Long gone are the days when you had to choose between Mac or PC - now you can
have your cake and eat it with *Parallels Desktop* 7.0 which allows you to
run Windows and other operating systems within OS X. There are basically two
options to run Windows on the Mac - using Boot Camp which involves installing
Windows on a separate partition and rebooting it in Windows or, running
Windows in a virtual environment such as the one that Parallels Desktop
provides. With the former, you'll get quicker and more realistic results but
there's no substitute for being able to switch at will between OS X and
Windows which is what Parallels Desktop allows you to do. Setting up
Parallels Desktop is a breeze. You'll either need a copy of Windows on CD to
install it or an ISO image will also suffice. Parallels will then install
Windows in about the same amount of time that it would take to make a fresh
install of Windows on a PC. *The Transporter* feature guides you through the
whole setup process, asking you if you'd like to be able to share files
between OS X and Windows and use external devices amongst others. There's no
need to worry about viruses on your Mac by running Windows in Parallels
Desktop - any viruses will be restricted to the virtual environment that
Windows operates in and won't affect your Mac in any way. However, version 7
of Parallels includes a security barrier to ensure there is absolutely no
risk. To launch Parallels you have two choices. Either launch it from your
dock, it will ask you which version of Windows you'd like to launch (if
you've installed more than one) and *allow you to change settings such as the
amount of RAM allocated to Parallels, hard disk space and hardware
acceleration*. Alternatively, just double click on the file you want to use
and Parallels will automatically open it in Windows or OS X depending on the
file type. In this way, version 7 has blurred the line between Windows and OS
X so that switching between the two has never been easier. You may notice
that the mouse runs sluggishly (among other niggles) but this can be easily
remedied by going to the *Actions* menu and downloading *Parallels Tools*.
Why this is a separate component I have no idea because it makes running of
Parallels far smoother and more realistic but it doesn't take much time to
download. The latest version of Parallels for brings full OS X Lion
compatibility, including support for Full-Screen Apps and Launchpad
integration. This means you can add Windows apps to your Mac Launchpad as if
they were installed on your Mac. In addition, a new app for Android and
iPhones complements Parallels Desktop 7 and allows you to control your
virtual environments from your mobile. There are many other great features in
Parallels too including the possibility to use Spotlight to find Windows
files and applications. Mac keyboard shortcuts work in Windows too as do
parental controls. Adding USB devices is a breeze and the Lion resume feature
now extends to Windows apps too. *It's a bit more sluggish than using Boot
Camp to install Windows on your Mac but the latest version of Parallels makes
it faster and more convenient than ever to switch between Windows and OS
X.*Download *Parallels Desktop 7.0.14920.689535* in Softonic
