newest version of Fusion is really focused on better Windows-Mac integration. You can now launch Windows programs from the dock or access Mac programs from within your virtual machine. You can also link folders like Documents, Pictures and Music on your virtual machine with those folders on your Mac. Multiple Snapshots VMWare has worked really hard to bring a Time Machine-like ease to backing up and protecting your virtual machine. You can now designate how often you want to take full system snapshots of your VM, whether once an hour, once a day or once a week, and how many copies you want to keep. Better Video and Graphics Graphics and shading support has been improved for Macs that have higher-end graphics cards, and even integrated Macs can now play 1080p HD video in virtual machines with considerably less CPU overhead. Support for more client OSs, including Leopard Server You can now run Leopard Server as a VM in OS X 10.4 and 10.5, even on client machines (virtualizing Mac OS X client is blocked by Apple's license terms). Support for the latest version of Ubuntu (Hardy Heron) is also available right out of the box with Unity integration. Power users can now designate up to four virtual CPUs per virtual machine, which is great for anyone wanting to take an XServe or Mac Pro to the next level. VMWare Fusion 2.0 beta 2 is available for Intel Macs running OS X 10.4 or OS X 10.5. New users can try the beta for free and the upgrade path (including future betas and the full version of Fusion 2.0) is free for all existing Fusion 1.0 customers.
TUAW Labs: VirtualBox
Running other operating systems on a Mac is nothing new, and with the advent of Intel-based Macs we've seen a flood of virtual machine software: Parallels Desktop for Mac, VMWare Fusion, and Codeweavers CrossOver Mac. These products enable you to run Mac OS X and another operating system simultaneously.For many of my consulting clients who are switching from PCs and who already have a licensed copy of Microsoft Windows, I've been using Sun's Open Source xVM VirtualBox product. Why? xVM VirtualBox works very well and it's free. If you're new to virtual machines and want to know how to do this, follow along as I set up a Windows Vista virtual machine on an "old" 2GHz Intel Core Duo 20" iMac. This post is continued after the break.
