VMware is preparing to release the latest version of
its Fusion virtualization software for the Mac, which now includes support for Apple’s
recently released Mac OS X 10.6 “Snow Leopard” and Microsoft’s soon-to-be-released Windows
7 operating system.
On Oct. 6, VMware announced it would start selling
Fusion 3 on Oct. 27. The virtualization software is already available for
pre-order through VMware’s own Website, the Apple Online Store and Amazon.com
for $79.99. Those users looking to upgrade from previous versions of Fusion can
purchase the software for $39.99.
Right now, there are a handful of companies that
offer desktop virtualization software that allows Mac users to run Windows
within a separate virtualized partition. In addition to VMware, Parallels
sells its own Desktop 4.0 Switch to Mac software. Parallels
recently updated its offering in August.
Apple also sells its own portioning software – Boot
Camp – which is available from the Apple Online Store and Apple Website.
VMware is offering more than 50 new features with
the release of Fusion 3. The most important is support for Apple’s Snow
Leopard. Fusion 3 uses a new, 64-bit core virtualization engine and offers
native support for the 64-bit kernel, which VMware claims offers better Windows
performance on the Mac.
In addition, VMware Fusion 3 supports Windows
7, which is slated for release on Oct. 22, as well as the Windows Aero user
interface and the Flip 3D navigation feature. For gamers and PC enthusiasts,
the Fusion 3 software offers support for both OpenGL 2.1 and Microsoft’s
DirectX9.0c Shader Model 3 graphics, which allows users to run Windows games
and other applications on the Mac.
Finally, VMware Fusion 3 offers a new type of migration
tool that can move a snapshot of their PC to a virtual machine within the Mac.
The migration tool uses an installer and a four-digit code that allows the
migration to happen automatically across the network. The Website Ars Technica has a
comprehensive rundown on the how the PC-to-Mac migration technology works.
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