VMware has released VMware Fusion for Mac beta 3 which is a desktop application that lets you create and run virtual machines on your Intel-based Mac. VMware’s first product for the new Intel Macs makes it easier than ever to take advantage of the security, flexibility, and portability of virtual machines. With Fusion, you can run Windows applications on your Intel-based Mac.
The Beta 3 release of VMware Fusion for Mac includes the following new features and feature improvements:
• Greatly improved performance — By popular demand, you can now disable debugging code to experience the full power and performance that VMware Fusion offers for running your favorite PC applications.
• Support for Boot Camp — VMware Fusion automatically detects your Boot Camp partition, so you can now run a Windows XP virtual machine from your existing Boot Camp partition. You no longer have to choose Windows or Mac: you can now run Windows side-by-side with your favorite Mac applications. Note: For this Beta 3 release, Windows Vista is not supported; only Windows XP is supported.
• Windows Easy Install — You want to run Windows applications, but you don’t want to become a guru just to install Windows. VMware Fusion has you covered; just answer a few simple questions, insert your Windows CD and let VMware Fusion take care of the rest and automatically create the optimal Windows virtual machine for your Mac, including the installation of VMware Tools.
• Virtual machine packages — Virtual machines are now encapsulated in a single, easy-to-manage package. Move your virtual machines to another hard drive or Mac simply by copying a file.
• Enhanced virtual machine creation — The entire virtual machine creation process has been streamlined, and the new Windows Easy Install feature makes creating a virtual machine even easier than before. The New Virtual Machine Assistant remembers the location you choose for future virtual machine creation.
• Enhanced virtual machine library — Managing multiple virtual machines is even easier with the Virtual Machine Library. Add new virtual machines by just dragging them into the Library, reorder virtual machines with drag and drop, and use the delete key on the Keyboard to remove virtual machines from the library. Open a Virtual Machine without powering it on, using the new Settings button, which opens a virtual machine directly to the Hardware Editor.
• Host-Only Networking — Host-Only networking creates a network that is completely contained within your Mac, with a network connection between the virtual machine and your Mac. Use host-only networking to set up an isolated virtual network.
• Improved suspend/shutdown state — When a virtual machine is suspended, VMware Fusion shows a screenshot of the last known state of the virtual machine and a friendly play button so you can get up and running again quickly.
• Improved hardware editor — Settings for virtual hardware are now complete: you can remove virtual hardware from the hardware editor when virtual machines are powered off.
• Improved international support — European and Japanese Apple keyboards now work properly in virtual machines.
The Beta 3 release of VMware Fusion for Mac includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
• Improved networking performance — In some cases, networking in earlier beta versions was slow with single-processor virtual machines. VMware Fusion Beta 3 solves this problem and greatly improves performance in this case.
• Virtual networking no longer fills system logs — VMware Fusion Beta 2 wireless networking added many entries to the system log. This Beta 3 release resolves this issue.
In addition to the improvements listed above, this Beta 3 release fixes numerous bugs to greatly improve the stability and performance of VMware Fusion.
More info and download link here.
Eat that parallels!!!
Just before people start waffling on about Parallels, lets clear up a few things:
1. Competition is good
2. VMWare does some things better than Parallels (DX8.1 support, dual core in VM, accelerated X11)
3. I own Parallels, but am still investigating VMWare.
VMware is an excellent package. I look forward to the final release!
Agreed. I love it. I haven’t had to touch my StinkPad in weeks! =)
Have they announced what the price is going to be for this thing? I was able to get Parallels on sale for only $39. If this is going to cost much more than that, then I’ll just stick with Parallels as it does the job just fine anyway.
VMware finally getting in to their stride with this beta 3 release. Shows you what 10+ years in the virtualisation business gets you.
I’m looking forward to the final release of Fusion and the addition of Macs to my VMware ESX/GSX environment without having to worry about incompatible and immature virtual machine products (Parallels) being used by my users.
MDN Magic Word: Want – As in I want VMware Fusion RTM now
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“I haven’t had to touch my StinkPad in weeks!”
Sure, Chrissy, that’s what they all say….
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ChrissyOne
Wondered about your thoughts on this piece ?
Questions about upgrade pricing should be directed at Customer Service (US 1.800.833.6687)
A large poll of Mac users shows absolutly no interest in running Windows in any flavor.
However, developers who refuse to make native Mac OS X versions of their apps can now force Mac users to boot into Windows and the conversion to the dark side will begin.
It can start slowly, in schools and buisnesses across the world. Poor Mac’s running Windows all the time.
This is the risk Apple took making their machines so PC like.
There might be light at the end of the tunnel if Mac OS 10.5 will run most Windows apps without Windows what so ever.
Codeweavers!
Note that some vendors like Mac Connection and Mac Mall, will bundle or rebate Parallels with a new Mac purchase, making it almost free. Most vendors sell Apple products at or near cost, so add-ons and rebates are among the sole differentiators. I too hope VMware is offered competitive to Parallels. It’ll help if we can tell potential switchers there’s not one but TWO ways they can run their Windows apps.
Wiseguy, that’s not what’s happening, as any person who has been following the whole “Windows on Mac” saga knows.
>>TowerTone wrote: “I haven’t had to touch my StinkPad in weeks!”
>>Sure, Chrissy, that’s what they all say….
TowerTone… had a pretty engaging trade with you in another thread… that was fun.
Actually, just thought I’d chime in… that was probably the funniest thing I’ve read on MDN!!!
I just wanna know when we will be able to run Mac OS X in a virtual machine. Would be great to run a second copy or a server in virtualization to be able to do IT testing and developing.
I’m running Parallels for my one copy of Windows XP so that I can use Diamond Mind Baseball. But I think Parallels is lacking for Linux support.
I’m been running the latest beta of Ubuntu on VMware Fusion Beta 2 for the last week and its great. Will have to try out Beta 3 tonight.
Did anyone succeed to download it? After I registered and hit the download button, I was redirected to the same registration page.
NEVERMIND MY PREVIOUS POST, VMWARE REPAIRED THE LINK.
Working fine for me.
I’ve been impressed with Fusion so far. I have Parallels and use it to run the Windows only software I need for work. However I’ve found the beta of VMWare runs Windows 2003 better and faster.
The company I work for is a Microsoft house and we sell and develop for Microsoft Business software. I now demonstrate their software from my MBP using VMWare, it has caused some interesting comments.
And when I’m all done I turn of Windoze and have a proper system. OS X together with VMWare and/or Parallels makes the best Windows platform I’ve had. I have the best of both worlds and keep Windows in little boxes where it belongs.
I just wanna see 2 things out of this virtualization software:
1) Support for a Vista Boot Camp partition
2) 3D support beyond translating DirectX 8.1 to OpenGL. I want to be able to do any kind of 3D I want. Come on, add support for Beryl!
Hey, I just went to the VMware website, and it appears that their site does not display properly in Safari, Firefox, or Shiira. Latest OS with all updates, yada yada….not exactly a vote of confidence here…
Support for a Vista Boot Camp partition
Will be there in due course, either on a next Beta or the final product now that Boot Camp supports Vista.
Al said,
“I’ve been impressed with Fusion so far. I have Parallels and use it to run the Windows only software I need for work. However I’ve found the beta of VMWare runs Windows 2003 better and faster.”
I agree with Al. Parallels is nice but as a longtime VMware I was waiting for VMware to come out with a product. They are both nice but I think more businesses will snap up VMware over Parallels. If it’s competively priced maybe more home users as well.
I’ve been very satisfied with Parallels – I run XP, Ubuntu, Knoppix, One Laptop Per Child and any number of Live CDs from ISOs.
Having said that, at my office everything is done on VMWare images, from demos to customers sending in entire systems for debugging. It will be nice to do this at home when I need to.