Updated Virtualization Options for Macs
Both VMware and Parallels have released new betas of products that let users of Intel Macs run Microsoft's Windows operating system alongside Mac OS X. This process, known as virtualization, is generally preferred to Apple's Boot Camp, because it does not require users to reboot their Macs in order to switch between operating systems.
Parallels Desktop was the first virtualization product to hit the market earlier this year, and it has received many favorable reviews. Even Apple has openly praised the advantages offered by Parallels. With it's public "Beta 2" release of Desktop last week, Parallels introduced several new features including a new user interface, USB 2.0 support, an improved coherence mode, the ability to burn optical discs under Windows, and tight integration with Boot Camp partitions.
Also last week, VMware released the first public beta of a competing virtualization product that it calls "Fusion". VMware claims that Fusion can run any of the over 360 virtual appliances available at its Virtual Appliance Marketplace. Fusion's initial features include USB 2.0 support, drag-and-drop of files and folders between Mac OS X and Windows, and support for all Intel Mac hardware. However, Fusion also allows users to designate multiple virtual processors in order to leverage the dual-core Core Duo chips available in the latest Intel Macs.
Source: "VMware, Parallels Release New Virtualization Betas for Mac" by Prince McLean, published at AppleInsider.
