Parallels Desktop 3 (Mac/Leopard)

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Product Description
Run Windows, Linux, and more operating systems side-by-side with Mac OS X on any Intel-powered Apple Macintosh without rebooting. With Parallels Deskop for the Mac, critical software packages and games for Windows function on your Mac as if they were native applications. The 3.0 release comes packed with more than 50 new features for improved efficiency, file sharing, reliability, and performance.


In Coherence mode, Windows applications can run directly on the OS X desktop.
Out of Coherence mode, Windows applications must run in an emulator window.Better Desktop Coherence
Enjoy the benefits of Windows and OS X operating systems without managing two desktops. In Parallels Desktop 3.0, Coherence mode has been enhanced to make running both operating systems simultaneously even easier and more user-friendly. You can almost forget that you're running two operating systems.

• Navigate Windows using the Windows taskbar directly on your Mac desktop, or hide the Windows taskbar until you need it.
• Launch your favorite Windows applications and access the Windows Start menu straight from your Mac Dock.
• Use your Windows applications right on your Mac desktop, without resizing Windows itself.
• Drag-and-drop files and folders instantly between Windows and Mac OS X.

Smarter File Selection
Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac's new SmartSelect feature enables Mac users to open any Windows or Mac files with whatever application they choose--regardless of the OS where the file was created. Double-click a text file in Mac Finder to open it with Microsoft Office Word in Windows. Or synchronize your digital life by playing all the MP3s in your music library with Mac iTunes, even if the files are located in Windows. SmartSelect frees you to choose the best software for the job, without interrupting your workflow.

• View and edit a file with any compatible Windows or Mac software available on your Intel Mac.
• Click a hyperlink and launch either Apple's Safari or the Windows-based Web browser of your choice.
• Set SmartSelect so that file types always open in specific Mac or Windows applications, or choose your applications on the fly.

Snapshots for Reliability
Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac's new Snapshots feature enables you to recover your virtual machine from system crashes with the click of a button. In the event of a virus or a Windows system crash, you can conveniently restore your virtual machine to a prior snapshot with all of your data and software intact. Snapshot Manager enables you to view all your snapshots, revert back to previous snapshots, delete snapshots, and edit description information for each snapshot.


Parallels Desktop 3.0 supports Windows games that require DirectX 8.1.Games and Graphics
Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac now supports DirectX 8.1 and OpenGL.

• Play select Windows-only games on your Mac.
• Render in complex 3D CAD programs such as AutoCAD 2008.
• Work with CPU-intensive video and sound editing software such as Sony Vegas.

By including deep support for both DirectX and OpenGL, Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac brings a world of Windows-only key productivity and entertainment software to Mac.

Easy Windows Migration
Transporter is a powerful tool in Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac that enables you to transfer your entire PC--including the operating system, applications, files, and personal settings--without losing data or reinstalling any software. And now you can convert VMware Workstation/Server and Virtual PC virtual hard disks to a Parallels virtual machine and migrate directly to your Mac using FireWire.

Personal Installation Assistant
With a powerful, easy to use "Express Windows OS Installation Mode" for Windows Vista and Windows XP, the Installation Assistant completely automates the virtual machine setup and installation of Windows--with almost no user interaction. The Installation Assistant also provides improved and setup for other versions of Windows, MS-DOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, OS/2, and eComStation.

Technical Requirements
Primary Operating Systems Supported: Mac OS X 10.4.6 or later
Hardware Requirements: Support on any 32 or 64-bit Intel-powered iMac, Mac Mini, MacBook, MacBook Pro & Mac Pro Tower.
Processor: Intel Core Solo, Intel Core Duo, Intel Core 2 Duo and Intel Dual-Core Xeon. Full support for Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x).
Memory: Minimum memory requirements of 512 MB RAM. Recommended to use 1 GB RAM. Use ANY RAM configuration (up to 16 GB) without modifying your host system.
Disk Space: 70 MB of available hard drive space for Parallels Desktop installation plus sufficient space allocated for the virtual machine. 15 GB of free hard drive space is recommended.
Display: 16-bit or 32-bit display adapter recommended
Guest Operating Systems supported: Microsoft Windows: 3.1, 3.11, 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP, 2003 and Windows Vista. Linux Distributions: SUSE, Red Hat, Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora Core, Mandriva, Xandros and more. Other: FreeBSD, OS/2, eComStation, Solaris, MS-DOS, and OpenBSD 3.8.

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-09-12 rating:
The best virtual PC program for Mac!
This product is a godsend. I switched to a iMac last year and haven't looked back since. It's a HUGE improvement over version 2 which I also reviewed. Coherence is a life saver! I can run and launch Windows programs from my Mac desktop. It's so easy to switch between them. Copy and paste text, images etc. I have only 2GB ram, 2.16 GHZ processor and a 250 GB HD. It runs so effortless and easy. It only took half-hour to install. And I haven't had any problems with it since I've been using it. And it's been a couple of months at least.

An improvement over Version 2 apart from Coherence is the ability to run Direct X 8.1 games. That wasn't available on Version 2 and I've managed to get Prey to run among others. While the latest PC games won't work, it does provide some gaming experience. If you want to run the latest games it's best to use Boot camp. Other than that it's an amazing product. I certainly be using the program throughout the future.

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review by: Gadget Man date: 2008-08-29 rating:
OUTSTANDING
All I can say about this amazing product is OUTSTANDING, running MAC and Windows together, slipping from one OS to another with a mouse click.
BRILLIANT...
And those that seem to have problems, check out your MAC before installing, if your machine is buggy or slow then so will the software have problems.. install it after a clean install.
THIS IS A FIRST RATE PRODUCT, THAT RUNS LIKE A DREAM.. IF IT DOES ON MINE IT SHOULD ON YOURS. Unles your MAC is not running correctly in the first place, you can't put down a product because you MAC is not running correctly. IT DOES WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN.....

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review by: date: 2008-07-18 rating:
Impossible!
I just can't get the hang of this - I can't install either Windows Vista or Windows 98 - and they offer email support with a three day waiting time. Or else you have to pay them (and pay your phone bill) to phone the east coast of the USA.
I've had all sorts of Mac softwear for years now - on to my fifth computer - and this is the worst purchase yet.

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review by: date: 2008-07-10 rating:
Amazing: converts a top end Intel Mac into a top end PC...
If you've got a top end Intel Core 2 Duo processor Mac (desktop or laptop) then this is possibly the most impressive thing you'll ever see or use because "Parallels" will convert your machine into a fast and incredibly high resolution Windows machine. Set the screen resolution in the Windows "window" to its maximum level (1538 x 921 pixels), make sure that the Parallels Tools are installed correctly, select "Full Screen" mode and there it is... quite amazing... looks as good as any PC you've seen, works just like a PC, lets you seamlessly transfer files between the Mac window and the PC window, and transforms your Windows versions of Word, Excel, Publisher and even Photoshop into the most beautiful experiences. And, when you get bored with them you're only a keystroke away from watching the screen flip round to reveal your Mac.

Good enough? Well there's more to come because it also, even more amazingly, lets you run any Windows application program as a window right within the Mac screen (at equally high resolutions) just as though it was one of your Mac applications... seamlessly, stable and fast.

The downsides? You need a fully spec'd Mac with a reasonable amount of memory to get the best out of it (this review is based on 2.33ghz MacBook Pro with 3 gigabytes of memory) but then you're getting, in effect, two top end machines in one. You need to spend some time configuring Parallels correctly, particularly in integrating the Windows side into any wireless network, but the installation instructions are clear and they work. It's no good for processor intensive 3D games (you need Apple's Boot Camp for that, athough this requires a lengthy reboot between the Mac & Windows environments). Oh yes, and you need a copy of Windows XP... a fairly small additional price to pay for such a brilliant piece of software innovation.

Apple "geeks" may continue to argue that OSX is better than Windows but the truth is that a top end Intel Mac with Parallels running on it is the perfect solution... a PC that runs OSX at its highest levels and Windows at a level that's pretty close to any dedicated, top-end PC out there, with instant switching between the two in a single, fully integrated environment. Incredible.


review by: date: 2008-05-18 rating:
Be prepared to be patient - very patient!
With the purchase of a brand new Air Mac with Leopard OS the chance to combine with Windows Home XP/Home Office 2007 and so avoid a need for keeping a separate Windows laptop led me to purchase this software, based on the general good reports and feedback in my research. With a clean system the issues others have reported would not apply I thought!

Well I have now installed and uninstalled three times before the system has finally seemed to be stable enough to operate easily and deliver on what was intended which is easy switching without having to reboot through Boot Camp in Leopard OS, by simply clicking the icon. The manual provided with the disc was next to useless (certain of the stages pictured did not appear!) and when the system started "hanging & freezing" like all bad features of Windows, the troubleshooting input (including the computer loaded manual) was next to totally useless and my attempts to send email enquiries to the supplier met with no response even to acknowledge receipt.

Simple tricks learnt through the three installations in avoiding problems were:
1. Exit all Leopard (except Finder) programmes before loading
2. Stop the Windows screen saver working once XP loaded
3. Stop Parallels downloading immediate updates (later updates from within the system once loaded were a different challenge and refused to launch until the third installation for reasons I just do not understand)

I am not a computer expert but since I was simply following instructions (booklet or onscreen) with a clean virgin computer and OS, the exercise has been one of frustration and testing of my patience. The sole reason for awarding two stars not one is that now everything seems stable and working, the real wonder of having dual OS on one laptop is becoming quickly apparent.

One day Parallels I am sure as the demand for having dual OS on an Apple computer grows, will be capable of installation like iLife and other Apple programmes without any hassles and glitches. Sadly based on my experience it is not quite there yet.

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