Virtualization.com

News and insights from the vibrant world of virtualization and cloud computing

Mac

Parallels Transporter Hits The Mac App Store

by Leave a Comment

Parallels today announced the launch of Parallels Transporter on the Mac App Store, an app that makes the move from a Windows PC to a Mac easy by automatically transferring music, pictures, Internet bookmarks, documents and more.

Parallels has shipped more than three million copies of its Parallels Desktop for Mac software. The Parallels Transporter app is designed for Mac users who may not need to run Windows on their Mac at all; it is a simple way to bring everything you need from your PC together on your Mac.

Parallels Transporter Agent collects data on your PC and uses your wireless network or an external storage device to transfer it to Parallels Transporter on your Mac.

Parallels Transporter on your Mac receives data from the Parallels Transporter Agent and copies it to the appropriate locations on your Mac. The files stored in your Windows home directory are copied to the corresponding folders on your Mac so they can be accessed and used with compatible Mac programs.

In addition to moving pictures, music and documents from a PC to corresponding Mac folders, Parallels Transporter also moves Windows programs and other files into a virtual machine on your Mac in case they are needed. Customers who later decide they want to run Microsoft Windows and Mac operating systems and applications simultaneously on their Mac can purchase and download Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac.

Parallels Transporter is available for download from the Mac App Store for limited time offer of $0.99, a $39 savings off of the $39.99 standard retail price.

Parallels Debuts Switch to Mac Bundle

by 1 Comment

Parallels today unveiled a complete solution designed to simplify the process of “switching” from a PC to Mac. Parallels Desktop Switch to Mac Edition empowers users to effortlessly make the move to Mac without the risk of losing familiar and important data and applications on their Microsoft Windows-based PCs.

The product combines a set of easy-to-use tools and interactive tutorials with Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac to help “Switchers” understand how to operate Mac OS X, transfer all PC data and applications, and seamlessly run their Windows applications on their new Macs.

Switching from PC to Mac is on the rise: analyst reports on operating system market share show that Mac OS X market growth comes at the expense of Windows’ market share. While the overall PC industry saw declines of 3% for the quarter ending in June 2009, Apple sales were up 4% year over year. According to Apple’s Q309 report, half of the Macs sold were to customers who had never owned a Mac before.

Parallels Desktop Switch to Mac Edition is an industry-first solution that addresses the challenges facing prospective PC-to-Mac Switchers:

  • Learning Mac OS X — The Switch to Mac learning tools are designed to specifically address any questions or concerns associated with the transition from Windows to Mac. More than two hours of interactive video tutorials help users learn the new interface and functionality of the Mac platform step-by-step, starting with the Mac equivalent of tasks performed on Windows. A quick reference card identifies the most common Windows and Mac command/function differences and puts the correct keystrokes at users’ fingertips.
  • Making the Move — Also important to new Mac users is getting files and media from their old computer to their Mac. Parallels recognizes that many people need help with this process, and developed a “plug and click” method that moves the entire PC (licensed operating system, applications, files and data) to the new Mac. This includes the Parallels High Speed USB Transfer Cable that connects the two machines and the Enhanced Parallels Transporter: simple, wizard-driven software that walks the user through the move in a few easy clicks. The seamless Mac user experience now starts on the PC side.
  • Running Windows and Mac side-by-side — Parallels Desktop Switch to Mac Edition includes Parallels Desktop for Mac 4.0, the number one Mac system utility, currently used by more than two million people to run Windows side-by-side with Mac applications. This award-winning virtualization software provides a fully integrated seamless experience, offering users the greatest stability and performance available for running Windows on a Mac, as recognized in 3rd party industry benchmarks³. Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac incorporates a range of security, backup and power saving features to give Mac users the easiest way to run Windows on a Mac.

Parallels Desktop 4.0 Switch to Mac Edition is available from today at Apple stores, at Apple.com and through other preferred retail partners in English, German and French. The suggested retail price (SRP) of the product is $99.99.

Parallels Launches Updated Version Of Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac

by Leave a Comment

Parallels today announced the general availability of an updated version of Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac (Build 3810), its market-leading desktop virtualization software for running Windows and more than 50 other operating systems on a Mac. Since its launch in November, more than 300,000 copies of Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac have been downloaded. All registered users of this version qualify for the free update, which will be available online and via the product’s AutoUpdater feature. The update results from Parallels’ commitment to constantly enhancing this premium solution to meet the growing demands and requirements of its 1.5 million users.

The Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac update includes new features and enhancements to offer users the easiest, fastest and most powerful way to run Windows on a Mac.

The new update is available free to all registered Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac users. The standard retail price (SRP) of Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac is $79.99 for new users and $49.99 for upgraders. New users can test a free, fully-functional copy for 15 days. Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac is available in English and localized versions including Chinese, Czech, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Polish and Russian. Please check with a Parallels representative for local availability.

Aqua Connect Terminal Server 3.0 Adds Mac Leopard Compatibility and RDP Support

by 1 Comment

Aqua Connect, a vendor of Macintosh terminal services, today announced the release of its Aqua Connect Terminal Server 3.0 software. The newest release is compatible with Mac OS 10.5 Leopard and offers support for Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

This development establishes Aqua Connect as the first company to license and implement RDP server for the Mac platform. The release of the Leopard version has been highly anticipated and Aqua Connect has delivered more functionality than previous versions. This version allows new organizations and existing terminal server users to easily integrate the Mac platform into existing IT infrastructures.

The Aqua Connect Terminal Server 3.0 includes substantial upgrades over the previous versions while still delivering the core features that made ACTS the standard in Mac terminal services.

DiscCloud Launches Virtual Appliance for Mac OS X

by Leave a Comment

DiscCloud today announced the release of the DiscCloud Virtual Appliance, the world’s first desktop virtualization platform designed for Mac OS X clients.

With DiscCloud, Mac desktops can be centrally administered, supported, and maintained using trusted and well known practices used by VMware professionals. The DiscCloud Virtual Appliance runs as a Virtual Machine on VMware Server and ESX class products, and hence on vast assortment of standard x86 platforms.

DiscCloud extends existing capabilities of the Mac desktop, via advanced VMware features such as automated backup, continuous availability, storage scalability, mobility, and desktop disaster recovery.

DiscCloud’s approach to desktop virtualization is 100% Apple license compliant, and supports Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) clients.

Release: VMware Fusion 2.0 Beta 2

by 1 Comment

VMware introduced their latest Beta build of their Apple Mac virtualization product, VMware Fusion 2.0 Beta 2, nearly three months after releasing the Beta 1 build. The new release is focused on several key areas, mainly to improve the user experience with updated video, data protection and Unity capabilities.

VMware Fusion 2.0 will be made available free to owners of VMware Fusion 1.x.

A rundown of the new features:

  • Multiple Snapshots
    • Save your virtual machine in any number of states, and return to those states at any time
    • Automatically take snapshots at regular intervals with AutoProtect
  • File and URL Sharing
    • Share applications between your Mac and your virtual machines
    • Finder can now open your Mac’s files directly in Windows applications like Microsoft Word and Windows Media Player
    • VMware Fusion can configure virtual machines to open their files in Mac applications like Preview and iTunes
    • Click on a URL in a virtual machine and open it in your favorite Mac browser, or configure your Mac to open its links in a virtual machine
    • Map key folders in Windows Vista and Windows XP (Desktop, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures) to their corresponding Mac folders (Desktop, Documents, Music, and Pictures)
    • Greatly improved reliability of shared folders—now compatible with Microsoft Office and Visual Studio
  • Experimental Support for Mac OS X Server Virtual Machines
    • You can create Mac OS X Server 10.5 virtual machines (experimental support). Due to Apple licensing restrictions, the standard edition of Mac OS X 10.5 is not supported in a virtual machine
  • Display Improvement
    • Improved 3D support
    • Use 1080p full high definition video in Windows XP or Windows Vista
    • Freely resize your virtual machine?s window and enter and exit Full Screen view while playing games
    • Run Linux applications directly on your Mac?s desktop under Unity view
  • UI Improvements
    • The New Virtual Machine Assistant has Linux Easy Install in addition to Windows Easy Install
    • Cut and paste files up to 4 MB, including graphics and styled text
    • Status icons glow when there is activity
    • A screen shot of the last suspended state of a virtual machine is displayed in Quick Look and Cover Flow
    • You can remap keyboard and mouse input
    • Keyboard compatibility between the Mac and the virtual machine is improved
    • The vmrun command line interface is available for scripting
  • Broader Hardware and Software Support
    • VMware Fusion supports Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron
    • VMware Fusion supports 64-bit Vista Boot Camp; handles activation for Microsoft Office 2003 and Office 2007
    • Experimental support for 4-way SMP (note: Windows Vista and Windows XP limit themselves to two CPUs)
  • Support for Virtual Hard Disks
    • You can mount the virtual disk of a powered-off Windows virtual machine using VMDKMounter (Mac OS X 10.5 or higher)
    • You now have the ability to resize virtual disks

Here’s a demo video the VMware team put out:

VMware

[Source: VMBlog]