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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.
[Updated with discussion of problem and Codeweavers update information] According to an announcement post on the Codeweavers support forum, virtualization application Crossover fails to operate under recently-released OS X versions 10.8.2 and 10.7.5. Crossover reports that the bug "prevents CrossOver from operating any application that uses 3D functions" and that it is "working with Apple on this issue and we hope to resolve it rapidly."
VMware has quickly updated its popular Fusion virtualization software to support OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and Microsoft's Windows 8 preview. Fusion 5 aims to merge the best features of both platforms, while continuing to improve performance over its predecessor. In our full review, we take a closer look at the new features and compare Fusion's performance with rival Parallels 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.
As might be expected from such close competitors, yesterday saw announcements from both VMWare and Parallels regarding their respective virtualization software products that allow Mac users to run Windows simultaneously on their Macs. VMWare Fusion 5 is a major release with 70 new features that is available now, while Parallels 8 will be coming in early September.
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.
Cutting-edge users who have wanted to give the new Windows 8 Consumer Preview a tryout, or developers wanting to work with the OS X Mountain Lion Developer Preview but don't have a spare machine to use for these still-unstable beta releases can work with them more safely using the newly-updated Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac, which now supports running both OSes in virtual machine environments to protect their "production" systems.
Virtualization specialists VMWare have updated VMWare Fusion to version 4.1, which resolves a number of issues from v4.0 as well as bringing in new features including native full-screen support in Lion, "smart" full screen that is aware of multiple monitors, the return of a feature where favorite virtual machines are automatically loaded when Fusion starts up, support for FileVault 2 and significant graphics performance.
Parallels has updated their recently-released Desktop 7 for Mac virtualization product, improving support for non-English keyboards, support for Ubuntu 11.10 and improving the full-screen experience, now allowing users to scale the virtual machine screen to fit the screen while retaining the resolution. The update, labeled build 7.0.15050, also introduces the ability to install OS X Lion into a virtual machine using the Install Lion.app installer from the Mac App Store.
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.
Parallels has announced the launch of Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac, which provides significant speed boosts in many areas along with full Lion functionality -- allowing Windows applications to act more like native Mac apps utilizing Full Screen Mode, Launch Pad and Mission Control. The company also brought out a new Parallels Mobile app and My Parallels services platform for iOS devices. Parallels Desktop 7 is also the first to allow virtualization of Lion itself.
VMware has released View for iPad, a new remote access client. The app connects to virtualized Windows desktops hosted through VMware's full-scale View software. It operates over 3G or Wi-Fi, and is claimed to maintain quick response by way of the PCoIP protocol.
Parallels Desktop v6 was found faster than VMWare's Fusion v3.1 in 84 percent of more than 4,000 general benchmark tests conducted by MacTech Magazine, the publication announced, owing mainly to much more robust and faster graphics and 3D, an area where -- tested separately -- Parallels was found to be faster 92 percent of the time over its rival.
An Apple Distinguished Educator and University Executive Forum member, Dave Schroeder of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has penned an open letter to Apple CEO Steve Jobs in reaction to the recent announcement of the ending of XServe sales. In it, Schroeder asks Jobs to extend the 2007 loosening of virtualization rules on OS X Server and allow it to be virtualized on non-Apple hardware. Without such a move, says Schroeder, the loss of the XServe will force a transition away from Apple server technologies, which will have "a significant negative impact on many major campus initiatives which impact your products and services, including iOS mobile development, campus-wide lecture capture with Podcast Producer, our iTunes U presence, our campus IP TV network, and … critical services to Apple clients that allow those clients to exist alongside other platforms."
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.
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.
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.
CodeWeavers has launched CrossOver and CrossOver Games 9.1, new versions of its Mac virtualization software. CrossOver allows users to run Windows programs inside Mac OS X, while CrossOver Games specializes in running a range of Windows based Games on an Intel Mac. One of the main new features for both programs is the incorporation of changes made in Wine 1.2, which include support for 62-bit applications, over 3,000 bug fixes, and more than 23,000 changes.
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.
CodeWeavers has launched CrossOver Games 9.0, a sibling to its recently-released flagship virtualization app. Unlike the basic CrossOver, Games is tuned for performance, making it less stable but more likely to provide better framerates. Version 9.0 incorporates a revamped interface, and is said to be "much faster" at bottle creation and manipulation.
Citrix has launched Receiver for Mac, allowing Mac users to access Windows software, documents and desktops in a mixed-OS environment. Apps are opened as if they were local to a user's Mac. Working alongside XenApp, which delivers programs to the desktop, and Dazzle, the Citrix storefront for subscribing to apps, Receiver allows Mac users to launch and run virtualized Windows apps from the Dock.
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.
CodeWeavers has released CrossOver 9, a major update of its Mac virtualization software. Users can run Windows programs inside Mac OS X without having to own their own copy of Windows. The upgrade implements a new user interface, meant to simplify the installation of Windows titles. In "many cases," CodeWeavers claims, installation should now only require a single click.
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.
Developer Citrix says it expects the iPad, due in March, to support Windows 7 virtualization through present or upcoming software. Corporations should be able to serve Windows 7 to iPad clients using XenDesktop or XenApp; each tablet will require a copy of Receiver, a free App Store download. Multiple Windows apps should be able to run simultaneously under virtualization.
Iomega has unveiled several new products, the focus being on the the ScreenPlay Director HD ($250) and the ScreenPlay TV Link Director ($130). Both units allow streaming 1080p video to a TV, in formats including AVCHD, DivX, H.264, WMV and MKV; CinemaNow and YouTube videos are also supported, along with DVD images. Photos can be streamed from Flickr, and some other options include Shoutcast radio, RSS feeds and podcasts. The Director HD differs only in including a 1TB hard drive, but is now up for pre-order.
CodeWeavers has posted the first beta of CrossOver Games 8.1.0, a significant update to the company's Mac virtualization software. The program runs Windows games within Mac OS, potentially eliminating the need to use Boot Camp, or even own a copy of Windows. Version 8.1.0 is concentrated on support for Left 2 Dead 2, set to be released November 17th. COG owners should already be able to play the demo.
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.
Formally announced earlier this month, VMware today began shipping Fusion 3, an updated version of its Mac virtualization software. The app runs Windows programs within a Mac environment, reducing or eliminating the need to use Boot Camp. Upgrades in v3 include a new 64-bit core engine, claimed to improve performance for both Snow Leopard and the recently-launched Windows 7.
Psystar has begun offering its Mac virtualization technology in a software package, Rebel EFI, that allows users to install Snow Leopard on their own PC systems. The utility supports generic Intel hardware based on Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, i7 or Xeon Nehalem CPUs. The Darwin boot loader can also be used to load Linux and Windows XP, Vista or 7.
Developer VMware has announced the upcoming release of Fusion 3, the next major iteration of its Mac virtualization software. The program lets users run Windows apps from within Mac OS X, eliminating the need to boot into a separate session. Version 3 is designed around Snow Leopard, and uses a new 64-bit engine, which not only increases multicore performance but better supports Windows 7.
Mac cloner Psystar has announced a new OEM licensing program, designed to spread the company's virtualization software. Subscribers to the program gain access to the company's Darwin Universal Boot Loader (DUBL), which allows users to install Mac OS X on a PC, instead of just an Apple-branded Mac. Users can in fact have up to six operating systems on a computer, but hardware certified by Psystar must at least have Linux, Windows Vista or Windows 7 pre-installed.
CodeWeavers has released v8.0.0 of CrossOver Games, its specialized virtualization software. Users can play Windows games inside of Mac OS X, without needing a license for the former. New in the eighth edition is support for Snow Leopard, and tweaks which enable Shader Model 2.0 and 3.0 rendering by default. A memory management problem has been fixed that should eliminate crashes in Team Fortress 2.
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.
CodeWeavers has released an update to its Windows virtualization software, CrossOver Mac 8.0. The latest version now supports a number of new programs including Internet Explorer 7 and Quicken 2009. Performance has been improved while running Microsoft Office 2007, particularly with Outlook. The company attributes a significant portion of the expanded compatibility to the growing Wine Project, an initiative that is working to allow Windows-coded programs to work on other operating systems.
Leopard owners upgrading to Mac OS X 10.5.7 have been experiencing critical errors, discussions on Apple's support forums show. At times problems have begun as early as installation, with digital signatures being registered as invalid despite multiple download attempts. Other users have reported subsequent looping errors, which may require powering down a system and rebooting one or more times before control can be regained.
Codeweavers has published an initial public beta for CrossOver 8.0.0, an upcoming release of its virtualization software. Users are able to install and run a number of Windows applications from within Mac OS X, eliminating the need to dual-boot a system or confine Windows software to a single window. Selecting a Windows-only file in Finder triggers the appropriate program automatically.
VMware has released a new patch for Fusion, its Mac-based virtualization software. Although only described as a maintenance release, the download solves several major issues, for instance by restoring printer sharing. Mac printers should once again be accessible within Windows virtual machines; the compatibility was temporarily broken as a result of Apple Security Update 2009-001.
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.
Codeweavers has released a minor release candidate update for CrossOver Games, one of its virtualization utlities. The software is used to run Windows games on Mac and Linux systems, whose normal virtualization tools may lack the optimization needed to achieve reasonable framerates. Users can install and run Windows games without having to own a copy of Windows.
VMware has posted the View Open Client, an open-source version of its virtual desktop tool. The software accesses Windows desktops hosted in a remote datacenter, allowing users to carry personalized settings across multiple machines. Though only Linux clients are supported in the initial release, VMware is actively encouraging businesses to develop clients for other platforms.
Developers at Citrix have been doing some guerilla marketing at Macworld Expo, holding impromptu demonstrations of forthcoming app allowing iPhone users to run Windows. The app is actually an iphone version of the company's XenDesktop thin client software. The virtualization software supports most Windows XP and Vista applications.
Citrix will bring its XenDesktop and XenApp applications to the iPhone, the company has announced. XenApp is used to virtualize individual Windows programs such as Excel or SAP, which can then be run remotely in a client-server configuration; XenDesktop expands this concept to cover an entire XP or Vista system. For the iPhone the software will be mainly be tweaked to use multi-touch commands, such as pinching and panning.
Ever since Apple switched to Intel processors, Macs have been able to run the most popular operating systems for the x86 architecture including Linux and Microsoft Windows. Apple offers Boot Camp for free, which lets you create a dual-boot partition, but forces you to choose between Mac OS X or Windows each time you turn on your computer. For a solution that lets you switch between Mac OS X and any other operating system without rebooting, you need a virtualization program such as Parallels 4.0.
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.
As a result of a promise if gas prices fell to $2.79 in the Twin Cities, developer CodeWeavers says it is giving away free licenses of CrossOver, its Windows virtualization software for the Mac. The software places Windows apps into virtual containers called "bottles," which lets users run the apps without having to load Windows separately or as a complete virtual machine. Under the terms of the giveaway, people visiting the CodeWeavers site between 12AM on October 28th and 12AM on October 29th can pick up a special serial code entitling them to one free copy of CrossOver.
VMware has officially released Fusion 2.0, the latest version of its Mac virtualization software. The software adds a host of new features, such as multiple and/or automatic "snapshots" of virtual machines, which let users regress to earlier states as needed. Others include automatic detection and use of multiple displays, and the ability to open Mac files and URLs in a virtual machine, or vice versa.
No matter how much you may love your Mac, there may be at least a handful of Windows programs that don’t have an equivalent Mac OS X version. Rather than buy a separate machine, of course, you can always use Boot Camp to turn your Mac into a PC. However, a more practical solution may be to run Windows inside a virtual machine using Fusion 2.0.
DiscCloud has announced the release of its namesake Virtual Appliance app, a virtualization platform for Mac clients. The software runs through VMware, and allows PCs to function as desktop servers for Leopard clients. The client speciifically runs as a virtual machine on VMware Server and ESX-class products, allowing it to support numerous PC variants.
The Mac version of Google's Chrome web browser should arrive in "a matter of months," says Google co-founder Sergey Brin. The executive, interviewed by Wall Street Journal writer Kara Swisher, claims it is "embarassing" that a Mac version is not already out, since both he and Swisher use Macs. To cope with the situation, Brin says he is relying on virtualization software from VMware. At present Chrome runs only on Windows.
