Parallels today launched Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac, which lets customers run Windows and Mac applications simultaneously on a Mac without rebooting – the award-winning and No. 1-selling Mac desktop virtualization software for more than seven years and counting. Innovative and indispensable new features include cloud storage optimizations for iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive and SkyDrive. Customers will also enjoy increased productivity with Mac OS X features like Launchpad in Windows applications and using the upcoming OS X Mavericks. For Windows 8 users, Parallels Desktop 9 incorporates the familiar and Start menu and Windows Start button. Starting August 29, current Parallels Desktop users can upgrade to Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac here. For new customers, Parallels Desktop 9 will be available for purchase at retail and online stores and via the company’s website starting on September 5.
“Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac customers will enjoy peace of mind knowing that Parallels keeps pace with and supports leading new technologies, such as the upcoming OS X Mavericks, Windows 8.1 and increasingly popular cloud services,” said Parallels CEO Birger Steen in a statement. “We thank our customers for appreciating our innovations and making Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac the No. 1-selling software for running Windows on a Mac for seven years and counting.”
Everyone from business owners, to web developers, IT professionals, Mac enthusiasts, parents and students will benefit from indispensable conveniences of Parallels Desktop 9, such as improved performance, MacBook Power Nap functionality in Windows and Windows applications, connecting Thunderbolt and Firewire storage devices to a Windows virtual machine, improved security features, and increased flexibility for users with multiple monitors. Parallels Desktop 9 also enhances its support of Mac gestures inside Windows applications and offers Linux users enhanced integration with the Mac OS.
Parallels Desktop 9 also delivers much improved performance for some of the most common scenarios and operations such as 40 percent improvement in disk performance; virtual machine startup and shutdown are now up to 25 percent faster; and customers can suspend their virtual machines in up to 20 percent less time than before. 3D graphics and web-browsing were also made noticeably speedier with up to 15 percent improvements for both.
Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac customers also get an exclusive six-month subscription to the just-released and critically acclaimed Parallels Access for iPad, a breakthrough product for people on-the-go that “applifies” Windows and Mac applications on a PC or Mac, letting customers remotely access and experience them as if they were made for iPad. Now people can enjoy native iPad gestures even in applications not optimized for iPad. With Parallels Access for iPad, just tap right to what you need to get done, in any Windows or Mac application. Mac users with Parallels Desktop 9 can also enjoy the “applified” experience for their Windows applications, using Parallels Access from an iPad. Details about Parallels Access here.
Top Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac Features
• Support for cloud services: Sync iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, SkyDrive etc., with your Mac and your Windows virtual machine without unnecessary duplication of files locally
• Enhanced Windows 8 and 8.1 support: Parallels Desktop brings back the real Start menu and lets customers use Metro apps in a window instead of full screen
• Security Center: Easily access and install complimentary security software subscriptions to keep the Mac and Windows virtual machines safe from viruses and malware, all from one location
• Enhanced new Virtual Machine Wizard: It is easier than ever to set up a new virtual machine, especially on computers that don’t have DVD drives
• Power Nap support: On a Retina MacBook Pro or a MacBook Air, the Power Nap feature now extends to Windows and Windows apps, so virtual machines and all Windows applications are always up-to-date
• Mac gestures inside Windows apps: Parallels Desktop now includes the addition of the Dictionary lookup gesture in Windows applications
• Thunderbolt and Firewire storage device support: For convenience of everyday use, customers can connect those devices directly to a Windows virtual machine
• PDF printer for Windows: Lets people print from any Windows application to a PDF on the Mac desktop, even if the application doesn’t have that functionality
• Sticky multi-monitor setup: When using Windows in Full Screen mode and connecting to an external monitor, Parallels Desktop will remember settings and put the Windows virtual machine back in full screen mode on the remote monitor
• Custom keyboard: Editable keyboard shortcuts help customize the Windows experience
• Linux guest integration: Parallels Desktop customers who use Linux now have additional and enhanced integration with the Mac OS
Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac is available beginning Aug. 29, 2013, as an upgrade for current for Mac users. The full version will be available to new customers starting Sept. 5, 2013. Packaged software will also be available starting Sept. 5 at online resellers and retail locations worldwide.
The standard retail price of Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac is US$79.99, and the Student Edition is available for $39.99. Parallels Desktop 9 Switch to Mac Edition is $99.95. Upgrades are starting Aug. 28 for existing Parallels Desktop 7 or 8 for Mac customers for $49.99. For a limited time, Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac customers receive a complimentary six-month subscription to Parallels Access for the Mac where Parallels Desktop 9 is installed and activated, a $39.99 value. Parallels Desktop for Mac subscription offerings including business-class support, ongoing software updates and major version upgrades for Parallels Desktop for Mac Enterprise Edition are available by contacting the Parallels Sales Team at http://www.parallels.com/desktop/volume-licensing.
Customers who purchased Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac from an authorized reseller on or after August 15 are eligible to upgrade to Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac at no additional cost. Customers who purchased from parallels.com or have a registered product activation key will automatically be emailed instructions on how to upgrade to Parallels Desktop 9.
Parallels Access for iPad is available for a 14-day free trial; annual subscriptions are $79.99 for each computer being accessed. The Windows device access capability is currently in beta with an extended free trial period of 90 days. Additional information and the app is available here.
Source: Parallels
Related article:
New Parallels Access for iPad ‘applifies’ Mac apps and Windows programs, making them iPad-friendly – August 28, 2013
Stop it! I don’t have money!
For some of us stuck or forced to use Windows IE, Sharepoint, MS crap it’s the only way to go. I don’t need another machine, just one Mac To Rule Them All! Parallels is a must use product for that purpose.
Who really needs Parallels at this hour of the game? There’s so many fabulous apps for Mac and so many astonishing apps for iPad, and Office imminent decline at the door that who really needs to virtualize Windows programs? Waste of money and disk space.
Many enterprise apps web apps, and current business environments and IT infrastructures still require Windows and/or Internet Explorer (which sadly is not yet interchangeable with other browsers). For an individual person who is un- or self-employed or working for a company that has already made the transition to the Mac, you’re right. Not so much need. For tens or hundreds of millions of others, Parallels is still the most efficient way to do what needs to be done and still use a Mac to do it.
My income stream in enterprise in-house software development depends on Windows. Only Windows machines can use the VPN, therefore Parallels. Not a waste for everyone.
I use Parallels all the time, have over 15 VM’s running at any given time (on multiple XServe and Mac Mini machines), and not one runs Windows.
It’s great for running Linux servers, and old versions of OS X for testing.
oh, the ignorance is strong with this one
I do once a year as there are no good Tax applications for Canadian Tax filing.
I suspect that you have never used Parallels or understand much about what it can do. Parallels creates a software virtual machine that enables another operating system to run as an application within another system. For suffering souls who are forced to use Windows, it lets this pile of dung run in its own environment, with surprising speed and functionality.
But that is merely the thing for which Parallels is known. You can also run Linux, past versions of Mac OS-X, and for that matter, clone multiple versions of an operating system to run simultaneously on the same Mac, PC or server. For a developer or Web developer who needs to test a site on multiple operating systems and browsers, it’s a godsend. If you run a server farm in a data center, it means that each server can run multiple copies of the same (or different) OS, squeezing much more productivity out of the same server. For a Mac user, it means you can bring your Mac to work instead of Dull or an HP.
As someone who has to work in Windows, formatting and pagination is an issue. I have found that trying to create a PowerPoint show or Word document in the Mac version of Orifice, and sharing it with my PC cow-workers often results in shifted pagination or alignment of graphics in a PowerPoint slide. My company still uses an ancient version of Exchange Server (God be praised – that will soon change), which made it impossible to use the Mac version of Outlook.
I could go on, but I won’t. Suffice to say, there are many reasons why Parallels is a life saver. That I can use a Mac at work every day instead of a Dull is reason enough.
One more thing: I tried out Parallels Access yesterday on my iPad (free trial) to access my Mac and Windows on Parallels Desktop remotely. I was totally blown away – it works amazingly well. I plan to subscribe, $70 per year or not. It’s that good.
I hope that you can appreciate and understand better now.
Great comment, although the whole “software as a service” thing that’s happening (e.g., Parallels Acess) is a part of the “death of a thousand financial (monthly or annual) cuts” we’re all dealing with in more areas than just software.
Also, Parallels in general has always seemed more aggressive in pushing paid frequent upgrades than VMware – which comes from a more staid, old-line company as well.
So with all your Parallels prowess, I’d love to hear you compare the two.
My only question: do you NEED to upgrade if you upgrade to Mavericks?? I only use Parallels when I’m forced to open Publisher or access one of several Windows-only programs forced on us by corporate contracts. Not sure it’s worth upgrading just to open and close faster.
The marketing details so far are here:
http://blogs.parallels.com/consumertech/2013/8/29/parallels-desktop-9-for-mac-upgrades-available-today.html
And here:
http://www.parallels.com/upgradepd9/
Note that Parallels state: “New! OS X Mavericks (10.9) and Windows Blue (8.1) support”
I interpret this to mean that YES, if you want to use Parallels Desktop on OS X 10.9 Mavericks, you MUST use Parallels Desktop 9. No go using version 8.
Inferred good news is that version 9 will run on any OS X that ran version 8.
Thank you, sir!
It hurt to read this post.
AHEM!
–> MDN seriously needs an Editor who threshes through the posts before they’re published. This post has to be THE WORSE MESS I’ve ever seen at MDN. CHUNKS of sentences are missing, destroying the ability to follow the information.
I will note, however, that the OS X grammar checker does NOT catch all the blunders in the post; Only a few.
I use VMWare, but I’m not opposed to switching if this version Parallels proves THAT much superior. I hope VMWare keeps up…
“Customers who purchased Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac from an authorized reseller on or after August 15 are eligible to upgrade to at no additional cost.”
Wow. Two weeks back. Their generosity is overwhelming.