Parallels announces version seven of their virtualization product for Mac OS X, with expected availability as soon as September 6. Parallels is widely known as the first product for Intel-based Macs providing the ability to run copies of Microsoft Windows inside of OS X. (A product called Virtual PC gave older PowerPC based Macs this same capability, but accomplished it via emulation of the Intel processor’s instruction set, meaning performance was nowhere near as good as what Parallels makes possible.) Parallels 7 brings the ability to run OS X Lion itself as a guest operating system, as well as Windows. This was made legally possible when Apple changed the terms of their EULA in Lion to allow users “to install, use and run up to two (2) additional copies or instances of the Apple Software within virtual operating system environments on each Mac Computer you own or control that is already running the Apple Software.”
Additional new features include shared iSight and FaceTime cameras in both Windows and Mac applications, Lion integration allowing Launchpad and Mission Control to display Windows applications, and a new Parallels Mobile app allowing remote access of your system from an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad. Parallels also claims significant speed improvements, including up to a 60 percent speed increase suspending or resuming Windows and up to 120 percent better performance copying files within Windows than their competitor’s product (VMWare Fusion).
The product is priced at $79.99 for a full version or $49.99 for an upgrade from a previous version of Parallels Desktop.
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