New Parallels bundle aims to ease switch from PC to Mac
Parallels, the makers of Windows virtualization software for Mac, unveiled a new application bundle Tuesday that allows PC users to switch to OS X while retaining their programs and data.
The Parallels Desktop Switch to a Mac Edition allows users to bring their files and familiar applications from a Microsoft Windows-based PC. It relies on the Parallels Desktop 4.0 software to give users the ability to run their PC applications within OS X without running Boot Camp. It is available for $99.99 direct from Parallels.
"The growth in switching is partially due to the ease-of-use and cool capabilities of the Mac," said Serguei Beloussov, CEO of Parallels. "However, users don’t want to lose the data they have accumulated and the applications they are already familiar with. Building on our proven track record of Mac innovation, we have addressed this concern and made learning the new operating system even simpler through interactive on-demand tutorials."
The new edition of Parallels Desktop includes more than two hours of interactive video tutorials, a reference card, the Parallels high speed USB transfer cable and Enhanced Parallels transporter combo for transferring files, and Parallels Desktop for Mac 4.0 all bundled into one package. It requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later, and a PC with Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista with a DVD compatible drive.
Seamless Integration: Move back and forth between apps, copy and paste data, drag and drop files.
The new bundle also includes Acronis Disk Director Suite, Acronis True Image Home, and Parallels Internet Security powered by Kaspersky, together worth $180 in value.
Parallels sees the smooth transition of PC users to the Mac as an important part of the switching process. In Apple's June quarter, it was reported that half of all Mac buyers in Apple retail locations were switching from the PC.
Keep your Windows-only programs: Parallels lets you keep your Windows access without sacrificing anything.
In a recent test, Parallels was found to outperform competitor VMware Fusion, routinely besting it by running 14 percent to 20 percent faster. Parallels can virtualize both Windows XP and Vista in a variety of configurations, allowing users to run Windows software within Mac OS X.
Get the Windows-only 3D graphics on the Mac: Use the Windows-only technology to run select 3D games and graphics applications right on your Mac.
The Parallels Desktop Switch to a Mac Edition allows users to bring their files and familiar applications from a Microsoft Windows-based PC. It relies on the Parallels Desktop 4.0 software to give users the ability to run their PC applications within OS X without running Boot Camp. It is available for $99.99 direct from Parallels.
"The growth in switching is partially due to the ease-of-use and cool capabilities of the Mac," said Serguei Beloussov, CEO of Parallels. "However, users don’t want to lose the data they have accumulated and the applications they are already familiar with. Building on our proven track record of Mac innovation, we have addressed this concern and made learning the new operating system even simpler through interactive on-demand tutorials."
The new edition of Parallels Desktop includes more than two hours of interactive video tutorials, a reference card, the Parallels high speed USB transfer cable and Enhanced Parallels transporter combo for transferring files, and Parallels Desktop for Mac 4.0 all bundled into one package. It requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later, and a PC with Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista with a DVD compatible drive.
Seamless Integration: Move back and forth between apps, copy and paste data, drag and drop files.
The new bundle also includes Acronis Disk Director Suite, Acronis True Image Home, and Parallels Internet Security powered by Kaspersky, together worth $180 in value.
Parallels sees the smooth transition of PC users to the Mac as an important part of the switching process. In Apple's June quarter, it was reported that half of all Mac buyers in Apple retail locations were switching from the PC.
Keep your Windows-only programs: Parallels lets you keep your Windows access without sacrificing anything.
In a recent test, Parallels was found to outperform competitor VMware Fusion, routinely besting it by running 14 percent to 20 percent faster. Parallels can virtualize both Windows XP and Vista in a variety of configurations, allowing users to run Windows software within Mac OS X.
Get the Windows-only 3D graphics on the Mac: Use the Windows-only technology to run select 3D games and graphics applications right on your Mac.
Comments
I use both VMWare and Parallels for testing purposes I have to think VMWare will be upgrading soon to match the speed and multicore performance of Parallels 4. I also hope Snow Leopard will further enhance the possibilities of even greater performance.
run for your freedom!
sounds excellent! i honestly prefer virtualbox to parallels, but this tool sounds great
run for your freedom!
I will have to check that out as I like to test everything I can get my hands on with our products ... What is it you prefer about it over the other products if I may ask?
Parallels isn't helping the user use Windows, it's helping the user use parts of Windows mixed in with OS X. So now the user isn't just using Windows or OS X, they are using this confusing, integrated combination of both which is just as difficult for them to learn as OS X alone.
We switched to VMWare Fusion where Windows is all contained in one window and I haven't had to help anyone with anything since.
All of this integration actually confuses new Mac users instead of helping them. I work in an office of switchers and I was constantly being called over to help the user out of a Parallels jam.
Parallels isn't helping the user use Windows, it's helping the user use parts of Windows mixed in with OS X. So now the user isn't just using Windows or OS X, they are using this confusing, integrated combination of both which is just as difficult for them to learn as OS X alone.
We switched to VMWare Fusion where Windows is all contained in one window and I haven't had to help anyone with anything since.
I must admit most switchers I know use Parallels et al as the 'Ok now I can make the switch' excuse but in the end never use or even need Windows again.
I will have to check that out as I like to test everything I can get my hands on with our products ... What is it you prefer about it over the other products if I may ask?
virtualbox is fairly easy to use and VERY resource effective. i use it for work, because i need windows for some tasks.
and it's free
i've tried vmware and parallels and switched to virtualbox mainly because of the cost factor. all three are great tools.
if i didn't have to use windows for work, i would not have it installed in my computer...
parallel, VMWARE, and virtualbox. VMWARE seem do do well on my macpro running 64bit XP
i would think that parallels would only be useful for offices that use IE6 / windows enterprise applications.
anything besides enterprise office apps will probably work better using boot camp (games, windows-only browser plugins, etc).
i guess i'm not saying that virtualization is bad or that i wouldn't use it, but i don' t think it would ease a mac/windows transition at all, in fact it would probably make it harder since most people don't even understand the idea of virtualization (they barely understand the concept of an operating system in the first place). virtualization is mainly for business and power users.
no hard drive clicks, no slowing down SATA speeds, no imac screen issues out of warranty, no freeze ups due to faulty graphics chips, no mention of restoring iphones as new phones to solve simple problems. seems like a lot of people are having battery, GPS and app issues when upgrading to a new iphone OS or restoring from a backup
i don't believe virtualization software like parallels is the kind of software that really helps with switching to mac, because, in essence, you aren't actually switching, you are actually still using your copy of windows you paid for to run certain applications that either aren't on Mac or the user doesn't know how to replace with Mac applications.
i would think that parallels would only be useful for offices that use IE6 / windows enterprise applications.
anything besides enterprise office apps will probably work better using boot camp (games, windows-only browser plugins, etc).
i guess i'm not saying that virtualization is bad or that i wouldn't use it, but i don' t think it would ease a mac/windows transition at all, in fact it would probably make it harder since most people don't even understand the idea of virtualization (they barely understand the concept of an operating system in the first place). virtualization is mainly for business and power users.
Remember it is a check box on the purchase for may, as in 'I could run Windows if I had to' .. I agree it's a bad idea for the type you refer to, the ones that don't know how to copy and paste or where they saved that document to ... lol. However for many it is useful to have access to both and why not do that on the best hardware?
I have to test everything we do (web, video, 3D etc) on Windows as it is so flakey and we often have to do mods to enable Windows versions to work as desired so it is an easy way to test as I can have XP, Vista and 7 all running at the same time and still have my Mac OS.
when i see a month of no threads about Mac issues at forums.macrumors.com is when i think about switching to a Mac
no hard drive clicks, no slowing down SATA speeds, no imac screen issues out of warranty, no freeze ups due to faulty graphics chips, no mention of restoring iphones as new phones to solve simple problems. seems like a lot of people are having battery, GPS and app issues when upgrading to a new iphone OS or restoring from a backup
You are too funny
I have PCs and Macs. So I do know about both. I run several Macs all day seven days a week and have no issues. These range from a decade old iBook, still running perfectly and using the latest OS version of Leopard, MacBooks and an 8 Core Mac Pro with several TB of hard drives and many external drives. Shall I repeat ... no problems.
I should point out I am very cruel to my Macs too. For example on a typical work day I can be capturing high definition video to a Firewire 800 external drive into Final Cut Pro while at the same time watching video clips in QT, converting video formats in Visual Hub, uploading to an FTP with Transmit (20 threads) and also downloading from another using Thoth (6 threads) and reading Mail (six accounts) and surfing the web in Safari and Firefox ... yes at the same time ... all the above at the same time. No freezes, no hangs no slow downs .... Oh I forgot Time Machine too.
Meanwhile do I understand correctly ... you are using a PC and waiting for Macs to be stable? ROFL
Now I use Parallels (since beta) with XP and it is great. The speed is fine, but with 4.0 they seem to have it using almost no system resources when it is open but idle. This is a great improvement, because before 4.0 it would use half your RAM and both 'OS' slowed down appreciably.
I have not used the other two virtual programs mentioned above, but from what I've read it seems Parallels is the fastest and putting the most effort into new releases with major improvement.
I have to use only one windows program (I'm a Realtor) to access the a small regional web based MLS website and it is a pain. I really do detest windows which is clunky and clumsy. I can't wait till this MLS company supports something other than IE6. The good news is in the larger Phoenix, AZ market their MLS runs on Safari which is a dream.
I used the original virtual PC (VPC) way back that I think MS eventually bought. It was way too slow and basically unusable. Probably due in part to Apples propensity to ship Macs with insufficient RAM. And at that time adding more RAM was expensive.
Now I use Parallels (since beta) with XP and it is great. The speed is fine, but with 4.0 they seem to have it using almost no system resources when it is open but idle. This is a great improvement, because before 4.0 it would use half your RAM and both 'OS' slowed down appreciably.
I have not used the other two virtual programs mentioned above, but from what I've read it seems Parallels is the fastest and putting the most effort into new releases with major improvement.
I have to use only one windows program (I'm a Realtor) to access the a small regional web based MLS website and it is a pain. I really do detest windows which is clunky and clumsy. I can't wait till this MLS company supports something other than IE6. The good news is in the larger Phoenix, AZ market their MLS runs on Safari which is a dream.
As I understand it, VPC was an emulator not a virtual machine so a big difference in performance. Until Apples used Intel chips that was the only way.
Now imagine if MS crippled access to Windows in Windows 7 the way Apple cripples iTunes access to Palm.
Apple didn't cripple anything, they have a defined interface to the iTunes library that seems to work well enought for RIM and others who've gone to the trouble to write their own sync software to their own hardware. Its well documented and AFAICT is straight forward to implement. What Apple has done is to not allow Palm to spoof the Pre as if it were an Apple iPod.
when i see a month of no threads about Mac issues at forums.macrumors.com is when i think about switching to a Mac
Not being snarky, but if you aren't interested in Macs wouldn't there be a Windows forum you'd be happier hanging out at? Reading "issues" forums is always going to be self selecting; the people with no problems tend to not be starting threads like "everything is working great". You'd see the same thing at an HP or Acer forum (maybe more so).
I used the original virtual PC (VPC) way back that I think MS eventually bought. It was way too slow and basically unusable. Probably due in part to Apples propensity to ship Macs with insufficient RAM. And at that time adding more RAM was expensive.
Now I use Parallels (since beta) with XP and it is great. The speed is fine, but with 4.0 they seem to have it using almost no system resources when it is open but idle. This is a great improvement, because before 4.0 it would use half your RAM and both 'OS' slowed down appreciably.
I have not used the other two virtual programs mentioned above, but from what I've read it seems Parallels is the fastest and putting the most effort into new releases with major improvement.
I have to use only one windows program (I'm a Realtor) to access the a small regional web based MLS website and it is a pain. I really do detest windows which is clunky and clumsy. I can't wait till this MLS company supports something other than IE6. The good news is in the larger Phoenix, AZ market their MLS runs on Safari which is a dream.
give virtualbox a try...it's updated every 3 weeks or so, very good software, and free.
Apple didn't cripple anything, they have a defined interface to the iTunes library that seems to work well enought for RIM and others who've gone to the trouble to write their own sync software to their own hardware. Its well documented and AFAICT is straight forward to implement. What Apple has done is to not allow Palm to spoof the Pre as if it were an Apple iPod.
Not being snarky, but if you aren't interested in Macs wouldn't there be a Windows forum you'd be happier hanging out at? Reading "issues" forums is always going to be self selecting; the people with no problems tend to not be starting threads like "everything is working great". You'd see the same thing at an HP or Acer forum (maybe more so).
most iphone users run Windows and will continue to do so