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Last night we got a sneak preview of the most popular virtualization software for Mac, Parallels 8. This morning, the competitor VMware Fusion 5 goes official with numerous new features and two pricing/feature tiers.
Optimized for the latest technologies found in OS X Mountain Lion, Windows 8 and the latest Macs®, VMware Fusion 5 returns with more than 70 new features for a Windows on Mac experience never seen before.
“While the number of users adopting Macs continue to rise, the business environment is still dominated by Windows,” said VMware Personal Products Director Jason Joel. “VMware Fusion 5 and Fusion 5 Professional build upon our award-winning platform, adding new capabilities that are in demand among both individual and professional users. Leveraging our experience with consumer and enterprise end-users, we believe this new version of the product is the best solution on the market for users who want to run Windows on Mac simultaneously.”
One of the standout features includes the ability to AirPlay your VM over to an Apple TV-connected display, and support for Apple’s new Retina display also sticks out, but there are over 70 features all told.
The VMware Fusion 5 product family offers the easiest, fastest and most reliable way to run Windows on a Mac for individual or business use. VMware Fusion 5 has been revamped to take advantage of new technologies only available in Mountain Lion, Windows 8 and the latest Macs to deliver a Windows on Mac experience never seen before. New features include:
- Designed for Mountain Lion – Run Windows on Mountain Lion Mac 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, 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.
VMware Fusion 5 Professional
VMware Fusion 5 Professional includes all the features of Fusion 5 plus new capabilities that will improve the way professionals deliver business applications to Mac users. Key benefits include:
- Open the Doors to Macs – Whether business applications run on Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8 or one of more than 200 other operating systems, VMware Fusion 5 is designed to ensure maximum compatibility with the applications users need.
- Create Restricted Virtual Machines –Create an encrypted corporate image that meets the needs of employees and make them productive from their first power-on. To prevent tampering of the corporate image, restrictions can prevent users from changing virtual machine settings or attaching USB devices to Windows.
- Easy Deployment Across Multiple Platforms –VMware Fusion 5 Professional includes a commercial license of VMware Player 5 to deploy and run restricted virtual machines on Macs, Windows and Linux systems. So regardless of the underlying platform, VMware Fusion 5 Professional gives users the business applications they need.
- Reduce Support Costs –Reduce support costs by directing end-users to customized Web resources directly from VMware Fusion 5 Professional’s Help menu.
- Easy Management –VMware Fusion 5 Professional is a full perpetual license which activates both VMware Fusion 5 Professional and VMware Player 5.
Availability and Pricing
VMware Fusion® 5 and VMware Fusion 5 Professional are available immediately for download and purchase from vmware.com for $49.99 and $99.99 respectively. Customers who have purchased VMware Fusion 4 on or after July 25, 2012 [lowest price currently for Fusion 4 is $44] are eligible for an electronic upgrade to VMware Fusion 5 at no additional cost. Learn more about the VMware Fusion electronic upgrade program here. Volume pricing for corporate users is available from select resellers and vmware.com/vmwarestore/.
VMware Fusion 3 and 4 customers as well as Parallels Desktop customers can upgrade to VMware Fusion 5 Professional for only $49.99 at www.vmware.com/go/buyfusion.
VMware Fusion is available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Simplified Chinese and Japanese.
About VMware
VMware is the leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure solutions that enable businesses to thrive in the Cloud Era. Customers rely on VMware to help them transform the way they build, deliver and consume Information Technology resources in a manner that is evolutionary and based on their specific needs. With 2011 revenues of $3.77 billion, VMware has more than 300,000 customers and 25,000 partners. The company is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the world and can be found online at www.vmware.com.
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