Parallels 10 arrives in time to bring Windows to OS X Yosemite

By

80bM5pjd1PJCXj1R7yhRJ-5wQVrRIVfAXLZMAyxzY1c,nyoJ45ZHWJG4ZeqwrY3HZao4se8a5b7fhNgD82y3T-M,qolTtG29bPGHo7eLUxvKALDsl8CPFRPWD4ISmgPzCDc

Parallels, one of the most popular virtual machine programs out there, has a brand new version out for the Mac. Parallels 10 brings a number of noticeable performance improvements, new features for IT pros, and the ability to use OS X Yosemite features in Windows.

The obvious benefit of a tool like Parallels is the ability to run OS X and Windows side-by-side. Apple provides Bootcamp for free, but you have to reboot your Mac every time you switch to access a separate partition.

Parallels 10 is pretty slick at communicating between OS X and Windows. “Save” and “Share to” menu configurations in Windows and Office are synced across platforms. You can drag and drop a file onto the Parallels icon to open it in Windows, and the Windows 8 Start screen is available in Launchpad.

Files stored in iCloud Drive on Apple’s upcoming OS can be accessed in your virtual Windows machine, and you can even access iMessage.

Sending an iMessage in Internet Explorer. Why not?
Sending an iMessage in Internet Explorer. Why not?

IT pros will appreciate linked clones, nested virtualization for Linux devices, Windows trial virtual machines, and the other enterprise-minded additions in version 10. Parallels is promising up to 30% more battery life, 60% faster snapshots, 50% faster Office apps, and more.

Existing Parallels users can upgrade to version 10 for $50, and a new license costs $80. For students, there’s a discounted $40 license, and businesses have bulk ordering options as well.

You can find out more info on the Parallels website.

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.