Parallels Inc. has publicly released the latest version of their powerful virtualization solution for Mac users, Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac. The new version is now available for $79.99 as standard, whereas existing customers (of version5 or 6) can upgrade for $49.99.
In accordance with the developer’s announcement at the beginning of this month, Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac is now available both in downloadable form, and as packaged software for delivery from the company’s official web site.
Also starting today, retail boxes of Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac will be purchasable at Apple retail stores, as well as through the Mac maker’s online store.
Amazon.com, Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics, MicroCenter and hundreds of other retail locations nationwide will also be carrying the leading Mac virtualization software.
Although the updated Parallels for Mac delivers dozens of new features and enhancements, there are only a handful worth mentioning, but they seem to be more than enough to make the purchase worthwhile.
For instance, with Parallels 7 you can apply OS X Lion functionality to your Windows apps. That includes Full Screen, Launch Pad and Mission Control.
You can run multiple copies of OS X Lion or Windows and their applications on your Mac, and using the Parallels Mobile app from the iTunes App Store, you can employ your iOS device (iPad, iPhone or iPod touch) to watch Flash videos in Windows on your Mac.
Abilities that were already available in the non-updated Parallels Mobile app include accessing and running your OS X, Windows, Chrome, Ubuntu and other operating systems, their applications and files.
Finally, in Parallels Desktop 7 you get a little something called “Windows on Demand”.
What this feature does is it lets you purchase and automatically install Windows on your Mac right from Parallels Desktop 7. This option is limited to US residents.
Softpedia readers can download the software using the link below and try it out for free for two weeks.
Requirements:
· A Mac computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, or Xeon processor.
· At least 2 GB of RAM (4 GB recommended to run Windows 7)
· At least 700 MB of space available on the boot volume for Parallels Desktop installation.
· 15 GB of available disk space for Windows.
· A Windows installation disc, or other installation media for the operating systems you want to use alongside Mac OS X.
Limitations:
· 14 days trial
What's New in Parallels Desktop 7.0.14920.689535: [ read full changelog ]
OS X Lion Compatibility:
· Support for Full-Screen Apps introduced in OS X Lion.
· Launchpad integration: add Windows programs of your choice to Launchpad and use the Windows folder to access other Windows programs from Launchpad.
· OS X Lion-style animations when opening new Windows programs windows in Coherence.
· Support for Resume introduced in OS X Lion.
· Support for running OS X Lion in a virtual machine.
· Ability to create OS X Lion virtual machines using the recovery partition on Macs running OS X Lion.
Usability:
· All-new Parallels Wizard that enables you to create and import virtual machines to run Windows or another operating system, migrate your data from a remote PC, use Boot Camp, or download free ready-to-use virtual machines with Ubuntu, Fedora or Chrome OS.
· Windows can now be purchased and downloaded right from the Parallels Wizard (in the US and Canada only).
· Parallels Convenience Store provides an easy way to buy useful applications both for Mac and Windows.
· New, more intu...
