Parallels today released a free update to Parallels Desktop for Mac to enhance its virtualization software with a new installation assistant tool, shared networking support, and official compatibility for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. The latest release of Parallels Desktop for Mac also supports Microsoft's recently-released Windows Vista operating system, adds several additional features, and repairs numerous bugs. Parallels Desktop for Mac runs 'guest' operating systems inside a Mac by allowing that operating system to run alongside Mac OS X, managing system resources as the two systems co-exist side-by-side. The latest revision ensures that Solaris guest operating systems don't hang after suspending or resuming, and includes an improved Parallels Tools package. Parallels Desktop now offers full support for OpenBSD 3.8 as a guest operating system, and ensures that the G4U hard disk cloning tool works in virtual machines.

The update offers better video output improvement and acceleration, adds multi interface USB devices support (including Windows Mobile 2005 devices), and includes isochronous USB devices support (such as Webcam devices). Keyboard support is improved in the free update as well, adding recognition for the eject CD key as well as the difference between left and right shift, control, and alt/option keys.

Parallels Desktop for Mac adds a virtual disk cache policy option that enables users to select whether to optimize performance for Mac OS X or a guest operating system. The latest release fixes the Image Tool, offers an optimized disk cache policy for suspend/resume, and fixes suspend/resume functionality with Windows ME guest operating systems.

The free update also includes acceleration for first time access to shared folders, fixes the clipboard synchronization tool, and improves sound recording as well as playback functionality.