Parallels Desktop Release Candidate 2, uh, released

Get your mice clicking ladies and gentlemen, as Parallels has offered up the final test version of Parallels Desktop for Mac, their virtualization software that allows you to run almost any OS right within Mac OS X. With this version, however, Parallels has increased the app's final price to $79.99, as they have incorporated their Compressor Server tool (due to user feedback) into the software package for streamlining and optimizing your virtual machines and the amount of disk space they occupy. The beta testing pre-order price of $39.99 is still in place, and probably more appetizing than ever. Other new features and improvements in the Release Candidate 2 include:

• Significantly improved performance

• Improved USB performance and broader device support

• Improved Host-guest networking

• Automatic network adapters now switch on-the-fly

• Guest OS no longer steals host IP address in some DHCP servers

• Fullscreen mode is now customizable

• Integration with Virtue is now bug-free

• Customizable Ctrl + Click mapping

• Guest 32bit color is supported when Parallels Tools is installed

• Improved Shared folders performance

• Resolved shared folders/MS Office incompatibility issues

• Windows 98 no longer consumes 99% host CPU even when idle (in VT-x mode)

Also note that if you download this newest release, you must re-install the Parallels Tools for guest Windows installations (NT/2000/XP/2003). As with previous beta releases, this download is free before the software package goes official.