Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac Adds 3D Graphics, Snapshots, and Improved Integration between Windows & Mac OS X New major release includes 50+ new productivity and security features, enhancements and improvements to help Mac users get more out of Windows and OS X Renton, WA – June 7th, 2007 – Parallels, Inc. Announced today its release of Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac, a completely new version of its award-winning software that enables Mac users to run Windows, Linux, and any other operating system at the same time as OS X on a single Mac desktop, without rebooting. The release of Parallels Desktop 3.0, which is the first major update of Desktop for Mac since the launch of the Parallels Desktop for Mac in June 2006, introduces over 50 new features, enhancements and improvements that make running Windows and Mac software at the same time on a single Intel-based Mac easier and more seamless than ever before.

As with all earlier versions, this release fully and automatically utilizes Intel Virtualization Technology to deliver superior stability and performance while running multiple operating systems simultaneously. The release is anchored by SmartSelect, a powerful new feature that lets users use any OS X or Windows application to open any file type, regardless of whether that file is on the Mac or Windows desktop. Users can select the right application to open a file each time via right click, or can set a default application association to ensure that a given class of file always opens in a specific application. For example, if a user sets Word for Windows to be the default application to work with.doc,.rtf and.txt files, he or she could simply double click a file with that extension in either OS – even if it is an email attachment in Apple Mail or Entourage – and instantly open the file in Word for Windows. A user could also configure SmartSelect to open all hyperlinks clicked in either OS to open in a Mac web browser, such as Safari or Camino. SmartSelect is also automatically configured to mount and open Mac.dmg installer files in OS X, even if they were downloaded in Windows via Internet Explorer or Outlook, and to automatically open.exe files in Windows, even if they reside in Mac OS X.

Other major Parallels Desktop 3.0 performance, usability and security features include:. Snapshots: An important new security and backup tool that makes Parallels virtual machines “bulletproof”. Snapshots instantly save the state of a virtual machine’s memory, settings and hard disk, and revert back to that instant at any time.

This gives users the freedom to make changes, try beta software, and explore the internet without the risk of corrupting their virtual machine. If a mishap occurs, the user can revert back to a VM snapshot with a single click, erasing all changes – including major system errors – that happened after the snapshot was taken.

A built-in, map-inspired Snapshot Manager helps users manage multiple snapshots. Security Manager: A built in management tool that helps users customize the level of interaction between Windows and OS X, including how and when files can be shared between OSes, if “drag and drop” is enabled or disabled, and when hard disks and devices are mounted and accessible. Hardware-Accelerated 3D Graphics: Strong support for OpenGL and DirectX brings Windows’ vast library of 3D-intensive applications to the Mac. Without leaving their Mac desktop, users can play popular Windows-only 3D games such as Quake, Half-Life 2, and World of Warcraft, as well as work with complex Windows-only 3D CAD programs. Parallels Explorer: Without launching Windows, users can view and modify the contents of their Windows virtual hard drive using Parallels Explorer, which is included as a free, stand-alone tool with every copy of Parallels Desktop 3.0. Users can drag files to and from the virtual hard drive, move or re-name existing files and create new folders.

Vista Boot Camp Support: Existing Windows Vista Boot Camp partitions, as well as Windows XP Boot Camp partitions can be run in a Parallels virtual machine. Users can switch between running Windows in Parallels Desktop and Boot Camp as often as they would like. In-depth information on Parallels Desktop 3.0’s new features and major improvements, as well as videos and screenshots of key features in action, is available at “This new version is an important milestone for us helping computer users get the best of all operating systems on a single, seamless desktop,” said Nick Dobrovolskiy, CEO of Parallels, Inc. “With new features that deliver more flexibility, increased security and peace-of-mind, working with multiple operating systems has never been easier, safer, or more fun.” “Parallel Desktop 3.0 for Mac on Intel-based Macs is enabling a new era in virtualization,” said Doug Fisher, Intel Vice President of System Software Division. “Users can now run multiple operating systems while enjoying blistering performance, energy efficiency and powerful resource management on desktop and mobile computers. This is made possible by Parallel’s virtualization software that fully utilizes the capabilities of Intel Virtualization Technology built into Intel CoreT Microarchitecture processor technologies.” Continued Momentum for an Industry-Leading Desktop Virtualization Product Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac is a significant upgrade to the award-winning desktop virtualization product that already powers more than half a million Macs worldwide.

Since its launch one year ago, Parallels Desktop for Mac has been recognized with MacWorld Magazine’s “Editor’s Choice” Award (the “Eddy”), PC World Magazine’s “Innovation of the Year” Award, and was the first non-Apple product to ever win the MacWorld Magazine Reader’s Choice Award. Parallels Desktop for Mac was also named “Best in Show” at the 2007 MacWorld Expo and in May 2007 was ranked #6 and a “Reader Favorite” on PC World Magazine’s “100 Best Products of 2007” list.

Availability and Pricing Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac is available for online purchase at www.parallels.com/en/buyonline, and boxed copies are available at the Apple Store, Fry’s Electronics, MicroCenter, CompUSA, Amazon.com, Staples, Office Depot, select Best Buy locations, and hundreds of other retailers nationwide. The standard retail price (SRP) of Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac is $79.99.

New users are welcome to test a free, fully-functional copy of Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac for 15 days. Current Parallels Desktop users can upgrade their existing software to version 3.0 for only $49.99 – a $30 savings versus buying a new copy.

Users can easily purchase the upgrade by clicking “Check for Updates” in the Parallels Help menu and following the on-screen prompts. Users can also purchase an upgrade at www.parallels.com/en/buyonline. Businesses, schools, non-profit organizations and government agencies should contact their Parallels Solutions Manager or authorized reseller to upgrade their organization’s Parallels deployment.

Volume pricing and site-license opportunities are also available for new customers by contacting the Parallels Sales Team at sales@parallels.com or 425-282-6400. Distribution of the upgrade will be managed by Parallels’ exclusive U.S. Distribution partner, Tech Data Corporation. “Tech Data’s AppleAdvantage Specialized Business Unit provides resellers with a wide range of support for Apple-centric solutions,” said Brian Davis, Tech Data’s vice president, Systems Product Marketing. “Our exclusive partnership with Parallels helps strengthen that support by enabling us to offer the latest virtualization solutions for Intel-based Macs. Our customers can now leverage Parallels for Desktop 3.0 for Mac to offer their end users versatile Mac solutions that make the most of OS X and Windows environments.” About Parallels Parallels, Inc., an SWsoft company, builds powerful, user-friendly, cost-effective server and workstation virtualization solutions for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux.

Headquartered in Renton, Washington, Parallels, Inc. Is a global company that employs a rapidly-growing team of experienced technical and business professionals. For more information, please visit www.parallels.com.

Is the latest release of Parallels’ virtualization program, which allows users to run Windows, Linux, and now even OS X Lion directly within Mac OS X. Since Macworld last reviewed, the program has acquired an updated interface along with a slew of performance improvements and new features. Among the latter, there’s a simplified window for configuring virtual machines, support for Lion’s full screen mode, Launchpad integration, an in-app store for purchasing Windows and other programs, the ability to use iSight (and other) webcams within Windows clients, improved virtual printing, and more.

Parallels installs quickly and requires no real intervention from you; it even checks for updated versions during the installation process. You choose to install the application wherever you like; it doesn’t have to live in your Applications folder. You must activate Parallels Desktop (by entering your serial number) the first time you run it. Parallels presently requires one license per computer, so if you use both a desktop and laptop Mac, for instance, you’ll need to buy two copies of the program. After activating, a new Parallels Wizard window appears. It focuses on helping you install Windows from a variety of sources. You can also install Mac OS X Lion (if your Mac is running Lion) from the wizard, import an existing virtual machine, and visit the Parallels Convenience Store, where you can buy a variety of operating systems and apps that run on them.

Parallels also makes it simple to install Chrome, Fedora, and Ubuntu operating systems: You can download ready-to-go versions of them from within Parallels, and they then auto-install themselves. It really doesn’t get much easier. The virtual machine wizard makes it easy to install Windows and certain other operating systems, but hides Parallels' abilities to run many other types of operating systems.

If you want an operating system that doesn’t enjoy such explicit support in Parallels itself, you can still create a virtual machine for it yourself; counterintuitively, you start with the Install Windows from DVD or Image File option, then use the installation file (.iso, typically) for whatever operating system you want to install. There should be a more obvious way to do it. Buying Windows When purchasing Windows within Parallels, you can choose between three versions: Home Premium ($199), Professional ($299), and Ultimate ($319). After choosing the version you want and providing your credit card information, you’re taken to a shopping cart screen, showing your purchase. In the cart is your chosen version of Windows, a set of download instructions, and (somewhat deceptively) a $7 charge for extended download protection; if you don’t want that last one, you need to remove manually from the cart. (You can also elect to order a backup disc for $15.) After checking out, I received an email. I was then able to download the installer for Windows Professional, which included the installation instructions.

Unfortunately, the installation instructions were for Parallels 6 and they were in fact incorrect; they advised me not to install the 64-bit version of Windows, for example. If you use the help system built into Parallels, you’ll be advised correctly. Once I got through this initial confusion, the actual Windows installation was quite straightforward and took only about 15 minutes.

But despite that convenience, I’d recommend purchasing a copy of Windows either directly from Microsoft itself or from your favorite third-party vendor: you’ll likely save some money compared to the price you’ll pay in Parallels, and you may be eligible for a much-cheaper upgrade version. (Just to take one example: As I write this, you can buy a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate from Microsoft itself for about $220.) The built-in purchasing works, but there’s a high price to pay for its convenience factor. Using Windows I tested Parallels with Windows 7 Professional, using the 64-bit edition purchased within Parallels Desktop, installed on a 2011 MacBook Pro (2.2GHz Core i7 with 4G of RAM). (I also installed the Windows 8 Developer Preview edition (build 7.0.14924), and it worked just fine.) As noted, installation was fast and simple, and included the installation of the required tools (for integration of the mouse, accelerated 3D graphics, and on-the-fly window resizing). During the setup, you’re asked to decide whether to set up the virtual machine “like a Mac” or “like Windows.” Choose the Mac to start with a fully-integrated environment and all sharing between the virtual machine and OS X enabled; choose the Windows option to create a more standalone virtual machine. (After setup, you can always alter the virtual machine’s settings to behave as you wish.) When creating a new Windows virtual machine, this dialog lets you choose the degree of integration with the Mac OS (you can change these settings later).

By default, Parallels configures Windows 7 so that your user is the Administrator. This is not like an administrative account in Mac OS X; it’s more akin to logging in as root: you’ll never see the Windows authentication prompt, and you have full power over the entire system.

This is not a good thing—Windows 7 actually disables the Administrator account by default. I’d recommend creating a new normal user and logging in as that user, not as the Administrator. Once I was up and running, I ran Office 2010, Adobe Acrobat, and a number of other general application programs. They all ran without troubles and never felt slow in any way. I also tested a number of games (which are great ways to stress-test virtual machines). Overall, I was amazed at the performance I saw.

Parallels can provide up to 1GB of video RAM, which means that even some newer games with large texture sizes will run reasonably well; I was able to play the demo of, an intensive first person shooter, at decent (though not great) frame rates. Older games, such as Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X and Crysis, ran very nicely, with smooth graphics and audio. Even the demo of Call of Duty 4, which ran but with jerky-slow framerates when I last tested it with Parallels 5, is now playable. While testing the games, I was also able to test Parallels’ support for USB peripherals, which turns out to be quite good.

I used a Bluetooth mouse, a Saitek flightstick, a generic gamepad, and a Logitech Momo force feedback wheel and pedal set, all of which worked fine. The only exception was that the force feedback in the wheel isn’t active within the virtual machine. When you connect a USB device, Parallels provides a nice visual dialog box for selecting how it should be assigned, and whether that assignment is permanent or temporary. When connecting a new USB device, you can easily choose who controls it: your Mac, or the active virtual machine.

For protection against Windows malware and viruses, Parallels includes a 90-day trial for. I didn’t use this, however, as I chose to use Windows own (optional but free) Security Essentials. So far, my virtual Windows 7 installation has stayed free of viruses and malware (at least according to Windows itself). Overall, I had almost no issues with running Windows 7 in Parallels.

The one blue screen I got occurred after I’d switched multiple times—over a network connection via screen sharing— between viewing modes. Printing on shared printers worked, high definition video playback was fine, I could access my Mac’s hard drive, and I was able to copy and paste both text and images between OS X and Windows 7 without any problems. I was even able to use the MacBook Pro’s built-in iSight camera to hold a video chat (via Windows Messenger) with a user on a Mac. OS X as a virtual machine Parallels 7 allows you to install OS X Lion as a virtual machine (provided you’re running OS X Lion as your root operating system). Parallels does this through Lion’s restore partition; once the installer starts, it downloads Lion from the App Store, and creates the virtual machine.

This means, though, that if you’re without an internet connection, you won’t be able to create a Lion installation, even if you have the installer file. I installed a virtual Lion on both my 2006 vintage Mac Pro and the MacBook Pro, and found that they worked as expected, with a few caveats. I was unable to copy and paste text or images to or from the virtual machine to the host OS—odd, given how well this works in Windows (as well as Unix) guests. When I tried to do a video chat in iChat, the camera window opened as a black box, and iChat then crashed. This also happened on my Mac Pro, with its FireWire iSight camera.

When running FaceTime, however, the camera worked fine. I also had a problem with the mouse click location being offset from the actual pointer location; this seemed to crop up when switching between full-screen and windowed mode. Virtual OS X setups also lack multi-monitor support, and there’s no OpenGL acceleration, so forget about running anything that requires accelerated graphics.

But for general usage, such as testing software in a safe way, or testing as a user without any login items, being able to run OS X Lion in a virtual machine is great. Beyond Windows To help manage your installed virtual machines, Parallels presents them in a list, showing each one’s status and a live screenshot (if active).

You can also configure, start, and remove virtual machines via a control-click, but doing so doesn’t actually highlight or select the virtual machine you clicked on. On more than one occasion I went back and confirmed my control-click, just to make sure I wasn’t removing the wrong virtual machine. (There is a confirmation dialog, but it doesn’t include the name of the virtual machine to be removed, so it’s not much help.) The bundled downloads of Chrome, Ubuntu, and Fedora all work well; you can even use the Linux guests in Parallels’ Coherence mode, taking away the “desktop” interface and presenting Linux windows intermingled with OS X windows. I was also able to download and install various Linux distributions using their.iso files without any troubles.

Parallels supports accelerated OpenGL graphics in Linux, unlike Fusion. Parallels offers an incredible number of settings, both for the application itself and for configuring your virtual machines. If you like tweaking your settings, this is a good thing.

S Parallels Desktop 7 For Mac Serial Key

If you’re the type who gets intimidated by too many choices, this may be a bad thing. Thankfully, the preferences panel has been redesigned, and is now much more Mac-like, making it somewhat easier to find things. Help, too, is improved in this version. Fully searchable, and presented in a floating window like help files in other OS X programs, I found it well written and useful. Macworld’s buying advice Parallels 7 is a fast, stable, and highly customizable way to run Windows on a Mac. Although its interface is focused on running Windows on the Mac, it also does well with other operating systems.

Free Parallels Desktop For Mac

There are minor issues with the built-in Windows purchasing and defaulting with Windows running as the Administrator, but neither of these are deal breakers. (If you use multiple Macs, you’ll need to consider the cost of licensing Parallels for all your machines, too.) If you’re a current Parallels 6 user, upgrading to Parallels 7—especially if you’re running Lion—should be on your to-do list. If you’re new to the virtualization market, or contemplating switching from another program, you should download a free trial from Parallels and see how well it fits in your workflow.