Parallels Desktop 8

By +Frank B.
in iPhone - iOS/tvOS/watchOS

 Share

Recommended Posts

Grand Master

+Frank B. Subscriber²

Posted
  • Subscriber²
Posted

Parallels Desktop 8 released with full Windows 8 integration, true Retina display support, and more as a $49.99 upgrade

With a new version of Windows comes a new version of the popular Parallels virtualization software for OS X, and starting today there's a new version ? Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac ? that revamps the program with complete Windows 8 integration and other improvements, including that elusive Retina display support.

The major change in Parallels Desktop 8 is right in the name: the software handles Windows 8 completely differently than the previous version of the virtualization program. In Parallel's default "Coherence" view mode (which displays Windows applications in their own windows on your Mac desktop), Modern UI Style (read: Metro) apps will open in their own separate fullscreen windows and occupy their own spaces. It can be a bit jarring: in Coherence mode you open the Start menu from the OS X menu bar, and then once you open a Metro app it disappears as you're pushed into a separate space. Still, we can't think of a better way for this to be handled ? Windows 8 wasn't designed for such interactions and some design choice had to be made. Parallels has also seen fit to intercept Windows 8 notifications and display them using Mountain Lion's built-in notifications bar, and the cursor will now "stick" to the edge of the window when moving at slow speeds, allowing you to easily open the charms bar and the start menu from the corners of the screen.

parallels-desktop-81_1020.jpg

Beyond Windows 8, the new software also takes Mountain Lion's dictation and allows it to function within guest operating systems, and OS X's keyboard language settings will now apply to Windows as well. Additionally, the fullscreen mode now uses Lion's and Mountain Lion's fullscreen controls, opening in a new space and minimizing the dock. You'll also be able to drag and drop files to Windows applications in the dock and automatically have the file added as an attachment, ? la Mail in OS X, and a new "open in Internet Explorer" button has been added to Safari.

The last major change applies to those using the MacBook Pro with Retina display. In a previous announcement it was less than clear that guest operating systems did not support the Retina display (it was a terribly blurry experience), but now Parallels can properly handle the resolution. Everything looks crisp and clear, and Windows will change its resolution as you adjust the size of your window. Parallels is using 199% scaling to make text and icons legible while remaining clear. Adding support for the high-resolution display is great, but considering that this is a paid update we don't think those who purchased Parallels Desktop 7 with the understanding that it could handle the computer will be happy at all ? and we can't blame them.

Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac is available now as an upgrade from the previous version for a hefty $49.99, while a full license will run you $79.99 when it launches on September 4th. Anyone who purchased Parallels Desktop 7 after July 24th will be able to upgrade for free. We just wish that date could be pushed back a couple more weeks to cover anyone who purchased the software following the unclear Retina display announcement on July 10th.

Source: The Verge

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1102107-parallels-desktop-8/
Share on other sites
Grand Master

+Frank B. Subscriber²

Posted
  • Author
  • Subscriber²
Posted

Niiiice! I'll tell my mac clients about this. VMWare might be a little scared. LOL I wonder if they are really shakin in tharr boots

VMware just recently released an update for their Mac virtualisation software: https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1100587-vmware-fusion-5/

This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Posts

    • Dbrand thought they could get away with this Steam Machine case, Valve disagreed

      By Rosyna · Posted

      Yes, it was amusing at the time because even then dbrand was well known for stealing the designs of products from other companies. That’s what they do.
    • Dbrand thought they could get away with this Steam Machine case, Valve disagreed

      By ZipZapRap · Posted

      Didn’t Dbrand once complain that Casetify was ripping off their designs a well? seems pretty bad of them to try and get around Valve’s copyright this way with that in mind.
    • Dbrand thought they could get away with this Steam Machine case, Valve disagreed

      By David Uzondu · Posted

      Dbrand thought they could get away with this Steam Machine case, Valve disagreed by David Uzondu Image via Dbrand Dbrand has cancelled its highly anticipated Companion Cube enclosure for the Valve Steam Machine, which it teased back in November of last year with a concept render and sign-up page, because it did not ask Valve for permission first before manufacturing the case. According to Dbrand, it took the "backwards approach" of building the product first before asking for permission from the copyright holder. Seven months of work went into the project, requiring over a thousand engineering hours from the design team. Workers developed forty-four sets of injection molding tools, making a unique mold for each sub-component of the crate. When the Companion Cube went live on Monday last week, it, according to Dbrand, quickly became the second-fastest-selling product in the company's fifteen-year history, racking up orders for hundreds of thousands of units. Customers eagerly bought the $129.95 deluxe edition or the bare-bones $99.95 version, which the manufacturer cheekily branded as the "Poverty Cube". It was around this time that the legal eagles at Valve descended on the accessory maker with a formal demand. The developer pointed out that the iconic block design remains protected intellectual property from the game Portal, so unlicensed sales had to stop. Dbrand said that all its pleas to salvage the project with the Valve team, including proposals to run a properly licensed release under official terms "with their blessing", fell on deaf ears, so it had no choice but to obey and remove every trace of the product from the internet. If you bought the enclosure, the company said that banks will process your refund by the end of this week, but if it still hasn't arrived in your account by then, you should not hesitate to contact support. The Steam Machine itself is a high-performance console that Valve designed directly to bring PC gaming into the living room. It was announced on 12th November 2025 (the same day Dbrand announced the Cube) and runs on the Linux-based SteamOS, the same OS that powers the Steam Deck. As for the price, due to the shortage of memory and storage chips, the hardware cost landed much higher than people were expecting, starting at $1,049 for the 512 model (without a controller) or $1,128 with the new gamepad. The premium 2 TB model pushes those prices even higher, selling at $1,349 for the standalone console and hitting $1,428 if you want the bundle.
    • Politically funny images of the World

      By +Edouard · Posted

    • The official Funny Pictures thread

      By +Edouard · Posted

  • Recent Achievements

    • Rookie
      Almohandis went up a rank
      Rookie
    • Apprentice
      jahara21 went up a rank
      Apprentice
    • Reacting Well
      NovaEdgeX earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • Week One Done
      NovaEdgeX earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Year In
      BA the Curmudgeon earned a badge
      One Year In

  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      534
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      266
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      148
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      97
    5. 5
      macoman
      57
    Show More

  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!