Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2007.01.19
PowerBook, iBook, MacBook, and other portable computing is
covered in The 'Book Review.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Opinion
Apple Updates
Products
iPod Accessories
Software
News & Opinion
Personal Computers Still Core of Apple's
Business
The Boston Globe's Hiawatha Bray says:
"Jack Minsky built a successful business by writing software for
Apple 's Macintosh computers. So when Apple last week dropped the
word 'computer' from its name, and dedicated its annual Macworld
trade show to noncomputer gadgets, Minsky might have felt concern
for his company's future.
"Not so. Minsky, president of SoftwareMacKiev Co. of Boston,
thinks Apple Inc.'s new strategy is right on target. 'We're excited
as we can be about the way Apple is going,' Minsky said. In his
view, Apple chief Steve Jobs's decision to downplay Mac computers
is part of a strategy that will make the machines more important
than ever.
"Despite the hoopla surrounding Apple's iPod music players, and
the hype over upcoming Apple home entertainment servers and
cellphones, the company still makes a lot of money on computers.
During the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, Apple sold more than 39
million iPods, compared to just 5.3 million Macs. But the Macs
brought in nearly as much revenue, $7.4 billion, as the $7.7
billion in iPod sales, and have a better profit margin. Besides,
since the rise of iPod, Apple's computer business has been better
than ever, with unit sales up 61 percent over the past two fiscal
years."
Link:
Personal Computers Still at Apple's Business Core
Turning a Mac mini into a Mini ATX
The Spanish website Entre Maqueros has posted a tutorial on how
to install a Mac mini in a mini ATX format PC case.
The site is in Spanish, but there are lots of illustrations.
here's a translation of the article introduction with a tip of the
hat to AltaVista Babelfish:
"Those that you are faithful of this blog you will know that
when I bought my mini Mac Intel (first generation) already I had in
mind to change its pretty body and turn it a Super Mini Mac. As
Apple does not make the Mac that I need, I have no recourse other
than to do it myself. Publishing a chapter every day, I will detail
all the steps that I have followed to make the transformation.
"I must remark that all the steps that I have followed allow me
to return the Mini Mac in to its original case if I wish. The
process is totally reversible.
"Some will think I'm a crazy person to profane a so pretty
housing. Before beginning I must say that this it is MY Mini Mac, I
I have paid for it and I do with it what pleases me. To the rest of
people that have desire to learn, I hope you will find this
tutorial useful"
For Spanish-speakers:
"Los que sois fieles de este blog sabréis que cuando
compré mi Mac Mini Intel (de los primeros) ya tenía
en mente cambiarle su bonito cuerpo y convertirlo en un Super Mac
Mini. Como Apple no fabrica el Mac que yo preciso, no tengo
más remedio que hacérmelo. A partir del día 1
y publicando un capítulo cada día, detallaré
todos los pasos que he seguido para realizar la
transformación.
"Debo remarcar que todos los pasos que he seguido me permiten
volver a montar el Mac Mini en su caja original en el momento en
que lo desee. El proceso es totalmente reversible.
"Se que habrá quien me tache de loco por profanar una
carcasa tan bonita y convertir el Mac Mini en un engendro. Antes de
empezar debo remarcar que este es MI Mac Mini, yo lo he pagado y
hago con él lo que me apetece. Al resto de gente que tengan
ganas de aprender, os cito aquí el día 1 de enero por
la tarde para empezar el tutorial.
"Espero que os guste como ha quedado y que os sea muy
útil."
Link:
Mac Mini Intel ATX (Introducción)
Apple Updates
Mac OS X: Firmware Updates for
Intel-based Macs
An updated Apple Knowledge Base article says:
"Firmware updates for Intel-based Macintosh computers may not be
displayed automatically using Software Update. If they do not
appear in Software Update, they must be manually downloaded from
the Apple Support Downloads site.
"If you are unsure whether your computer needs a particular
update, simply download and open the update installer. The
installer will alert you if the firmware update is already
installed or not needed."
Link: Mac OS X:
Firmware Updates for Intel-based Macs
Products
TechRestore, Inc. Launches DataRestore
PR: TechRestore, Inc. has announced that they have begun
offering a data recovery service for Mac & PC laptops,
desktops, iPods, Memory Cards and CD/DVD media. The new service,
known as DataRestore, offers consumers a welcome alternative to
traditional high priced data recovery services.
DataRestore simplifies the entire data recovery process by
offering the following features:
Reality based up-front pricing for all recoveries. Door-to-door
pickup from any location in the continental U.S. No recovery, no
charge
Fast turnaround time - overnight analysis and return
shipping.
"While most data recovery companies love to operate in vague
terms, with lots of technical jargon to throw you off the fact that
you're going to be hit hard in your pocketbook, DataRestore brings
you easy to understand pricing that starts at just $199," said
Shannon Jean, Founder and President of TechRestore. "We're bringing
the same fanatical customer service and flat-rate pricing to the
data recovery business that our laptop, iPod and PSP customers have
enjoyed for years."
DataRestore was introduced to the public during last weeks'
Macworld Expo, where the thousands of Mac users who visited the
TechRestore booth expressed their support for the new service with
one phrase: "It's about time." DataRestore is aimed at the consumer
market, for customers that need to quickly recover their photos,
documents and other data but that don't wish to break the bank to
do so.
Link: DataRestore
G-Drive Q Supports eSATA, USB 2.0, FireWire 400
and 800
PR:
G-Drive Q storage solutions offer the ultimate in flexibility by
providing users with FireWire 400, FireWire 800, USB 2.0, and eSATA
ports all in a single unit. G-Drive Q is the perfect
high-performance solution for storage intensive applications
including audio/video editing, digital photography MP3 libraries
and high-speed data back up.
The Ultimate in Performance!
G-Drive Q offers the best performance of any single disk
external storage solution currently available . . . data
transfer rates up to 85 MB/second!.
Capacities to 500 GB - SATA II Hard Drives
G-Drive Q utilizes the latest technology 7200 RPM SATA II hard
disk drives with up to 16 MB cache. Available in capacities up to
500 GB, G-Drive Q can store over 38 hours of DV footage, 125,000
MP3 files, or 250,000 digital pictures!
Easy
Setup!
Simply attach G-Drive Q to your Mac or PC via your interface of
choice and initialize. That's all there is to it!
The Best Single Drive Storage Solution Available - Period.
Best of breed components coupled with superior design and high
quality construction make G-Drive Q the storage solution of choice
for professional applications.
The Best Warranty & Support in the Business
G-Drive is backed by the best support and warranty in the
business.
- The industry's first quad-interface external disk storage
solutions
- FireWire 400, FireWire 800, USB 2.0 and eSATA ports all in a
single unit
- "Fan-less" design with unique silent cooling technology
- Storage capacities up to 500 GB
- Utilizes the next-gen 924 chipset from Oxford
Semiconductor
- High-performance 7200 RPM SATA II drives w/up to 16MB
cache
- Security lock compatible
- Standard 2-year factory warranty
- Driver-free operation with Mac OS X and Windows 2000/XP
High Quality Aluminum Enclosure
Fan-less
Design
G-Drive Q features a sturdy all-aluminum enclosure and is
engineered to provide adequate cooling to the hard disk without the
use of a noisy fan.
This unique "fan-less" cooling system is designed to silently
dissipate heat for superior reliability and data integrity
Product Comparison
G-Drive Q d2 Extreme*
- Quad-interface: FireWire 400, FireWire 800, USB 2.0 & eSATA
ports all in a single unit
- Next-generation 924 chipset from Oxford Semiconductor
- 7200 RPM SATA II hard druve w/up to 16 MB cache
- All models feature silent "fan-less" design
- Performance up to 85 MB/second*
- Standard 2-year warranty (all markets)
* d2 Extreme is a trademark or registered trademark of LaCie
Limited.
G-Drive Q (FW 400. FW800, USB 2.0, eSATA)
- 160GB 7200 RPM / 8MB Cache, $219.00
- 250GB 7200 RPM / 8MB Cache, $249.00
- 500GB 7200 RPM / 16MB Cache, $459.00
Firewire Accessories
- 3-port FireWire 800 PCI-X Adapter - Add (2) high-speed external
FireWire 800 ports* and (1) external FireWire 400 port to any Power
Mac G4/G5 or PC equipped with PCI-X expansion slots. This adapter
supports DV, HDV, DVCPRO HD, 8-bit and 0-bit SD video workflows.
*Computer must be equipped with a 64 bit PCI-X slot to achieve FW
800 speeds.
- 9-pin to 9-pin FireWire cable (2m) - Need another 2 meter 9-pin
to 9-pin FireWire 800 cable? This is the same high quality cable
that ships with G-RAID and G-Drive FW 800 / 400. $19.99
- 9-pin to 6-pin FireWire 800 cable (2m) - Connect G-RAID or
G-Drive to a legacy 6-pin FireWire port with this 2 meter 9-pin to
6-pin FireWire 800 cable. $19.99
- 9-pin to 4-pin FireWire 800 cable (2m) - Connect G-RAID or
G-Drive to 4-pin FireWire connectors (camcorders, PC laptops, etc.)
with this 2 meter 9-pin to 4-pin FireWire 800 cable. $19.99
- 6-pin to 6-pin FireWire 400 cable (2m) - Connect G-RAID or
G-Drive to 6-pin FireWire 400 connectors. 2 meters. $9.99
- 6-pin to 4-pin FireWire 400 cable (2m) - Connect G-RAID or
G-Drive to 4-pin FireWire 400 connectors (camcorders, PC laptops,
etc.) with this 2 meter 6-pin to 4-pin FireWire 400 cable.
$9.99
USB Accessories
- USB 2.0 cable - Connect G-Drive USB and G-Drive Combo to a USB
equipped Computer or laptop. This is the same high quality USB 2.0
cable that ships with the G-Drive USB and G-Drive Combo.
$15.99
- USB 2.0 cable (mini "B" to "A") - Connect G-Drive mini with a
USB port to a USB equipped Computer or laptop. $15.99
Power Adapters
- G-RAID2 Power Adapter - Replacement 3A Power adapter for
G-RAID2 (4-pin power plug) Available Soon
- G-RAID/G-SATA Power Adapter - Replacement 3A Power adapter for
G-RAID and G-SATA products. (5-pin power plug) $24.99
- G-Drive Power Adapter - Replacement 2A Power adapter for
G-Drive products. Buy an extra for when you travel! $19.99
- G-Drive-mini Power Adapter - External powers adapter for use
with systems that do not supply the required bus power. $19.99
- G-PLAY Power Adapter - Replacement Power adapter for G-PLAY.
$19.99
Link: G-Drive
Q
Verbatim Launches Ultra-Compact 12 GB Store 'n'
Go USB Drive
PR: Verbatim Corporation has unveiled its newest Store
'n' Go USB Drive based on 1" hard drive technology with up to 12 GB
of storage in a unit slightly larger than a standard USB flash
drive. Designed to enable users to carry volumes of data, video and
audio in a single portable unit; the new 12 GB Store 'n' Go USB
will have a projected street price of $179. Verbatim will show the
ultra-slim device for the first time this week at its CES Booth in
the South Hall, #4/36249.
The new Store 'n' Go Drive makes it convenient for users to keep
vital information such as emails, photos, personal calendars,
presentations and video files available at all times. The sleek USB
storage device comes pre-loaded with Mobile Launchpad, a utility
for downloading applications that can be run directly from the
Verbatim USB Drive. Mobile Launchpad also allows users to have
complete access to personal files and data without loading the
content on a guest system. For quick and immediate access, the
drives can also be used in the familiar drag 'n' drop mode.
Providing a true portable working environment with a flip-out
USB connector and USB extension cable, the unit is highly compact
and delivers high performance, low power consumption and superior
reliability. With the device, users can carry and access up to 12
hours of MPEG-1 video, about 6,000 300-DPI photos, 6 hours of
DVD-quality video or tens of thousands of personal or business
documents.
The tremendous capacity, combined with Mobile Launchpad, makes
it convenient for users to store mobile applications on the Store
'n' Go USB Drive, ready to use wherever they go. Many applications
specifically designed to enhance the portable experience are
available for download online. Programs include mobile photo
databases, ID/Password management tools, and applications which use
the drive to log in from any computer and make Internet phone calls
or have online chats.
"Whether it's for business, school or entertainment, people want
to have their content and data with them without carrying their
computer everywhere they go," said Ron Hanafin, Verbatim Product
Marketing Manager. "Our new Store 'n' Go Drive is a convenient
solution for creating this portable working environment, where
people can have access to applications and information with ease
and style."
A stand-out in both design innovation and durability, the
hot-pluggable 12 GB Store 'n' Go Drive has a polymer enclosure to
provide shock resistance to the hard disc inside. With gently
rounded corners, the slender case fits comfortably in the hand.
When moving between different locations, the drive can be placed in
its designer travel wallet and slipped into your pocket, purse,
attaché, or backpack.
Using the rugged swing-out USB connector, the hot-pluggable
Store 'n' Go Drives can be easily moved from computer to computer
without having to shut down or reboot the system. For added
convenience and usage flexibility, Verbatim also provides a USB
extension cable to make it easy to connect to a personal or guest
computer. When connected to a computer, the blue center area of the
drive lights up, showing the drive is connected and powered. The
area blinks when information is being transferred between drive and
computer.
The drive's compact size makes it easy for students to carry
research and class project files from school to home. Consumers can
plug the device into a friend's or family member's computer and
instantly share slideshows of family photos, vacation videos and
personal MP3 selections. Busy executives who are constantly
on-the-go can use a Store 'n' Go USB Drive to keep the latest
company presentations, customer and partner contact information,
databases, spreadsheets and key business files with them at all
times, without having to carry their notebook systems. And, with
the convenience of being able to carry diagnostic/repair,
configuration and application files in their pocket, Verbatim's
Store 'n' Go USB Drive is also a compelling storage solution for IT
personnel and service technicians.
Weighing just 1 oz., the Verbatim Store 'n' Go USB Drive
measures a mere 1.38" x 0.38" x 2.8". The drive is fully compatible
with Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP, CE 3.0 and higher; Mac OS 9, X,
and higher; Linux 2.40 and higher systems. Mobile Launchpad is
compatible with 98SE, ME, 2000, XP and higher systems.
The Verbatim 12 GB Store 'n' Go USB Drives will be available
this month through authorized Verbatim retailers with an
approximate street price of $179. The complete package includes a
travel wallet, USB extension cable and a quick start user's
guide.
Link: Store 'n' Go USB Drives
Software
ScreenRecycler Allows You to Use Any Networked
Computer as an Additional Display
PR: Most Mac users have a spare computer sitting right
next to their main computer on their desk including a nice display.
ScreenRecycler now enables you to use this spare computer as second
display for your Mac. You can even use an idle machine for that
purpose.
It's like a dual monitor setup without the need to buy an
additional monitor.
Just start ScreenRecycler on your Mac then connect to
ScreenRecycler via VNC from your old machine.
Use any machine as additional monitor on your Mac
New in version 0.70:
- Added support for client cursor encoding
- Cursor color for Intel in 32bit fixed.
- Hextile and client cursor support now in status text.
- Hextile degration switching back and forth fixed.
- Removed assertions from final build process.
- Removed bug where ScreenRecycler shutting down on client
hangup.
- Driver installation script change
System requirements: Mac OS X 10.4 on the ScreenRecycler
machine. A VNC client program on the client machine.
System support: PPC/Intel
Free
Link: ScreenRecycler
NeoOffice 2.1 to Support OpenXML Documents, VBA
Macros
PR: NeoOffice.org has announced the development and
forthcoming release of NeoOffice 2.1. Scheduled for release in Q1
2007, NeoOffice 2.1 will contain a number of unique features
including:
- The latest features from OpenOffice.org 2.1
- Opening, editing, and saving of Microsoft Office 2007 OpenXML
documents
- Execution of Visual Basic for Applications macros in Excel
documents
- Support for linear programming extensions for spreadsheets
- And more!
Support for interoperability with Microsoft Office 2007 OpenXML
formatted documents and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is
drawn from the ooo-build project, a branch of OpenOffice.org that
includes several features which Sun has not yet integrated
up-stream. ooo-build is a collaboration between many individuals
& vendors spearheaded by Novell. Leveraging the ongoing
contributions from ooo-build, NeoOffice.org is pleased to deliver
the most compatible office productivity application suite for Mac
OS X for today and beyond. NeoOffice.org is proud to
collaborate with ooo-build to help make these important features
available for all Mac owners. "It's great to have NeoOffice making
their work available under the JCA to OpenOffice.org via.
ooo-build, and building on our substantial investment here, I'm
excited about working with them going forward." said Michael Meeks,
Distinguished Engineer, Novell.
The NeoOffice 2.1 release will allow Mac users to utilize
OpenXML documents prior to the announced availability of
translators from Microsoft. With Microsoft's announced intention to
remove VBA support in Microsoft Office Mac 2007, NeoOffice 2.1 will
be one of the only available ongoing solutions for Mac users who
use VBA macros in their Excel documents.
NeoOffice 2.1 is currently scheduled for release on 27 March
2007. The scheduled preliminary availability for NeoOffice Early
Access Program members is 27 February 2007. With many thanks to an
anonymous donor and the work pioneered by Novell, NeoOffice.org is
proud to be able to continue to provide the most advanced set of
office productivity applications available for Mac OS X with
industry leading support for cross platform document exchange.
NeoOffice.org is an open source project dedicated to delivering
a first class free software office productivity suite for Mac
OS X. Based on OpenOffice.org, NeoOffice provides word
processing, spreadsheet, presentation, drawing, and database
applications. In addition to all the features of OpenOffice.org,
NeoOffice features a fully native Mac OS X user interface,
Spotlight integration, drag and drop, and other features to provide
the ultimate Mac OS X user experience. With nearly 500,000
downloads each month, NeoOffice is the leading open source office
productivity suite for Mac OS X.
Link: NeoOffice
iStat nano System Monitor
PR: An
advanced system monitor in a tiny package. View detailed
information on CPU, memory, hard drives, IP and external IP,
bandwidth, CPU temperatures, fan speeds, battery, uptime and the
top four processes. iStat nano features the lowest CPU usage of any
stats widget we've seen (compare it if you don't believe us, I'm
sure you'll be pleasantly surprised!).
New in version 1.8:
- Added module to read temperature and fan speeds on Intel based
Macs (speedit no longer required for temps)
- Various bug fixes
System requirements: Mac OS X 10.4 or later.
System Support: PPC/Intel
Free
Link: iStat
nano
Airlook Monitors AirPort Base Stations
PR: Airlook is
a Mac OS X widget which displays Airport Express Base Station
information.
The widget makes use of SNMP (Simple Network Management
Protocol) which Airport Base Stations offer, as a mean to inspect
internal information. What the widget displays is actually a small
subset of what can be retrieved using the SNMP commands.
Under normal conditions, the following information is
displayed:
- Name: the device name
- Uptime: the time elapsed since the last reset
- TCP reset sent: represents the number of TCP Reset sent by the
Airport station. When using Airport in combination with a ADSL
modem, this represents the number of incoming TCP connection
received from public Internet and being refused by Airport. Of
course, if the ADSL modem already implements firewalling, this
value may equal 0.
- Octets received: this value is relative to the Ethernet
interface of Airport
- Octets sent: this value is relative to the Ethernet interface
of Airport
- Wifi users: represents the number of Wifi users being
associated to the Airport. This should at least be equal to 1.
From the V2 version of Airlook, the information is refreshed
periodically every 2 seconds. The widget content is also updated
when Dashboard is put to front (e.g. by using "F12" or by clicking
on the dashboard dock icon).
Some parameters need to be set up for the widget to work
properly. The input screen is the back side of the widget, which is
displayed when clicking on the bottom right "i":
- The Airport IP address
- The configuration password (the same the the one used with the
Apple Airport Configuration tool)
The parameters need only to be specified once. When being
entered, they are stored as part of the widget preferences.
In case the parameter values are not correct, the widget will
obviously not work as above. For more information on erroneous case
and the possible workaround, please have a look to the readme
file.
System requirements
- Mac OSX 10.4.3 and above
- An Airport Express (although it may also work with other Wifi
devices implementing SNMP)
New in version 4.0:
- displays detected Wifi users.
System requirements: Mac OS X 10.4.3 or later.
System Support: PPC/Intel
Free
Link: Airlook
Hardware Monitor Widget Edition
PR: Hardware Monitor Widget Edition is the Dashboard
version of its "bigger brother" Hardware Monitor. You need a
working registered copy of Hardware Monitor in order to fully use
this widget. The applications are designed to give you access to
all sensor readings Mac OS X uses to monitor and cool your
computer.
The widget allows you to select two of your computer's sensors
which should be displayed via Dashboard.
Unlike other widgets, Hardware Monitor is capable of processing
the hardware calibration data Apple stores individually into each
G5-based computer. So it displays the exact readings Mac OS X
internally uses for cooling control, not just an "educated
guess".
Hardware Monitor Widget Edition is electronically distributed
software. You can download the product and test it before you
decide to purchase an unrestricted usage license.
New in version 2.1:
- Added support for a large number of voltage, current
(amperage), power, and light sensors for Intel-based Macintosh
systems.
- Added full support for the new Apple Xserve Quad Xeon.
- Added support for S.M.A.R.T. temperature sensors in SATA drives
connected via an SAS bus.
- Removed support for the internal Intel CPU sensor monitoring
the target value of the core voltage. This is now superseded by the
voltage sensors monitoring the actual core voltage supply.
- The button to start the main application was removed.
- The sensor menus on the preferences backside have been enhanced
to better differentiate between sensors measuring different
quantities at the same location.
- The rounding of readings from frequency sensors of x86
processors has been updated according to Intel's
recommendations.
- Corrected a problem where a memory sensor in portable Core 2
Duo systems was misidentified as being a memory riser-card
sensor.
- Corrected a problem where the internal temperature sensor of
Hitachi Deskstar 7K500 drives was no longer seen as functioning
sensor.
System requirements: Mac OS X 10.4 or later.
System Support: PPC/Intel
Shareware
Link: Hardware
Monitor Widget Edition
Apple Boot Desktop Theme
PR: A desktop theme including wallpapers and screensavers
optimized for Mac OS X Tiger and Leopard.
Are you sometimes tired by the original aqua desktop theme or
other selfmade desktops?
You like to have a simple desktop theme ? Then apple boot
desktop is for you.
Use the wallpapers to get a nice backround
on your desktop, choose between original gray apple, light gray
apple and white apple.
How to:
Choose your computers resolution, select the image from the
folder and copy it to your favourite folder of desktop
pictures.
Open systems preferences, go to desktop pictures/screensavers
and select the new wallpaper, your desktop will be changed.
Use the apple boot screensavers, wich are in the same design.
resolutions are for standard and widescreen.
How to:
Select the screensaver from the folder and copy it to your
favourite screensaver folder.
open systems preferences, go to desktop pictures/screensavers
and select the new screensaver.
New in version 1.1:
- Changed name (was Gray Apple Desktop Theme)
- Improved Intel support
System requirements: Mac OS X 10.0 or later.
System support: PPC/Intel
This desktop theme is provided for free and noncommercial use
only. The graphics and icons can only be distributed as
freeware.
Link: Apple Boot Desktop
Theme, MacUpdate
Parallels Desktop for Mac 2.5.3120
PR: Parallels Desktop for Mac is the first solution for
Intel-Macs that give you the flexibility of running Windows on a
Mac OS X simultaneously without rebooting. You can use Parallels
Desktop for Mac on any Intel-powered iMac, Mac Mini, MacBook,
MacBook Pro, & Mac Pro Towers.
Now you can take advantage of important Windows-only software
applications like Internet Explorer, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft
Project, Quicken, Microsoft Visio, Microsoft SharePoint, SQL
Server, and more, without giving up the security, comfort and
functionality of your Mac!
Why use Parallels Desktop for Mac?
It's Fast!
Parallels Desktop for Mac is the only solution that
automatically takes full advantage of Intel Core Duo Virtualization
Technology which allows you to run Windows and its applications at
full speed.
It's Secure!
Parallels Desktop virtual machines work as isolated files, not
partitions, which means they are totally secure and completely
isolated from OS X. There is no chance of infecting your Mac with a
Windows virus, spyware or malware.
Because Parallels Desktop virtual machine files can be easily
compressed by 50% or more with built-in Parallels Compressor
technology, you can easily back up your whole Windows virtual
machine on a network or even burn it to a CD or DVD.
It's Flexible!
Never experience a media or website compatibility issue again!
Use Parallels Desktop for Mac to browse the Internet with Internet
Explorer or play movies and mp3's in Windows Media Player.
Stay connected to various devices that are not Mac-compatible,
like web cameras, Windows Mobile 5 devices, and USB devices.
Use Parallels Desktop for Mac to connect to your company's
corporate network and share documents with your co-workers who are
working on Windows, Linux, or Solaris computers.
It's Easy to Use!
We added features in Parallels Desktop for Mac that
automatically installs and configures all your hardware drivers for
Windows.
We've also included a simple wizard, backed up by easy-to-follow
user guides, that enables any user, even a true computer novice, to
easily build and configure a virtual machine & quickly install
Windows or any other operating system.
Product features:
- NEW! 64-bit Mac Po towers and iMacs support - no RAM
limitations and no need in hardware re-configurations while using
Windows and it's applications on your modern Mac
- NEW! Wide OSes support - full compatibility for OS X "Leopard"
& support for Microsoft Windows Vista. Get the full list of
supported OSes...
- NEW! Strong USB support - easily use multi interfaced and
isochronous USB devices (including Windows Mobile 2005 and
webcams)
- Portable Support - take your virtual machine anywhere you go!
You can copy your whole Windows computer on a CD/DVD and use it on
any Parallels enabled computer
- Keyboard support - use all of the keys on your Mac keyboard,
such as the eject CD button, right-left and Shift/Ctrl/Alt
(option)/Windows keys, in any virtual machine
- Unicode path support - name files and paths in national
languages
- Mac OS X performance support - optimize Mac OS X or guest OS
performance by switching off the Mac cache function
- Graphic performance support - enjoy faster, smoother video
playback
- Shared folders performance - open folders and files faster, and
transfer data across OSes with almost zero lag
- Disk management build in tool included - improve virtual
machine performance and save storage space by 50% or more with
Parallels Compressor tool included - FREE $49.99 value
New in version 2.5.3120 (beta):
- USB 2.0 support - "Plug and play" popular USB devices like
external hard drives, printers, and scanners, and use them at full
native speed.
- Current Build 3094 doesn't support isochronous devices such as
web cameras, microphones, etc.
- Full-feature virtual CD/DVD drive - Burn CDs and DVDs directly
in virtual machines, and play any copy-protected CD or DVD just
like you would on a real PC
- Improved Coherence mode - The groundbreaking feature that lets
you run Windows applications without seeing Windows just got
better! Now you can:
- Place Windows applications on your Mac desktop or in your
application dock. Just click to launch them directly from OS
X!
- Use Command+tab to cycle through Windows and Mac applications
simultaneously, and "hide and show" Windows applications just like
you would with Mac applications
- View the Windows Command Console in Coherence mode
- Use Coherence in Windows 2000, Windows 2003, Windows XP and
Windows Vista!
- Better Boot Camp support - Using your Boot Camp partition in
Parallels Desktop is now easier than ever. Beta2's Boot Camp
support includes:
- Full support for FAT32 and NTFS partitions
- Easy offline configuration. Simply tell Parallels Desktop that
you want to create a virtual machine from a Boot Camp Partition and
click start. No complicated set up required!
- No need to re-activate Windows each time you switch between
Boot Camp and Parallels. Activate Windows only once inside
Parallels and work in both environments
Update Details:
- IMPORTANT! It is not possible to suspend a Virtual Machine that
is connected to Boot Camp as it could result in an unstable
system.
- VERY IMPORTANT! Beta1 (build 3036) users must boot natively
into Boot Camp and uninstall Parallels Tools for Boot Camp prior to
running it in Beta2 (build 3094).
- Parallels Transporter Beta2 bundled - migrate your real Windows
PC, or existing VMware or Virtual PC VMs to Parallels virtual
machines! Learn more about Parallels Transporter Beta2
>>
- IMPORTANT! Beta1 users MUST upgrade their Transporter package
on their Windows source machine before using Parallels Transporter
in Beta2. Failing to do so may result in a system crash and loss of
data
System requirements: Intel Mac running Mac OS X 10.4.4 or
later
System support: Intel
Get Parallels Desktop for Mac for $79.99
Link: Parallels Desktop
for Mac
Desktop Mac
Deals
Low End Mac updates the following price trackers monthly:
For deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our 13" MacBook and MacBook Pro,
MacBook Air, 13" MacBook Pro, 15" MacBook Pro, 17" MacBook Pro, 12" PowerBook G4, 15" PowerBook G4, 17" PowerBook G4, titanium PowerBook G4,
iBook G4, PowerBook G3, and iBook G3 deals.
We also track iPad,
iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle deals.
