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VMware launches Fusion 5 with 70 new features including Windows 8 optimization

post #1 of 33
8/23/12 at 6:19am
Thread Starter 
VMware on Thursday announced its new virtualization software Fusion 5, with 70 new features including a design that takes advantage of the latest features in Mountain Lion, and optimization for Microsoft's forthcoming Windows 8.

VMware Fusion 5 and VMware Fusion 5 Professional are now available for download at a cost of $49.99 and $99.99, respectively

"While the number of users adopting Macs continue to rise, the business environment is still dominated by Windows," said Jason Joel, director, personal products, VMware. "VMware Fusion 5 and Fusion 5 Professional build upon our award-winning platform, adding new capabilities that are in demand among both individual and professional users. Leveraging our experience with consumer and enterprise end-users, we believe this new version of the product is the best solution on the market for users who want to run Windows on Mac simultaneously."

New features in VMware Fusion 5 include:
  • Designed for Mountain Lion:
  • Windows 8 Optimization: VMware Fusion 5 supports Windows 8 standard, pro and enterprise editions so consumers can optimize the new Windows 8 ?Metro? environment directly on a Mac.
    Enhanced Mac Support: Support for the latest Mac technologies include compatibility with Mountain Lion, retina display optimization, USB 3 connectivity, and improved support for large memory Macs.

Fusion 1

Next Generation Performance: Performance enhancements include up to 40% faster general performance speeds compared to the previous version of the product, improved power management for longer battery life and faster 3D graphics.
Additional Functionalities: New, powerful ways to experience Windows on a Mac are available through an updated virtual machine library that enables seamless transitions between multiple operating systems, one click snapshots with improved graphical appearance, a brand new graphics driver for Linux 3D desktops, and a new embedded learning center for immediate support.

Fusion 2

In addition to VMware Fusion 5, the company also introduced a new "Professional" version that aims to improve the way businesses deliver applications to users on Macs and PCs. Features of VMware Fusion 5 Professional include:
  • Open the Doors to Macs: Whether business applications run on Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8 or one of more than 200 other operating systems, VMware Fusion 5 is designed to ensure maximum compatibility with the applications users need.
  • Create Restricted Virtual Machines: Create an encrypted corporate image that meets the needs of employees and enables productivity from their first power-on. To avoid tampering of the corporate image, restrictions can prevent users from changing virtual machine settings or attaching USB devices to Windows.

Fusion 3

  • Easy Deployment Across Multiple Platforms: VMware Fusion 5 Professional includes a commercial license of VMware Player? 5 to deploy and run restricted virtual machines on Macs, Windows and Linux systems. So regardless of the underlying platform, VMware Fusion 5 Professional gives users the business applications they need.
  • Reduce Support Costs: Reduce support costs by directing end-users to customized Web resources directly from VMware Fusion 5 Professional?s Help menu.
  • Easy Management: VMware Fusion 5 Professional is a full perpetual license which activates both VMware Fusion 5 Professional and VMware Player 5.

Customers who have purchased Fusion 4 on or after July 25, 2012, are eligible for an electronic upgrade to Fusion 5 at no additional costs.

Fusion 3 and 4 customers, as well as Parallels Desktop customers, can also upgrade to VMware fusion Professional 5 for $49.99. The software is available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Simplified Chinese and Japanese.
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post #2 of 33
8/23/12 at 6:30am
Nice! While I'm glad this is available I do hate that I need it for Win Server.

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post #3 of 33
8/23/12 at 6:41am

When OnLive becomes fully featured, Fusion and Parallels will be gone!

 

 


Tim Cook using Galaxy Tabs as frisbees
-Michael Steeber

 

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Tim Cook using Galaxy Tabs as frisbees
-Michael Steeber

 

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post #4 of 33
8/23/12 at 6:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by logandigges View Post

When OnLive becomes fully featured, Fusion and Parallels will be gone!

 

Yeah right.. People are going to trust running desktop apps over the internet from a company that had recently gone bankrupt.

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post #5 of 33
8/23/12 at 6:55am

Does MWare Fusion 5 allow to virtualize Mac OS X 10.6.8  (Snow leopard) to run rosetta applications like Eudora, Canvas or Palm Desktop? VMware Fusion 4.1.0 allowed that.


Edited by zunx - 8/23/12 at 7:43am
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post #6 of 33
8/23/12 at 6:58am

Why is Internet Exploder on the Dock?

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post #7 of 33
8/23/12 at 7:07am
Fusion 4 didn't seem to offer a Parallels equivalent to Coherence. By the screen shots it looks like they have it now?

Sick of being forced to buy a new version of Parallels nearly every year, so planning on switching... But the demo of 4 didn't really impress me.
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post #8 of 33
8/23/12 at 7:21am

Yay! I'm glad I never bothered upgrading to VMWF4.

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post #9 of 33
8/23/12 at 7:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyKey View Post

Why is Internet Exploder on the Dock?

You can pin VM apps to the dock, it's a feature they've had for awhile.

 

Anyone notice how horrible Windows looks? I mean shit, yeah it's ugly, but who knew it was THAT ugly compared to Mac OS?

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post #10 of 33
8/23/12 at 7:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyKey View Post

Why is Internet Exploder on the Dock?

You click it and it launches Fusion, loads Windows and then starts IE. Leaving it in the dock makes it easier than doing those steps manually.

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post #11 of 33
8/23/12 at 7:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

Nice! While I'm glad this is available I do hate that I need it for Win Server.
 

Why can't you escape Windows altogether?


For one who thinks so absolutely negatively of it, I would expect your morals to reject using it, and reject roles where you're forced to deal with it.

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post #12 of 33
8/23/12 at 8:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by aaarrrgggh View Post

Fusion 4 didn't seem to offer a Parallels equivalent to Coherence. By the screen shots it looks like they have it now?
Sick of being forced to buy a new version of Parallels nearly every year, so planning on switching... But the demo of 4 didn't really impress me.

It has done that for a while. Here is the list of new things and features in an easy to click link.

http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/overview.html
NoahJ
"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." - Mahatma Gandhi
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NoahJ
"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." - Mahatma Gandhi
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post #13 of 33
8/23/12 at 8:15am

Been using parallels for a while now. Since Fusion has an import feature, I think I will give it a try and see if it works any better.


Edited by kozchris - 8/23/12 at 8:24am
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post #14 of 33
8/23/12 at 8:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by zunx View Post

Does MWare Fusion 5 allow to virtualize Mac OS X 10.6.8  (Snow leopard) to run rosetta applications like Eudora, Canvas or Palm Desktop? VMware Fusion 4.1.0 allowed that.

Yes it does...
http://www.vmware.com/go/fusionoperatingsystems
NoahJ
"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." - Mahatma Gandhi
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NoahJ
"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." - Mahatma Gandhi
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post #15 of 33
8/23/12 at 8:22am

I could have sworn that they had only just released VM4 in the last 6 months.

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post #16 of 33
8/23/12 at 8:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by zunx View Post

Does MWare Fusion 5 allow to virtualize Mac OS X 10.6.8  (Snow leopard) to run rosetta applications like Eudora, Canvas or Palm Desktop? VMware Fusion 4.1.0 allowed that.

 

Doubtful. Not unless Apple changes it's mind. 4.1 had it by accident until what was likely a request from Apple for them to remove the "feature".

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by aaarrrgggh View Post

Fusion 4 didn't seem to offer a Parallels equivalent to Coherence. By the screen shots it looks like they have it now?
Sick of being forced to buy a new version of Parallels nearly every year, so planning on switching... But the demo of 4 didn't really impress me.

 

It's had it since at least version 3, which is what I have. But not sure what WMWare calls that feature 

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post #17 of 33
8/23/12 at 8:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by NoahJ View Post


Yes it does...
http://www.vmware.com/go/fusionoperatingsystems

 

But if you click through to the specific documentation, it only specifies the server version of OS X.

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post #18 of 33
8/23/12 at 9:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post

But if you click through to the specific documentation, it only specifies the server version of OS X.

Hmm, perhaps you are right.
NoahJ
"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." - Mahatma Gandhi
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NoahJ
"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." - Mahatma Gandhi
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post #19 of 33
8/23/12 at 10:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post

It's had it since at least version 3, which is what I have. But not sure what WMWare calls that feature 

Thanks. Their term is "Unity." Doesn't seem quite as clean as Parallels, but I'm ok with it.
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post #20 of 33
8/23/12 at 11:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post

 

Doubtful. Not unless Apple changes it's mind. 4.1 had it by accident until what was likely a request from Apple for them to remove the "feature".

 

Yes, I know, but it seems possible according to:

VMware Compatibility Guide

http://partnerweb.vmware.com/comp_guide2/search.php?deviceCategory=software&testConfig=16

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post #21 of 33
8/23/12 at 12:15pm

got tired of Parallels constant upgrades every time a new of OSX arrived or a new version of Windows came out.  So, I dumped it and tried Sun's free Virtualbox which worked great for putting XP into a VM but had a few things that I needed that didn't work with Virtualbox so I bought Fusion4 and it works great. 

 

Was Fusion4 better than Parallels, nope, but it felt smoother, gentler to me.  I always had issues with usb devices under Parallels anyway and the constant upgrade costs was getting to be more of a re-occurring rental fee than a purchase so I am quite happy with Fusion4 right now.  

 

In no way am I trying to sway anyone away from Parallels but if you just need Windows for that one app or to do simple stuff, I see no reason why not to try Virtualbox first before spending money on either of the other choices.  

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post #22 of 33
8/23/12 at 2:09pm
Er. How come people are complaining about Parallels annual paid upgrades for each new OS X release? Isn't that exactly this is? Fusion 4 crashes Mountain Lion and looks awful on a retina display.
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post #23 of 33
8/23/12 at 3:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by nofear1az View Post

got tired of Parallels constant upgrades every time a new of OSX arrived or a new version of Windows came out.  So, I dumped it and tried Sun's free Virtualbox which worked great for putting XP into a VM but had a few things that I needed that didn't work with Virtualbox so I bought Fusion4 and it works great. 

Was Fusion4 better than Parallels, nope, but it felt smoother, gentler to me.  I always had issues with usb devices under Parallels anyway and the constant upgrade costs was getting to be more of a re-occurring rental fee than a purchase so I am quite happy with Fusion4 right now.  

In no way am I trying to sway anyone away from Parallels but if you just need Windows for that one app or to do simple stuff, I see no reason why not to try Virtualbox first before spending money on either of the other choices.  

I tried Virtualbox, as well and it worked OK, but had a major flaw - it would not use a Boot Camp image. So I would need to have separate images for Boot Camp and Virtualbox - which was an unnecessary bother (especially since you'd need a separate copy of Windows for each due to Microsoft's activation scheme). It's been a while since I tested it - has that problem been addressed?
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post #24 of 33
8/23/12 at 3:40pm

Anyone ever tried Crossover by Codeweavers?  I need to get Scheduall running on a coworkers Air and was considering giving it a tryout.

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post #25 of 33
8/23/12 at 4:07pm

Let's see. It's available now for $49.99. Or VMF 3/4 users can upgrade for only...$49.99. WTF?

 

edit: ah. can upgrade to VM5 Pro for $49.99 (reg $99.99). Meh...

dano
if it is to be, it is up to me...
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dano
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post #26 of 33
8/23/12 at 5:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by logandigges View Post

When OnLive becomes fully featured, Fusion and Parallels will be gone!

is that a joke?  I doubt they'll live much longer, they are already in Bankruptcy right now.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Evilution View Post

I could have sworn that they had only just released VM4 in the last 6 months.

Parallels is getting too far ahead in numbers... and they need something new to sell for money.  If they called it like 4.5 they couldn't charge everyone for it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by WelshDog View Post

Anyone ever tried Crossover by Codeweavers?  I need to get Scheduall running on a coworkers Air and was considering giving it a tryout.

Crossover uses Wine, to run Windows software without Windows.  Like anything Wine based.... *if* you can get your program working right, it usually runs better than a VM could do... but its not always easy or possible to get every peice of software to work.

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post #27 of 33
8/23/12 at 5:45pm

Installed Fusion 5 today and imported my parallels vm which all went smoothly. Fusion handles somethings better but fails in other ways. Running in full screen and then using gestures to switch to OSX desktop and back causes the cursor to jump to the upper left corner of the screen in Fusion, annoying. Ran Fusion for a while and then all my MS Windows windows started flickering because of some other bug. Can't get support without registering but then the vmware website doesn't like my $49.99 registration code. Not a very good experience so far. 

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post #28 of 33
8/23/12 at 7:05pm

They really try to screw the normal version upgraders as there's no promo discount. They should offer 50% discount to people who want to upgrade from 4 to 5. VMware also upgrades at least once a year. I last upgraded from 3 to 4 in Sept of last year and now, they want me to pay full price to upgrade again.

 
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post #29 of 33
8/23/12 at 9:43pm

Apparently Parallels 8 is coming on Sept 4th

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post #30 of 33
8/23/12 at 10:49pm

I've been using Fusion 4 and for some reason it has become unusably (?) slow. I dumped the image and created a new one that accesses Bootcamp and assigned 6GB of RAM, but no avail. I've been thinking of switching to Parallels. I expect a new one will release soon, now that Fusion 5 is out. And hopefully, like the last time around, they will give switchers a discount.

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post #31 of 33
8/24/12 at 10:31pm

Another cash grab... 4 was a $50 hit for not much... now another $50 for 5?  For what?!?!  For it to work with Mountain Lion?  Frak you.  I'm done with VMWare...  worse than having to buy a $299 'premium' version of Windows...

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post #32 of 33
8/25/12 at 5:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shidell View Post

Why can't you escape Windows altogether?

For one who thinks so absolutely negatively of it, I would expect your morals to reject using it, and reject roles where you're forced to deal with it.

"So absolutely negatively of it" and morals? Are these comments directed at me? If so, explain.

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post #33 of 33
9/5/12 at 2:55pm

It looks like you can get VMware Fusion 5 using the following discount code: "fus5beta20"

 

You save $10.

 

I upgraded to version 5 standard from version 4 for $39.99, a $10 savings.

 

Not sure how long this is going to last so if you wish to upgrade to version 5 and don't want to pay $49, this is the way to do it.

 

I believe this works for both the Pro version and the Standard version.

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