Good news for Apple fans who run Windows on their Macs — VMware has just released its VMware Fusion 5 software, which allows users to run Windows and other operating systems alongside their native OS operating system. The new Fusion 5 is designed for OS X Mountain Lion, and will also support Windows 8 when it is released later this year.
According to VMware’s official news release, Fusion 5 comes with 70 new features including the following:
- Designed for Mountain Lion – Run Windows on Mountain Lion and search Windows programs in Launchpad, use “AirPlay Mirroring” to stream Mac and Windows applications on an HDTV and get VMware Fusion notifications in Mountain Lion’s notification center.
- Windows 8 Optimization – VMware Fusion 5 supports Windows 8 standard, pro and enterprise editions so consumers can optimize the new Windows 8 “Metro” environment directly on a Mac.
- Enhanced Mac Support – Support for the latest Mac technologies include compatibility with Mountain Lion, retina display optimization, USB 3 connectivity, and improved support for large memory Macs.
- Next Generation Performance – Performance enhancements include up to 40% faster general performance speeds compared to the previous version of the product, improved power management for longer battery life and faster 3D graphics.
- Additional Functionalities – New, powerful ways to experience Windows on a Mac are available through an updated virtual machine library that enables seamless transitions between multiple operating systems, one click snapshots with improved graphical appearance, a brand new graphics driver for Linux 3D desktops, and a new embedded learning center for immediate support.
Fusion 5 Professional includes all of Fusion 5’s features plus a host of new capabilities. Go to the VMware website to get more details.
Fusion 5 is priced at US$49.99 or $99.99 for Fusion 5 Professional. Fusion 3 and 4 users, and Parallels Desktop users, can upgrade to Fusion 5 for $49.99. Users that bought Fusion 4 on or after July 25, 2012, can upgrade to version 5 for free.
