VMware releases version 2 of Fusion emulator for Mac

By Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 05 March 2007 18:15

Your IT - Entertainment

Only a week or two ago Parallels released a new version of their virtualization software for the Intel-based iMac, and now VMware has released a second beta with new features before the full release later this year.

Known as VMware Fusion Beta 2, not only is it faster, more reliable and easier to use, it offers users some interesting new features.

These include 3D support for DirectX 8.1 games, ‘Rollback’ which allows you to take a snapshot of a virtual machine and go back to that configuration later, better support for adding virtual hard drives, support for both 32 and 64-bit operating systems (with Parallels only currently supporting 32 bit operating systems) and support for up to 10 virtual network interfaces.

There’s also better support for keyboards and mice, improved CD/DVD support, a better full screen mode and even the ability to see your laptop battery’s level in virtual machines.

But that’s not all – ‘experimental’ support for Apple’s next operating system, Mac OS X 10.5 is included, just as Apple releases a new developer version of OS X 10.5. It fully supports AirPort networking, and can seamlessly switch between wired and wireless connections.

Fusion Beta 2 supports Windows XP, and the Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions of Vista, along with Linux and Unix. It also offers complete VMware tools support, including copy/paste functionality, drag-and-drop file support, shared folders, and screen resizing.

The VMWare Fusion beta 2 is available now for free download http://www.vmware.com/products/beta/fusion/, with the final version expected later this year.

It competes with Parallels Desktop, which had its own new version released in late February, all of which makes the business of running Windows on a Mac simple and easy, and it’s only going to get better as future versions are released.