Software Review: Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac

Virtualisation made easy

Software Review: Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac

by Trevor Tan
05:55 AM Dec 03, 2010

IN CASE you didn't know, Apple computers are able to run the Windows operating system (OS), using either the Mac OS X's BootCamp utility or via virtualisation software such as the latest Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac (PD6).

While you need to restart your computer to boot up Windows, performance with BootCamp is guaranteed. With virtualisation software, running your Windows applications on Mac OS X results in a performance dip.

So, how does PD6 fare? Let's find out.

After installing PD6 on my modest 2GHz Intel Core MacBook, setting up a new virtual OS (or virtual machine) is easy. Insert an OS disc or use an image file, follow the on-screen instructions, and wait for the OS installation to complete.

Installing the 32-bit Windows XP on my machine took 30 minutes. But, it booted up in under 30 seconds - much faster than my office PC that runs the same OS.

You can use your virtual OS in Window, Full-Screen or Coherence mode, which is my favourite: It hides the entire Windows XP screen while displaying the Windows programs on the Mac OS X desktop.

Overall, PD6 unites both operating systems wonderfully. For instance, there's no need for a shared folder as the files you save on your Mac will show up on Windows and vice versa. OS X's Spotlight can search for your Windows applications as well. Plus, when you plug in a USB device, PD6 will ask if you want to plug into the running Virtual OS or the Mac OS X.

Browsing and starting up applications in Windows XP feels much smoother and faster than any other virtualisation software I have used.

The virtual 32-bit Windows XP scores a decent 445.2 in the PerformanceTest Benchmark Software. In comparison, a Dell Latitude D620 with similar specifications running the same OS scores 503. Thus, the performance of the virtual machine is not far from that of a real PC.

Of course, you can also install other operating systems, such as Ubuntu Linux or Google's Chrome OS. PD6 even offers the option to download Chrome so you can get a sneak preview of the upcoming OS.

What's intriguing about PD6 is it allows you to run Windows applications with the Parallel Mobile Apps for iPhone and iPad. As long as the computer, which has PD6 installed, is switched on and online, you can use the Parallels Mobile app on iPhone and iPad to remotely access PD6 via a log-in.

It feels surreal to use Internet Explorer in Windows XP on my iPad. Even if you do not need this function to quickly retrieve a file, you can always wow your friends swiping around in Windows XP on your Apple tablet.



Get the Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac at $129.

Source; www.todayonline.com