Virtualization and cloud infrastructure specialist VMware announced the release of two editions of its latest iteration of its Fusion application delivery platform, Fusion 5 and Fusion 5 Professional. The platform has been revamped to take advantage of new technologies only available in Mountain Lion, Windows 8 and the latest Macs, and both versions are available for download and purchase from via the company’s website for $49.99 and $99.99 respectively. The company noted customers who have purchased Fusion 4 on or after July 25 are eligible for an electronic upgrade to Fusion 5 at no additional cost.
The latest version of Fusion 5 allows businesses to run Windows on Apple’s Mountain Lion operating system and search Windows programs in Launchpad, use “AirPlay Mirroring” to stream Mac and Windows applications on an HDTV and get Fusion notifications in Mountain Lion’s notification center. The platform also supports Windows 8 standard, pro and enterprise editions, which allows IT departments to optimize the new Windows 8 Metro environment directly on a Mac.
In addition, Fusion 5 boasts an updated virtual machine library that enables seamless transitions between multiple operating systems, one click snapshots with improved graphical appearance, a graphics driver for Linux 3D desktops, and an embedded learning center, as well as enhanced Mac support like high resolution retina display optimization, USB 3.0 connectivity and improved support for large memory Macs.
Fusion 5 Professional offers all of the Fusion 5 features plus expanded capabilities like the ability to create an encrypted corporate image and includes a commercial license of VMware Player 5 to deploy and run restricted virtual machines on Macs, Windows and Linux systems. A company release noted Fusion 3 and 4 customers as well as Parallels Desktop customers can upgrade to Fusion 5 Professional for $49.99. The platform is available in seven languages.
“While the number of users adopting Macs continue to rise, the business environment is still dominated by Windows,” Jason Joel, director of personal products for VMware, said in a prepared statement. “VMware Fusion 5 and Fusion 5 Professional build upon our award-winning platform, adding new capabilities that are in demand among both individual and professional users. Leveraging our experience with consumer and enterprise end-users, we believe this new version of the product is the best solution on the market for users who want to run Windows on Mac simultaneously.”