Parallels Desktop

Parallels Desktop

(Parallels Desktop for Mac) Virtual machine software from Parallels, Inc., Renton, WA (www.parallels.com) that allows Windows, Linux and other operating systems to run in an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X. In 2006, Macintosh computers began shipping with Intel x86 CPU chips, enabling Windows to run natively in the machine. Parallels also supports OpenGL 3D, the graphics language used in many high-end games. See virtual machine.

Windows on the Mac Desktop
In the Mac, Windows can run full screen or in a window on the desktop. However, Parallels' "Coherence" is the smoothest mode of operation. Windows applications run in individual windows intermixed on the desktop with Mac applications. When minimized, Windows apps appear in the Mac Dock along with the Mac apps. The Windows Start menu can be set to autohide, leaving no trace of the Windows OS on the Mac desktop.

Import a Windows Machine - Switch to Mac
Parallels Desktop comes with a migration utility that can move the entire contents of a Windows PC to a Parallels virtual machine in the Mac. It can also convert virtual machines from VMware and Microsoft to a Parallels virtual machine.

The Switch to Mac Edition of Parallels includes a USB transfer cable that connects the Windows and Mac machines together for the migration. See Boot Camp, Virtual PC, VMware Fusion and Parallels Workstation.

Seamless Integration
In Coherence mode, Mac applications and Windows applications exist side-by-side on the Mac desktop, providing seamless integration of the two environments.