“Making the switch from Windows to Mac isn’t as hard as you might think. That’s because there are great options for using Windows software on your Mac through Apple’s Boot Camp and other third-party virtualization software,” Jason Parker reports for CNET.
Yesterday, “Parallels Desktop got a major update adding features to make switching to a different operating system even more seamless,” Parker reports. “There’s also an upgraded mobile version for iOS you can use to remotely control your virtual environments from your phone.”
Parker reports, “Parallels Desktop has always been a great way to switch seamlessly between operating systems without the need to reboot your Mac. But with this new version [Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac], regardless of which system you’re running at the time, when you open a file type that’s for another operating system, Parallels Desktop automatically recognizes the file type and launches it in its native OS for you… Windows users who are switching to Mac will especially appreciate onscreen guidance for working in Lion, and premade intro videos that make it easy to get started using a Mac right away.”
Read more in the full article here.
More info and purchase links: Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac
Related articles:
New Parallels Mobile app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch controls Macs, PCs, plays Flash and more – September 1, 2011
Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac makes Windows programs roar with Mac OS X Lion features – September 1, 2011
Using a VM is not “upgrading from Windows to Mac,” it’s taking the security blanket with you. Mac OS X already has migration tools.
There are a handful of programs that have no Mac counterpart, and others for which the counterpart is inadequate. When I decided to upgrade to a Mac, Parallels made it possible. It was no safety blanket, I assure you. If I could have abandoned Windows, I would have. But for my business, the proprietary software is windows-based only. I use coherence mode and Mac look to keep the Windows presence as limited as possible. But after finally converting to
Mac after years of PC use, I would say Parallels is a great took to ensure people with some PC requirements to make the switch.
I’m in sort of the same position, only I was not coming from the Windows world. Certain devices (LED displays, etc.) need to be programmed from time to time with a Windows-only app. These tasks are too mundane to require a dedicated Windows box, and VirtualBox covers these needs beautifully. Thankfully manufacturers are now using Web server HTML interfaces for many devices. Being pinned down to Windows for something so tiny is ridiculous.
Someone needing speed for gaming or similar tasks would fare better with Parallels or Fusion (or Boot Camp).
Free upgrade for anyone who purchased parallels 6 in August. I was a little bummed to see I upgraded to 6 in July, but realized I spent the extra $15 for 6-month upgrade protection. I just got an e-mail promising my Parallels 7 activation code next week. Yay!!
Parallels has been a great tool for me since I have a number of Windows programs with no suitable counterpart. This latest release promises even better performance. Unfortunately, it refuses to install on my MacBook Pro and leaves the Windows 7 registry with errors. Thank God for SuperDuper backup.
I’m in the same boat on mandatory Windows uses.
Parallels works for simultaneous typical Windows/Mac work. Parallels is painless as long as the serial # licensing protection doesn’t get in the way.
Boot Camp w/Win7 on my older 2010 MacBook Pro is a 50 second reboot, so it is a far cry from what it used to be. I used that for 3D CAD.
Why don’t they mention a feature that they didn’t already have since version 4. I can open an excel file through windows and it will launch on the Mac since I don’t have office on windows.