Parallels
Latest
Lion to allow two virtualized instances of Mac OS X per machine
The virtualization story for Mac OS X is about to change dramatically, and for the better, as Lion's licensing changes the rules for virtual machines. For some enterprise deployments, virtual Mac OS X environments are the Holy Grail: giving access to Mac-only applications on demand without having to supply Mac hardware on a one-to-one basis. While the vanilla version of Mac OS X has been theoretically virtualizable since the Intel transition (and in fact can be run on a virtual machine now under the right circumstances), the licensing agreement for Mac users up until Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard didn't allow virtual Macs, full stop. Starting with Leopard, Apple began to permit limited virtualization of Mac OS X, with two major caveats: you could only run VMs on Mac hardware (no blade server racks full of HP gear serving out Mac desktops), and you needed a Mac OS X Server license, with a steep price. Under these conditions, virtual Macs were a luxury few took advantage of. Now Lion's new EULA is set to change all that, as reported by MacRumors. 10.7 users will be permitted to run one or two virtual Mac instances on each physical Mac, presumably using existing virtualization tools like VMware Fusion, Parallels, VirtualBox or others. This is bound to be a big help for developers, IT managers and others who need to keep a known-good test environment or try out new apps in a controlled fashion. Note that virtualized Macs aren't the same thing as virtual desktops, which Lion is also slated to support; that second feature means that you can remotely connect to your user account and your desktop 'underneath' a user who is currently logged in to the machine. A similar capability was baked into Snow Leopard, but it required some hairy workarounds to use effectively; You can get a similar capability from the $79 iRAPP utility or the free Vine Server, but the Lion version will be single-click friendly.
Parallels pairs Server app with Mac mini
Here's something worthwhile for small businesses to consider. Parallels is offering a Mac mini edition of its Server for Mac 4.0. It might be just the thing for a business or end user that wants to consolidate a few servers on one low cost piece of hardware. The software allows a user to run Mac, Windows or Linux applications on a Mac mini, or run up to two virtual machines on one mini. The software comes with what Parallels calls 'one-click' tools to optimize Windows and Linux virtual machines, and the server software can be updated automatically. You can get a PDF data sheet here. The software is available as an electronic download for US$299, and a back-up install disc is available for an additional $14.95. That might seem pricey, but when you consider all of the software that Parallels Server lets you run and play with on just a Mac mini, it's actually rather comparatively cheap.
BlueStacks offering Android virtualization within Windows, harmony for one and all
It'd be too easy to simply describe BlueStack's suddenly titillating software as Android's Parallels for Windows, but really -- why try to complicate things? Currently available only in test form, the program is designed to run a virtualized copy of Android atop a not-at-all-virtualized copy of Windows, and the implications could be far-reaching. According to a hands-on demonstration given to the folks at Slashgear, BlueStack's software enables Android and Windows to share utilities and drivers; in other words, you can print something within Android via your Windows print driver, or make a call in Android's Skype application via Microsoft's VoIP drivers. We're told that multitasking was smooth and succinct, and while there's no access to the Android Market, test builds are including Amazon's Appstore as an alternative. If all goes well, the company should let the code loose "later this year," but it's hard to say what kind of price tag (or stipulations) will be attached. Can't think of a good reason to have Android and Windows living harmoniously? Here's one. (Oh, and you're welcome).
MacTech compares Windows games running with Parallels 6
If you're a fan of Windows games and looking to play some of the latest titles on your Mac, your luck is in according to a MacTech test of game playability under virtualization with Parallels 6 (and not under VMware Fusion). They spent several weeks testing 20 top Windows games on MacBook Pros running Mac OS X 10.6.5, and concluded that five games gave a "great playable experience," earning 10/10 on the playability index. The winners were Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Empire: Total War, Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars, Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Gold Edition and Transformers: War for Cybertron. Ten games had "minor issues," and three others had '"significant issues," but only two -- Fallout: New Vegas and World in Conflict -- were deemed "not playable." "Clearly, if you are a hard-gamer [looking] for the maximum gaming experience, you are going to turn to a souped up WinTel machine tuned specifically to gaming and running a game in virtualization is not a consideration," they say. "If, however, you are a casual gamer looking to enjoy a Windows game and avoid the hassles of booting in native Windows under Apple's Boot Camp, then playing a Windows game under virtualization can be a great option." There is no news yet, however, on how Minesweeper or Solitaire fared.
Parallels weirds us out with this Eminem/Avatar Mac parody
A warning: The video after the break is one of the weirdest things we've ever seen promoting the Mac OS. Sure, it's from Parallels, and sure, the virtualization software guys know how to sell a switch over to the Mac. But here they've chosen to do it in an extremely weird way, by creating a parody version of an Eminem song (that's still SFW, as far as we can tell), and combining it with some strange references to the movie Avatar. We don't really get it (eventually, Steve Ballmer and Steve Jobs fight it out, and then there's some explosions?), but some of you might find it funny. Next time, Parallels, maybe choose just one parody and stick to that. This one is well done, but man it is just ... strange.
Parallels' Windows virtualization goes mobile with iOS app
There's already a number of options available to virtually run Windows applications on your iPhone or iPad (even ESPN is doing it), but users of the recently released Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac now have what looks to be a particularly seamless option at their disposal. That comes in the form of Parallels Mobile, which will work on the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, and will let you access any virtual Windows machine running on a Mac that's using Parallels Desktop 6. Head on past the break to check it out in action, and go grab the app in the App Store right now -- it's free, but you'll have to shell out $80 for its desktop counterpart. [Thanks, Xon]
Parallels Desktop 6 coming September 13, with better 3D support and Windows/Mac integration
Parallels, Inc. has taken the wrappings off of its new desktop virtualization software (yes, the same app which was already spotted on some store shelves -- looks like a few retailers jumped the gun), and provided TUAW with a look. The update adds over 80 new and enhanced features, with better support for 3D apps and games, an enhanced Transporter program that will connect Windows and Mac files to both implementations. Also, integration between the two OSes has been improved to include the ability to use Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts, Spotlight, and Parental Controls across both Mac and Windows on the same computer. We got a quick demo of the new app, and it looks great -- Parallels has expertly integrated Windows and OS X in whatever form you want, from a full screen switchable setup, to a windows mode, all the way to Coherence mode, which leaves the virtual machine metaphor out of the equation and just lets you run Windows apps straight from the dock as if they were Mac apps. There's one caveat: Parallels has discontinued support for Tiger, so you'll need to have OS X 10.5 or better installed to run Parallels 6. The app comes in two flavors: Parallels Desktop 6 is the standard app and can be purchased (officially starting on September 14th, we're told, regardless of what's on the shelves at your local Best Buy) for US$79.99, or you can get a Switch to Mac edition (which includes easy file migration and special tutorials for Mac newbies) for $99.99. Previous users of the software can get an upgrade for $49.99. Stay tuned, too -- Parallels tells us it has more even more big news about the new version coming up soon.
Parallels Desktop 6 appears on store shelves
No official announcement from the virtualization mavens at Parallels, but it appears that the next version of the company's Mac app for Windows virtual machines is already popping up at retail. Sharp-eyed reader Matthew Fern snapped this shot of Parallels Desktop 6 already on sale at Fry's Electronics in Roseville, CA. We've got a call into the Parallels press office to find out about upgrade options and actual yes-we-admit-it release info, but chances are we'll have to wait until after the Labor Day holiday to get the final word. Thanks Matt!
MacUpdate bundle offers Parallels 5, we offer chance to win
If you want an economical way to buy into the reigning speed champion of virtualization apps, the MacUpdate Promo Spring Bundle may be just the ticket. At $49.99, the 11-app bargain basket is headlined by Parallels Desktop 5 (normally $79 alone). The rest of the lineup is solid as well: Bee Docs Timeline 3D ($65) Spell Catcher ($39.95) Hydra ($79.95) Back-In-Time ($29) ForeverSave ($14.95) Hyperspaces ($12.95) Web Snapper ($15) Mac DVDRipper Pro ($9.95) MacScan ($29.99) If you're buying the bundle early enough (within the first 20,000 purchases -- as of right now they are edging towards 14K), you get Metakine's DVD Remaster Pro as a bonus app. The bundle sale runs for 12 more days, but you've only got 2 days to get in on our 2-bundle giveaway; MacUpdate has reserved one bundle each for two lucky TUAW readers. See details by clicking "Read more" below!
VMWare Fusion 3.1 beta available
On Monday VMWare released the Fusion 3.1 beta with some nice changes, including support for OpenGL 2.1 and 2TB virtual disks. There are more than 10 changes or improvements in this beta, including improved graphics performance for games and 3D apps (via OpenGL 2.1), improved USB and Boot Camp support and lots of UI improvements. You can get the full run-down here. The increase in virtual disk size is significant. Prior to this release, the max was 950GB. The update also bumps up parallel processing performance with support for 8-way SMP. Anyone testing the beta is encouraged to share their experiences in the beta forums. Earlier this week, MacTech posted a video of Parallels out-performing VMWare Fusion in a graphics-intensive, side-by-side comparison. Perhaps the changes in this beta will address those shortcomings (though I'd just boot into Windows via Boot Camp if running a 3D game). Fusion costs US$79.99 as a download or $99.99 for the app plus upgrades for the next 12 months. It requires an Intel Mac, at least 1GB of RAM (2GB RAM recommended), 700MB free disk space for VMware Fusion and at least 5GB for each virtual machine; it runs on Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later; Mac OS X 10.6 or later. If you want to try out the beta, you will get an expiring serial number; you can also use your existing Fusion 3 serial if you already own the product. [Via MacNN]
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.
Found Footage: VMware gets schooled by Parallels in MacTech benchmarks
Many Mac owners who install Windows do so for gaming. Those uninterested in Boot Camp can try out virtualization software, which lets you run Windows in a virtual environment on a Mac. The two most popular are VMWare Fusion and Parallels. Before making a purchase decision, wouldn't it be great to see how they handle graphics side-by-side? You drive a car before you buy it, right? The folks at MacTech thought so, and set up identical machines for testing purposes. In the video above you'll see two MacBook Pros running Windows XP over Mac OS 10.6.2 via VMWare Fusion 3 (on the left) and Parallels Desktop 5 (on the right). They were put through several graphics-intensive tests simultaneously with dramatic results. We don't want to spoil the surprise, but suffice to say that Fusion got spanked. You can get all of the details on the test, setups and results here.
Mac 101: Going Commando with Command-key shortcuts in Mac OS X
One of the adjustments those new to the Mac need to make is to familiarize themselves with the Command key. Although I switch hit and use Windows at work and a Mac when I'm not working, I've always preferred it over Control. Its proximity next to the space bar allows me to use my thumb, as opposed to my pinky finger with the Control key, for keyboard shortcuts. I find it particularly faster for copying and pasting. The clover-looking key (it's actually an infinite loop), which had always been accompanied by an Apple logo until recently, sometimes behaves in ways similar to the Control key in the Windows world. At other times, however, it doesn't. Whether you're a recent Mac switcher or a seasoned Mac user, here are some shortcuts using the Command key to help you speed your way through tasks.
Parallels gets down to bare metal with new server software
Parallels has announced a new version of Parallels Server for Mac called the Mac Bare Metal Edition. It's optimized to provide better performance for virtual machines running on an Xserve, and allows multiple, isolated virtual machines to run simultaneously on the same server. Using "hypervisor" server virtualization, system administrators can run, say, Snow Leopard Server, Windows 7 and Linux all at once. In case you're curious, a hypervisor is a virtual machine monitor which directly controls the hardware ("bare metal") of the host machine without using device drivers from another operating system. At least, that's how I understand it. A new utility, Parallels Virtual Automation, also provides an extended set of tools for managing, monitoring and maintaining virtual machines. This is the first "bare metal" hypervisor for Intel-powered Apple machines, and it sounds pretty cool. I'm not in a position to try this out, but I'd welcome feedback from readers who get their hands on a copy and put it to the test. Single licenses of Parallels Server for Mac Bare Metal Edition are priced at US$1,248.75, and there's a trial download available.
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.
How to run Windows apps for free with Wine on OS X
There are many options for running Windows programs on the Mac. Boot Camp, for instance, is included with OS X for installing Windows on a separate partition. Parallels, VMware, and Sun offer virtualization software that let you run your Windows programs without logging out of OS X. And then there's Wine. Wine is an Open Source application layer that runs within the Mac operating system rather than as a stand-alone, sandboxed operating system. The thing that all of these options, except Wine, have in common though is that they legally require you to actually run Windows and therefore own a Windows license. Wine, however, implements the Windows API allowing you to run Windows applications without actually running Windows. David Baumgold has put together an excellent tutorial for setting up and using Wine on your Mac. The tutorial does a good job covering the pre-requisites, the actual installation, and then what to do with Wine once you have it installed. It should be noted that the installation of Wine is rather technical and should not be attempted by those unfamiliar with Terminal.app. Once you get Wine up and running, you can install a myriad of different Windows applications from games to productivity apps (Office, anyone?). If you're curious about a particular program's compatibility with Wine, you can check out the AppDB for a list of applications and any issues present when running with Wine. If you're interested in the technical benefits of Wine, you can also check out the excellent application Crossover, which is an easy-to-use port of Wine (pun intended) that makes it dead simple to get up and running with Wine.
Before there was Boot Camp, there were DOS Compatibility Cards
With our zippy Intel Macs able to eagerly boot up Windows 7 in Boot Camp, VMWare, Parallels, and VirtualBox, it's difficult to fathom that it was ever a problem to run Microsoft operating systems on our Apple boxes. The situation wasn't that good just a scant 15 or so years ago. Back in the bleak days before the triumphant return of Steve Jobs to 1 Infinite Loop, Apple had a broad and confusing product line. Since DOS and Windows 3.1 were already entrenched in business worldwide, Apple knew that they had to have a way for Macs to run Microsoft operating systems in order to gain any sort of traction in the corporate world. Edible Apple ran a wonderful retrospective yesterday that looked at Apple's DOS Compatibility Cards. These were basically PCs on a NuBus or PCI cards that were inserted into a slot in the Mac, using the Mac's power supply, floppy and hard drives, and keyboard and mouse. Sporting such amazing CPUs as the Intel 486SX running at a whopping 25 MHz clock speed, the original cards worked with the Centris 610 and Quadra 610 and were released in 1994. By the next year a second edition was released with an Intel 486DX/66, and was targeted at the PowerMac 6100 and Performa 6100. Further research shows that there were several subsequent cards that included even faster Pentium and Cyrix 6x86 processors, were called "PC Compatibility Cards," and were designed for use in other PowerMac models. I can recall acquiring one of the Pentium-based cards and using it to try to entice our one DOS holdout department to move to Macs (they didn't). Today's Windows compatibility is the best it has ever been on the Mac platform, and usually the only "hardware upgrade" required is to add some inexpensive RAM to the host Mac. Things might sometimes change slowly, but at least in the world of technology, the change is usually for the best.
Boot Camp Drivers update 2.2 for Windows available
Earlier today, Apple released version 2.2 of Boot Camp drivers for Windows. Installation requires Boot Camp 2.1 to have been previously installed as well as Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista. Boot Camp is included with Leopard and Snow Leopard and lets you install Windows on an Intel-based Mac. Shops or individuals who want to go Mac despite an unavoidable Windows-only application should consider Boot Camp along with virtualization options like VMWare and Parallels. For full information on installing Boot Camp as well as upgrade instructions, manuals, troubleshooting tips and more, look here. Please note that Boot Camp Drivers Update 2.2 is for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard only.
Ask TUAW: Arranging icons on the iPhone, installing Windows on a Mac, Airport networks and more
Welcome back to Ask TUAW, our weekly troubleshooting Q&A column. This week we have questions about arranging icons on the iPhone, installing Windows via Boot Camp, AirPort networks, iMac rotation support, replacing the video card in an iMac, 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). And now, on to the questions. Leah asks: Is there a better way to arrange icons on my iPhone than by trying to drag them around on the phone itself. I can't seem to get it to work very well and usually mess it up. Apple provided a better way of organizing iPhone icons in iTunes 9. In the past, I always tried to arrange my icons on the iPhone the same way you do, by dragging them around on the device itself. This isn't as easy as it sounds, especially if you have larger hands. Now, with iTunes 9 or higher installed and your iPhone connected to your Mac or PC, launch iTunes, click on the Applications tab, and you will not only see the apps you have installed on your iPhone, but the iPhone screens and the placement of the icons as well. Simply drag the icons around in iTunes and put them in the desired order. The next time you sync, the icons are arranged identically on your iPhone as well. It's so much easier.
Parallels Desktop 5 ships with a host of new and improved features
There are two kinds of people in the Mac world: those who sometimes need Windows, and those who don't. If you're one of the latter group, feel free to skip the rest of this post. Parallels 5 for Mac has been released, with Snow Leopard compatibility, Windows 7 support, full support for Aero, including Flip 3D in Windows Vista and 7 & OpenGL 2.1 and a host of other new or improved features. You aren't limited to Windows either; Parallels also adds support for OpenGL 2.1 support for Linux guest operating systems. (Although we're a Mac site, I'm glad to see other OSes getting some development attention too.) It is a free upgrade for those who purchased version 4 on October 1st, 2009 or later. Others will have to pay $49.99USD to upgrade, or $79.99 for a new license. Parallels is also offering crossgrade licensing to VMware Fusion 2 users. If you have a license key for Fusion 2, you can get Paralells 5 for the same $49.99 upgrade fee as existing Parallels customers. If you're new to Parallels, check out their introductory video for an overview of how it works. If you need Windows to go with your Intel Mac, there are a lot of options: Parallels, VMware Fusion (which also recently released a new version), Boot Camp (although Apple isn't yet supporting Windows 7 in Boot Camp), CrossOver, and if you're willing to do a little more "nerd work" to set it up, you can even set up Windows virtualization for free with Sun's VirtualBox tool (well, "free" plus the cost of Windows). Parallels and VMware Fusion seem destined to be the dueling "favorite flavors" of Windows virtualization on the Mac like Coke vs. Pepsi or vanilla vs. chocolate. Which is the right one for you? Download a demo and take a look. I own both Parallels and VMware Fusion, and look forward to putting them both through their paces with Windows 7. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
