Parallels
Latest
Parallels and the Mac Pro
Everyone with an Intel Mac, and a need to use Windows, is head over heels in love with Parallels. Well, almost everyone with an Intel Mac. Remember those super fast 64 bit Mac Pro Apple unveiled not too long ago? I thought you might. Well, it turns out that Parallels won't run on them, at least not without a few tweaks.Should all Mac Pro users get fitted for a hair shirt and some sunscreen? No, silly! Parallels, on their blog, assures us that Mac Pro compatibility will surface 'within the next few days.' How's that for turn around time?
My weekend with Boot Camp and Windows
So I've got a friend who just purchased a shiny, new MacBook. It's packed with RAM and beautiful (she went with the classic white). She's a long time Mac user, and has been happy with her G3 iBook since she bought it. Recently, however, she had been charged with using some proprietary Windows-only software for work (sound familiar, anyone?). So, enchanted by Boot Camp and the Windows-friendly Intel Macs, she made the big purchase...and convinced me to get everything off the ground for her. I accepted the challenge, as I had never played with a Macbook or installed Windows on any machine. Even though this story has a happy ending (the aforementioned Macbook is currently a dual-boot machine), getting from Point A to Point B wasn't easy.First the good news. Boot Camp installed without a hitch. If you haven't done this before, I can tell you it's pretty straight forward. At one point, you're asked to burn a CD of Macintosh-specific Windows drivers, which I did. When the installation of Boot Camp was complete, you're asked to put your Windows installer CD (XP with Service Pack 2 on a single disc) into the machine and click the "Install Windows" button. It's very creepy, and the machine then reboots and starts the next installation, this time Windows XP. Or, at least, that's what the instructions say (Note: PRINT OUT the instructions that are bundled with the Boot Camp installer. Trust me).
New Parallels Desktop beta enables better USB, performance, integration
Parallels must have been missing their beta days, as they have already announced a new beta version of their Desktop software at WWDC today that brings quite a few much-requests updates. Parallels Desktop, in case you haven't been following the Mac web the last few months, is virtualization software which enables users to run Windows and other OSes inside of Mac OS X on Intel Macs.At the top of the list of updates is much-improved USB performance and broader device support, including Windows Mobile 5 devices. Fleshing out the list is "substantially" improved Mac OS X performance while running a virtual machine (which is a different OS, like Windows. We've explained virtual machines before in our Parallels Desktop How To), improved graphic performance, complete keyboard support including the Eject key and shift key mapping for non-English layouts, Unicode path support, improved shared folder performance and, of course, minor bug fixes.This is, or will be, a free update for paid users once it goes official. For now, users can download the beta the Parallels Desktop update page.
VMware announces Mac client
We knew this was coming, but it is nice to see official confirmation. VMware has just posted pre-registration for their VMware client for Intel Macs. What does this mean? Parallels will have some competition in the Mac virtualization space (remember that virtualization is the technology that allows you to run 'virtual' copies of other OSes on your Mac), amongst other things.This is a big deal because VMware is a heavy hitter in the Enterprise space, and it is always good to see those kinds of companies come to the Mac. Not to mention this might mean that OS X virtual machines running on non-Apple hardware might soon be possible.
Parallels available at the Apple store now; other stores soon
You can buy an electronic copy of Parallels Desktop for Mac directly from the Parallels website, but what if you're a more traditional software buyer and you want atoms instead of only bits when you buy something? Today is your lucky day because the retail boxed version of Parallels Desktop for Mac is now available in an Apple Store near you.Hate going to the Apple Store? Soon enough you'll be able to pick up a copy in Staples, Office Depot, Fry's, CompUSA, Amazon.com, and Micro Center (just to name a few).Parallels costs $79.99 (that doesn't include a Windows license).
Move your Boot Camp install of Windows to Parallels
Boot Camp and Parallels: two very different ways to run Windows on your Mac and never the twain shall meet, right? Not so fast, there is a way to migrate your Windows install from a Boot Camp install (or for that matter ANY Windows install whether it be on a Mac or a PC) to Parallels. It isn't exactly easy, and it does require lots of disk space and some third party apps, but if you really want to go virtual follow these instructions.[via Infinite Loop]
Ars reviews Parallels Desktop 1.0
The Intel chips really have ushered in a new Era for Mac users. No longer do you need to keep a crappy Windows box around for those tasks that require that other OS. Boot Camp, as you know, is Apple's utility that turns your Intel Mac into a dual booting dream machine.But who wants to reboot their machine just to check their bank account? Luckily Parallels, virtualization software, is available for the Mac. The good folks at Ars Technica take the newly 1.0'ed software for a spin and they like what they see. The only drawbacks are the lack of support for burning CD/DVD's and you won't be gaming on your virtual Windows machine.
Apple's Windows site mentions Parallels Desktop instead of Boot Camp
"If you've ever wished you could enjoy the best of both worlds, now you can" is a phrase at the bottom of Apple's Windows section of their Get a Mac site, and I think they mean that phrase now more than ever. I can't even find Apple's own Boot Camp mentioned on the 'you can even run Windows' page of Apple's Get a Mac site - surprisingly, it's Parallels Desktop that has the spotlight now. Could Apple be giving Boot Camp the back seat in favor of the no-rebooting convenience of Parallels Desktop? Or might Parallels be working with Apple on virtualization (or a buyout) for the upcoming Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard? Is it possible for us to come up with any more wild speculation? Time will only tell.[thanks blackout!]
Parallels Desktop official release, discount pricing ends July 15th
After months of betas and release candidates, Parallels has brought their fantastic Desktop OS virtualization software to an official release. As you might remember from their last release candidate, they have also listened to user feedback and bundled their Compressor Server tool for optimizing virtual disks and streamlining the amount of disk space they take up, which also brought the final price up to $79.99. However, until July 15th, Parallels is still offering a discount price of $49.99, so get those credit cards out if Boot Camp doesn't quite cut it.[thanks for the tip, Mark!]
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.
Found Footage: OS switching on a MacBook
This video is a little longer than it needs to be to make its point, but it is a good illustration of how the MacBook can handle emulating 2 OSes whilst running OS X (thanks to Parallels).
Parallels Desktop for Mac release candidate
Do the people at Parallels ever sleep? It seems like only yesterday I had never heard of them and now they are THE VMWare solution for the Intel Macs, and their product isn't even out yet!Well, that is all about to change (at least the bit about the product not being out). Parallels today announced the availability of the release candidate for the newly rechristened Parallels Desktop for Mac (they thought workstation was too Windowsy).What's new in this release you ask? Here are some highlights: A new look and feel Better sound support Faster An uninstaller Looks good to me.Thanks, Cooly.
Parallels Workstation 2.1 beta6
Parallels has cranked out a 6th beta of their most excellent virtualizating Workstation software for Intel Macs. Fixes and improvements in this latest version include: USB fixes (more devices supported: PDA, scanner, etc.) Shared Folders fixes (added support for guest Windows 2000) Network improvements: host-only networking Custom video resolutions support added
Pogue's Town Hall: The OS Wars
David Pogue has put together another goofy video for the New York Times -- Town Hall: The OS Wars. Pogue answers questions from the "public" about running Windows on a Mac with Boot Camp and Parallels. Pogue's "public" includes shills like Andy Ihnatko, asking questions the masses are likely to have, like: Why would anyone want to run Windows anyway? Am I going to catch all those Windows viruses? Mr. Pogue, is running Boot Camp like having a real Windows PC in your office? (The response in typical Pogue style: "Let me answer your question in two parts: Yes and No.")It's all tongue-in-cheek, but it struck me that the staged questions are probably the very ones the masses (who don't read sites like TUAW) are asking.
How To: Run other OSes on your Mac with Parallels Workstation
Parallels has been creating a lot of buzz with their Workstation software that allows Intel Mac users to run almost any version of Windows, Linux and many other OSs right inside of Mac OS X, without the need for shutting down what you're doing in Mac OS X to reboot into the other OS. This 'virtualization' ability of the new Intel chips is a pretty big deal, and from my experience with running Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux on my MacBook Pro, I can understand why.However, all this stuff about 'virtual machines' and using Parallels Workstation to install another OS inside Mac OS X can be a little daunting, so I thought I would put together a basic how-to for anyone interested in this software and what's possible with it. I'll try to explain some terminology to help clear up any confusion, and I will cover using Parallels Workstation to install both Windows XP and Ubuntu, one of the more popular 'consumer friendly' versions of Linux, or so I'm told (disclaimer: I know absolutely nothing about Linux aside from the 'most of it's free' convention and the few headlines that come across digg, so go easy on me if you have Ubuntu questions).Click ahead for my five steps to running multiple OSs with Parallels Workstation in Mac OS X.
Parallels Workstation 2.1 Beta5
Thorn lets us know, in the comments to the fast OS switching post, that the folks at Parallels have released Beta 5 of their Parallels Workstation 2.1 for Intel Macs. This is the software that lets you run 'virtual' machines on your Intel Macs (including, but not limited to, Windows XP).So what's new in Beta 5? Lots: USB support Dynamic screen resolutions Transition cube when going into full screen mode lots of bug fixes When I get an Intel Mac (probably when the second rev of the iMac is released) Parallels is going on my 'must have' list.
Found Footage: Fast OS switching on an Intel Mac
This video has been making the rounds, and since it is so cool I thought I would bring it to your attention. Using a combination of Parallels and Virtue Desktops this person as able to setup their Mac mini to 'switch' OSes from OS X to Windows XP to RedHat.
Parallels releases VM Compactor 1.0 beta
Parallels sure has been busy these last couple of weeks, as they have now produced a beta of VM Compactor for Intel-based Macs (as well as Windows and Linux), an app that helps optimize VMs (virtual machines) and compresses the amount of physical disk space they use. The nice thing about VM Compactor is that it can help optimize VMs created with software other than their own Workstation, such as Microsoft's Virtual PC and VMware's Workstation.If you aren't quite familiar with why software like VM Compactor needs to exist, here's a quick example: with an app like Parallels' Workstation (which has been creating so much buzz in the Mac world lately), you can install and run multiple operating systems, such as Windows and Linux, inside of Mac OS X. This is referred to as 'virtualization' and is a bit different - and some would say more useful for general tasks - from using something like Boot Camp which requires you to shut down Mac OS X in order to boot into Windows.Well, over time, these other OS installs, called 'virtual machines,' can begin to take up extra and needless space on your hard drive, even when Parallels Workstation compacts and compresses their installation after each time you finish using them. This is where VM Compactor comes in: its purpose is to clean up, optimize and strip the fat out of these installs to make sure they run as well as possible and take up the least amount of disk space necessary.Parallels VM Compactor is in beta and offers a 30-trial, which suggests it should be available for retail purchase within the next month.
Macworld reviews Parallels, tests other OSs
Rob Griffiths has posted a thorough review of Parallels Workstation, the impressive new (and free while in beta) software that allows you to run other operating systems in a virtual environment within Mac OS X.Overall Rob is very pleased with his experience. He first tested Windows XP and even posted a video to demonstrate just how well this software can run most Windows tasks within Mac OS X, even on his Intel-based Mac mini. Rob also points out some of the really handy and unique abilities PW offers, such as being able to use the same clipboard between Mac OS X and Windows XP - that's right, you can install an extra set of tools from Parallels (which many say should simply be included in the app's install from the get-go) that will allow you to copy in Mac OS X and paste into Windows XP, and vice-versa. Rob also tested various other OSs, including Fedora Core and Debian, and at one point has three running - usably, by his standards - at the same time.It's a very interesting read, especially if you're interested in your Intel Mac's other OS capabilities. Check it out.
Parallels Workstation beta 4 raises the bar, offers improvements
Parallels has released a 4th Beta of their much-hyped Workstation software for Intel-based Macs that allows OS virtualization (not just Windows) within Mac OS X. Improvements and fixes in this new beta include: Introduced full screen mode Introduced dual-monitor support Improved real CD/DVD support Improved, easier to use interface Better sound support, including a fix for Windows 2000 guest OS Networking kernel panics resolved Bridged networking issues fixed WiFi networking issues fixed Fixed some of the issues encountered when entering "Sleep" mode when a VM is running Many other minor bug fixes Don't forget: in addition to running Windows XP within Mac OS X, one of the largest appeals of Parallels Workstation is that you can run a whole slew of other OSs from Windows 3.1 - 2003, any Linux distro, FreeBSD, Solaris, OS/2 and MS-DOS - all running inside a full-featured, secure environment within Mac OS X.
