04/02, 12:49pm
Effort meant to bolster Internet Explorer 10 support
(Updated with sell-out status) Microsoft is offering Mac developers a special QuickStart kit that includes copies of Windows 8 Pro and Parallels Desktop 8, according to an official blog post by Sandeep Singhal, the company's group program manager for Internet Explorer. The kit comes on a USB stick, and is heavily discounted, requiring only a $25 donation to a charity of the developer's choice. Singhal says that a "limited supply" of the kit is available.
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11/08, 2:35pm
Virtual machine limits loosened
Parallels has released an important update for Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac, its virtualization software. The code notably supports tablet gestures in Windows 8, and adds a tile to the Windows 8 interface, letting people access shared Mac apps. It also provides full and faster USB 3.0 support, and easier settings for Retina displays.
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10/24, 11:05pm
Clean installs of the new Microsoft OS should work fine
Virtualization solutions provider Parallels has issued a "critical and urgent Windows 8 service advisory" recommending that users not perform an upgrade to Windows 8 form an existing Windows install. Potential side effects of a botched upgrade include damage to the virtual machine and data loss.
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09/08, 12:48am
Best of Mountain Lion, Windows 8
Parallels has quickly updated its popular Desktop virtualization software for Mac, bringing support for the latest software and hardware: OS X Mountain Lion, Windows 8 and Retina display-equipped MacBook Pros. In our full review, we take a closer look at Parallels' latest attempt to provide a common experience across the competing platforms.
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08/30, 7:38am
Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac brings speed boosts, better integration
Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac has had its launch pushed forward and is available now. A virtual Windows machine for Apple’s Macintosh range of computers, the latest iteration of the software has been upgraded to support Mountain Lion as well as Windows 8. In addition to performance boosts, it also supports Macs equipped with Retina displays and will reproduce Windows apps at a Retina resolution.
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07/17, 3:25am
PARC, NeXT veteran helped create OS X
Apple's former Senior VP of Mac OS Software Bertrand Serlet has joined the board of directors at Parallels, the virtualization software company in a non-executive role. Serlet, who did stints involving both science and programming at Xerox PARC as well as Steve Jobs' former company NeXT, left Apple last year to focus "less on products and more on science." His role at Parallels will be to help supply additional vision and direction for both its flagship product and its server-management tools.
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07/11, 3:06pm
Should allow full resolutions in remote clients
Virtualization specialist Parallels has released two new software updates, covering Desktop 7 for the Mac, and Parallels Mobile for iOS. Both patches add support for Retina displays; the MacBook Pro in the case of the Mac, and the third-generation iPad with iOS. Parallels comments that the upgrades should help with viewing higher-resolution Windows software.
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06/12, 2:41am
Includes Parallels Desktop 7, Civ V, ScreenFlow 3, and more
The latest MacUpdate bundle is underway. Until June 20, Macintosh users can purchase the regular retail versions of 11 applications and games worth $456.80 for the regular bundle price of $50. The bundle includes two applications normally priced higher than the bundle itself -- virtualization solution Parallels Desktop 7 with a normal retail price of $80, and screen recording tool ScreenFlow 3 normally priced at $99.
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05/02, 1:45pm
Also adds improved logins, international keyboard support
Parallels has released a new version of Parallels Mobile, the iOS companion app to Parallels Desktop. The v3.1.530 update makes several important changes, first of all making the app "fully compatible" with iOS 5, and also optimized for the Retina display on the third-generation iPad. The full effect requires a Mac and/or virtual machine to be running at a resolution over 1024x768.
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04/09, 4:25pm
Supports latest Ubuntu beta
Parallels has released a minor update of Desktop 7 for Mac, its flagship virtualization software. The patch introduces "experimental" support for the final beta of Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, a Linux variant due to be launched on April 26th. Another new Linux-related feature is the ability to download and install Fedora 16 without leaving the Parallels Wizard.
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03/30, 2:05pm
Trine 2 update adds new mode
Parallels is currently running a special promotion for its Parallels Desktop 7 software for the Mac. The virtualization software will be offered at the discounted price of $60 until March 31, providing customers with a total savings of 25 percent. Parallels Desktop 7 allows users to run Windows applications within a virtual environment on a Mac, and a recent update added experimental support for the Windows 8 Consumer Preview and OS X Mountain Lion Developer Preview. In addition, anyone who shares the deal with friends on Twitter will instantly be entered into an iPad 2 giveaway.
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11/28, 3:25am
Discounts on software for Cyber Monday
Great discounts on software titles are currently available for Cyber Monday from a range of online retailers. MacMall.com has slashed prices on software titles like Adobe CS5.5 production premium for Mac - student and teacher edition, which has been cut from $1699 down to $416.99, a $50 mail-in-rebate drops the price further to $366.99 with FREE shipping. Save 67% on Kaspersky PURE total security good for use on up to 3 PCs, now $28.99.
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10/05, 4:30pm
Compatibility described as 'experimental'
Parallel has released a new version of Desktop 7 for Mac, v7.0.14924. The update's main addition is "experimental" support for the Windows 8 Developer Preview, giving people a chance to test the platform inside a virtual machine. Windows 8 is scheduled to ship sometime in 2012.
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07/20, 2:05pm
Desktop 4, 5 left behind
New releases of Parallels Desktop and Server have been made compatible with OS X Lion, the company says. The virtualization software lets users run Windows programs on a Mac, whether for personal use or in a corporate or other institutional environment. To run Parallels tools on Lion, people must be using new builds of Desktop 6 for Mac or Server for Mac 4.0. The latter includes the special Mac mini Edition.
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07/12, 1:00am
Service supports compliance, mass deployment, more
Parallels Desktop 6 is being released in an Enterprise Edition for businesses to better manage Windows applications on client Macs. The new annual subscription license supports corporate policy compliance and simplified mass deployments. The Enterprise Edition has a business GUI that manages compliance, corporate change management policies, and software update policies and offers a local update server. It eliminates the need for individual user registrations and adds a Request Support menu item, directing users to internal help desk personnel.
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09/14, 4:30pm
Supports iPad, iPhone, iPod touch
In tandem with today's launch of Desktop 6 for Mac, Parellels has released an updated Parallels Mobile app. Compatible with the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, the title lets users tap into Windows programs running on a remote Mac equipped with Desktop 6. Wi-Fi and 3G connections are supported, and users can start, stop and reset virtual machines.
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09/09, 1:30pm
App goes 64-bit, improves graphics performance
Parallels has validated earlier leaks and formally announced Desktop 6 for Mac, which will officially go on sale September 14th. The developer claims over 80 new features and enhancements in the virtualization software. The focus is on improved speed however, mainly by way of a switch to a completely 64-bit engine. Windows apps should on average run about 41 percent faster, Parallels says.
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09/06, 9:30am
Media asked to pull early details
The next version Parallels' Mac virtualization software, Desktop 6, is already appearing on store shelves, a report notes. A photo is claimed to show two editions at a Fry's Electronics in Roseville, California. One is a standard version, while the other is a special "Switch to Mac" edition designed to make it easier to migrate from a Windows PC.
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09/02, 4:20pm
Apple stays on weekly release track
Apple is seeding a fourth developer build of Mac OS X 10.6.5, 10H535. Developers are being asked to concentrate testing on the same areas as before, including Mail, iCal, QuickTime, Time Machine, 3D rendering and USB devices. The known issue from the last build is still present, and has in fact been expanded to include Parallels as a culprit, alongside VMware. Having either of the virtualization platforms installed may prevent USB devices from working when a Mac comes out of sleep.
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05/25, 8:00pm
Update supports OpenGL 2.1, 2TB virtual drives
VMware is set to release Fusion 3.1 following several months of availability as a public beta. The virtualization software is claimed to offer speed improvements, averaging 35 percent, across a range of different operations including application launching, scrolling, resuming after suspension, and disk reading or writing.
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03/17, 2:15pm
Software bundle offers$400 in software for $50
MacUpdate has launched its Spring Software Bundle, headlined by Parallels Desktop 5. The $50 bundle would normally sell for almost $400. It includes 10 applications, with an eleventh available for the first 10,000 purchasers -- they are currently approaching 3800 bundles in day one of the sale. Parallels Desktop 5 ($80) runs virtualizations of Windows and Linux on the Mac.
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03/10, 4:05pm
Also boosts Mac OS X Server performance
Parallels has released a new version of Parallels Desktop 5 for the Mac, build 9344. The program is able to run several operating systems virtualized within Mac OS X. The latest build is the first support Google's Chrome OS, which is primarily based on web technologies.
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02/24, 11:15pm
Parallels Server for Mac brings new features
Parallels on Wednesday introduced Server for Mac Bare Metal Edition, a new virtualization utility for Apple's Xserve. The software builds upon Parallels Server for Mac, initially launched in 2008, but with a new architecture that is claimed to provide the first "bare metal" hypervisor for Intel-based servers. The updated utility is said to offer improved performance, while allowing systems to be migrated without going completely offline.
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11/27, 11:55am
CS4 sees major student cuts
Major programs from Adobe, Intuit and Parallels have also become a part of special Black Friday software deals. Amazon is selling Adobe's CS4 Design Standard Student Edition for $296, the CS4 Web Premium Student Edition for $350, and the CS4 Design Premium Student Edition for $404. The discounts are extremely high, between 78 and 79 percent lower than list price.
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11/04, 3:00am
Crystal mode makes Windows disappear, 300 percent
The Parallels 5 launch marks the latest salvo in the ongoing battle for those who run Windows on their Macs. The virtualization software has been updated with significant interface and speed improvements aimed at keeping the company's market share lead over the recently updated VMware Fusion. The new software adds substantial interface improvements, allowing users to choose how much, or how little, they want to see of the Windows interface. Parallels 5 is faster, while graphics performance has been substantially increased.
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06/17, 4:30pm
MailServer for Parallels
Kerio says it is bringing MailServer to hardware running Parallels' Mac virtualization software. With MailServer Virtual Appliance, Kerio uses a preconfigured version of CentOS 5.3 Linux as the core operating system, packaged specifically for Parallels. The software can run on any Intel-powered Apple system, including the Xserve and Mac Pro, as long as they are also utilizing Mac OS X Leopard Server.
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03/19, 7:30pm
Troubleshooting Mac OS X
In brief: LaCie has formed a strategic partnership with an online storage provider, while The X Lab has announced a new troubleshooting book and Parallels has opened preregistration to next year's summit. Caleido AG, creators of the online storage solution Wuala have announced that it has merged with LaCie, a manufacturer of external storage devices. Dominik Grolimund, co-founder and CEO of Caledio AG is excited about the new partnership and believes that together the two companies will be able to "build a reliable and secure cloud storage by integrating millions of devices around the world." LaCie believes the collaboration will allow the company to transform into a comprehensive digital storage provider. Philippe Spruch, LaCie's CEO, is looking forward to providing customers with new storage methods.
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03/05, 12:20pm
VMware Fusion vs Parallels
MacTech has released a benchmark study of virtual machines on the Mac, comparing Parallels Desktop with VMware Fusion 2.0.1. The tests were run on four different systems including the white MacBook, unibody MacBook Pro, iMac and Mac Pro. The white MacBook was equipped with 2GB of RAM with a 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo processor, while the unibody Pro contained 4GB of RAM and a 2.53GHz chip. The iMac ran at 2.66GHz with 2GB of RAM, while the Mac Pro utilized 4GB of RAM and an eight-core 2.8GHz CPU. Over 2,500 tests were completed with Windows XP and Vista virtualizations, gauging factors like file and network IQ, footprint, application launch and 3D and HD graphics.
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01/08, 6:20am
Parallels raises the bar
The way Serguei Beloussov sees it, a lower price isn't the key to winning over Mac users with its Parallels Desktop virtual machine software. In an interview with MacNN, the CEO said he's now taking a cue from Apple, positioning Parallels as a premium product with improved quality and service. What he says he won't do, is get in a price war with close competitor VMWare Fusion.
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11/11, 12:25pm
Parallels Desktop 4.0 out
Parallels has officially released Parallels Desktop 4.0, the latest edition of its virtualization software for the Mac. The program lets users run operating systems such as Windows and Linux within Mac OS X, eliminating the need to dual-boot. The fourth edition is said to improve integration with operating systems, in particular Windows, as it now supports graphics technologies such as DirectX 9, Pixel Shader 2.0 and OpenGL 2.0; these are de facto in many modern Windows games.
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10/17, 12:10pm
DisplayLink Mac driver
DisplayLink says it has released the completed Mac OS X driver for its display technology. Monitors and projectors that support DisplayLink are able to receive input from a computer's wired or wireless USB ports; up to four displays are supported simultaneously, and some manufacturers of compatible products include LG, Samsung and ASUS. The technology is also present in various docks and adapters.
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08/26, 4:30pm
Apple enterprise share
Apple has managed to almost quadruple its share of the corporate OS market within a short space of time, says Ben Gray of Forrester Research. The analyst notes that while in January 2007, just 1.2 percent of operating systems recorded in an online client survey were Mac OS X, current figures suggest an adoption rate of 4.5 percent. The figure is more remarkable, says Gray, because Apple does not generally market to the enterprise world and offers little software for it.
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08/19, 5:55pm
DealNN deals MacBook
DealNN roundup: Currently DealNN is featuring a wide selection of great deals on Apple products. Get $75 off a MacBook plus get FREE Parallels Desktop 3.0, and a FREE Epson Stylus printer all for $1,018.99 at MacMall.com. Apple lanyard headphones for the first generation iPod nano have been reduced to $25 from $54 at BestBuy.com.
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08/12, 3:10pm
DealNN iPod video
DealNN deals for today include the 5th generation refurbished 30GB iPod video for $149 from Buy.com and the MoGo Bluetooth USB adapter for $10. TechOnWeb is offering the Mac compatible Kingston 2GB DDR2 SDRAM memory module for $54.99. Parallels Desktop 3.0 is only $66 at SoftByWeb.com and the HP Photosmart all-in-one printer is available at HP.com for $70.
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06/18, 4:25pm
Xserve-Virtual servers
Following only a day after the release of Parallels Server for Mac, Media Temple has begun a private beta of (xv) (Xserve-Virtual), a new hosting service. The company takes Parallels Server, and combines it with Apple's Xserve hardware to run virtualized copies of Mac OS X Leopard Server. The primary advantage of this is said to be lower price overhead than a dedicated Leopard server, while still retaining access to flexible resources.
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06/17, 9:40pm
Parallels Server for Mac
Parellels on Tuesday formally announced the availability of Parallels Server for Mac, software that the company claims to be the first server-level virtualization tool for Intel-based Macs. Parallels Server offers the company's hypervisor-based virtualization techniques for Macs running Mac OS X Leopard Server, and can serve a multitude of Leopard Server-, Windows- and Linux-based virtual machines. Parallels Server is currently available from the company's website for $1000.
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06/12, 2:05pm
Parallels Desktop 5608
Parallels Desktop Mac Build 5608, the latest build of the virtualization environment for Mac OS X, has been released. This build adds support for guest Parallels Tools for Linux in the latest Linux distributions (including Ubuntu 8). It also includes added support for running 3D graphics in your Windows VM on Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.3. If you're already using Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac, this new build is free download it via the Check for Updates option in the Parallels Desktop Help menu.
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05/09, 10:05am
Parallels Desktop update
Parallels has released a new update to Desktop, its side-by-side OS virtualization app. The software is now at build 5600, and adds "full support" for the latest editions of Microsoft Windows; Vista is now handled up to Service Pack 1, while XP compatibility extends to Service Pack 3. Parallels has also improved compatibility with the MacBook Air.
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05/07, 4:40pm
Parallels with Expression
Microsoft is reportedly strengthening its relationship with Parallels, and will offer Parallels Desktop for Mac for users who purchase a Microsoft Expression Professional Subscription. According to InfoWorld, this allows customers to run the full studio suite, rather than just Expression Media 2, which ships mid-May, which is also bundled with future versions of Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Special Media Editions. A Microsoft Expression Professional Subscription will be available in June for $1000.
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05/01, 3:45pm
Parallels Server Beta 4
Parallels has released the fourth beta of its Server for Mac software. The program provides hypervisor-based server virtualization, which helps save costs by supporting multiple platforms through the same hardware. Beta 4 is notable for reintroducing Leopard Server virtualization, which had been temporarily removed. The upgraded beta means that Leopard Server can once again be run under a virtual machine on XServe systems, or any other compatible Apple hardware.
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04/28, 11:20pm
Deals on iMacs, refurbs
In light of Apple's updates to the iMac line, MacMall is running a few specials on current and late model iMacs, both the 20- and 24-inch versions. MacMall is also bundling Parallels Desktop 3.0 with the purchase of any iMac, as well as a free Epson printer, and from $50 to $100 off the machine, after mail-in rebates. The online retailer is offering discounts on the newly released iMacs, from $1150 on the entry-model, to $2100 for the high-end 3.06GHz version – $50 to $100 off Apple's suggested retail price.
The 24-inch iMac comes with a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB of memory, a 320GB hard drive, Superdrive and an ATI Radeon 2600 Pro. MacMall is selling the 24-inch iMac for $1500 after rebates and aforementioned specials.
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04/25, 5:10pm
KORE 2 Workshop dates
In brief: We have a review of FileMaker's Bento, dates for the KORE 2 workshop tour have been announced, Zerofractal Studios has debuted Tree3D, European Country Keynote themes are available, and 1 million copies of Parallels have been sold ... We have posted a review of FileMaker's Bento. In Bento, you choose customizable forms and a number of containers, each with a specific use. Bento veers away from the more technical database jargon and refers to its databases as Collections in a library and compares them with iTunes playlists. Text entry boxes still use the term fields, like its big brother FileMaker, but Bento includes templates so that you can skip the frustrating design process completely.
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04/11, 4:50pm
Mac, iPhone threaten MSFT
Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard is being labeled a threat to Microsoft's platform dominance, with the operating system's new features such as Spaces, and the Mac's ability to run Windows, being cited as symptoms of the effect. BusinessWeek writer Gary Morgenthaler states that Apple's OS is loosening a "20-year death grip" that Microsoft has had on the industry, especially when combined with VM solutions such as VMware Fusion or Parallels.
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04/09, 2:15pm
Parallels Server beta 3
Parallels Server Beta 3 has been released, adding an integrated toolset that includes Parallels Tools, Parallels Image Tool and Parallels Transporter (a P2V and V2V migration tool) to the hypervisor solution for server virtualization. Parallels Server includes support for Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT-x) hardware acceleration technologies, 32- and 64-bit platform and guest OS support, and 4-way guest SMP and multi-core CPU support. The new release also adds open APIs and SDK for extensible management, allowing third party tools vendors to add support for Parallels Server. Also new is a command line interface (CLI), and scripting (including Python) allowing automation of common server tasks from the command line.
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03/05, 2:05pm
Parallels Server beta 2
Parallels today announced it is offering Parallels Server beta 2 for public download, after positive feedback based on private testing. Parallels Server takes advantage of hypervisor-based virtualization techniques, and supports over 50 different x86 and x64 operating systems, including Windows Server 2008. The beta also features Parallels' toolsets for enhancing, transferring, and backing up the resident virtual machines. Parallels Server beta 2 is available from download from Parallels' website.
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01/21, 5:00pm
MS Virtual Machine Changes
Microsoft today expanded its virtual machine rules for Windows Vista in a way that will match similar competition from Linux and Mac OS X, based on changes to its end-user agreement. While having previously allowed only Vista Business or Ultimate software to run within a virtual environment, the update allows a "licensed device" to run both Vista Home Basic and Home Premium versions inside of such code, regardless of the actual operating system. The license bars the use of Microsoft-made digital rights management (DRM) such as protected Windows Media inside the environment but is otherwise unrestricted.
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01/21, 3:05pm
Parallels Server for Mac
SWsoft gave Macworld Expo patrons a demonstration of its upcoming Parallels Server for Mac – a product that earned it the expo's Best of Show award. Due to ship in the coming weeks, Parallels Server allows users to run any number of different virtual machines on the Mac, including Apple's own Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard Server. The new software will be also be able to run on a server cluster, according to Benjamin Rudolph, director of corporate communications for SWsoft.
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01/09, 3:30pm
Parallels Server beta
SWsoft today released the beta version of Parallels Server, the company's hypervisor-powered server virtualization software. Parallels Server is the first virtualization solution designed to run on Apple hardware -- including Mac Pros and Xserves -- and is the first to run multiple copies of Mac OS X Server 10.5 Leopard on a single Apple computer, according to the company. Parallels Server is available in private beta testing, and the company is accepting registrations for new beta testers.
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12/19, 4:10pm
VM Test
New benchmarks reveal that while Boot Camp is still the fastest way to run Windows on your Mac, the virtual machines offered by Parallels and VMWare offer increasingly decent performance -- depending on which flavor of Windows you choose to run. MacTech, in an extensive benchmarking of the different Windows-on-Mac methods, found that Parallels was somewhat faster in general than VMware Fusion for XP, but if you want the best virtualization performance for Vista, then VMware Fusion is the way to go. Overall, however, the results show that XP is, by and large, a much better VM performer than Vista.
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12/04, 9:05am
Parallels Desktop Premium
Parallels has released a new Premium Edition of Parallels Desktop 3.0, its popular virtualization software. Introduced with the program is the latest Leopard-compatible build of Desktop, which is now also a free, automatic update for owners of the regular package. The Premium Edition bundles three applications for users' Windows virtual machines: Acronis Disk Director Suite lets users move, merge and recover partitions, while Acronis True Image Home lets users backup all Windows data, including the OS and settings.
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