Play Xbox games on the Mac with Parallels Desktop 15

Parallels, a global cross-platform solutions provider, has launched Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac. Parallels Desktop now supports the Apple Metal API for improved graphics. As part of the move to Metal, Parallels Desktop 15 supports DirectX 11, 10 and 9 on Metal, delivering improved performance to customers.

Parallels Desktop 15 box.

“Parallels made significant investments to support Apple Metal API, so today our customers can enjoy the fastest and most efficient version of Parallels Desktop to date,” said Nick Dobrovolskiy, Senior VP, Engineering and Support at Parallels.

“Now Parallels Desktop 15 users can experience demanding computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) applications and Windows PC games that were previously unavailable. In addition, there are planned integration features with macOS Catalina—including support for Sidecar and Apple Pencil—offering customers our most comprehensive merging of Mac and Windows ever.”

Parallels has made significant investments to ensure excellent DirectX 11 performance on Metal in macOS Mojave and macOS Catalina (10.15), an upcoming OS version for Mac hardware, in addition to DirectX 10 and 9*. Parallels Desktop 15 users can now run many Windows programs and PC games which didn’t run on prior versions, including the following titles:

CAD/CAM applications ArcGIS Pro 2.3 Autodesk 3ds Max 2020 Lumion MasterSeries

Games on macOS Mojave Age of Empires: Definitive Edition Anno 2205 Space Engineers The Turing Test

Games on macOS Catalina  Anno 1800  Fallout 4  FIFA 19  Madden NFL 19

Product highlights include:

Xbox gaming

Bluetooth Low Energy support in Parallels Desktop 15 enables Xbox Controller, Logitech Craft, IRISPen and some Internet of Things (IoT) devices (such as smart home appliances and smart bands) to be used with a Mac. The Logitech Craft keyboard comes with a creative input dial for added functionality. Supported platforms include Windows 10 and 8.1, Android and Linux with kernel 3.13 and newer. The shared Bluetooth driver is version 4.0.

MacOS Catalina (10.15) integration

Parallels Desktop 15 can currently utilise macOS Catalina as a virtual machine (VM), with support for Catalina as a host operating system (OS) following its public release (expected in Q3-Q4 2019). Planned integrations include improved Sidecar support as well as processing of the Apple Pencil tilt and double-tap features, which can be used in software such as CorelDRAW, Corel Painter and Microsoft SketchPad among others. The tilt feature enables the pencil tool to be used for shading, whereas a double-tap changes modes. Sidecar will allow an iPad to be used as a secondary Mac display.

In addition, users will be able to use Sign in with Apple as one of several sign-in options (implemented in Parallels services this Q3-Q4), providing a consistent sign-in experience they can trust and the convenience of not having to remember multiple accounts and passwords. New users can also use Sign in with Apple to register for the first time, which will automatically create a Parallels account and simplify the trial experience.

Parallels Desktop 15 also provides improved handling of macOS Catalina security and privacy dialogues, approving system extensions, and will feature refined work with iCloud in the update around macOS Catalina release.

Mac and Windows integration

Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac further blurs the lines between Mac and Windows for new levels of productivity. Parallels Desktop 15 users can now drag and drop images directly from macOS screenshot previews, Safari and Photos to Windows applications to create documents.

Watch the demo video

Users can also right-click a file in the macOS Finder, then select “Share” and “Send with Windows Email App” to send the file via the default Windows email, such as Outlook or Mail. Finder is the file management system on macOS.

Watch the demo video

VTPM and Physical Disk Support

Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition and Business Edition now feature a virtual platform trusted module (vTPM), a new virtual hardware-to-VM configuration required by Windows to enable additional security features. With a vTPM in highly secure corporate environments, users can enable BitLocker in accordance with corporate group policies, use virtual smart cards, or enable a more secure version of Windows Hello PIN for improved security. The Windows Hello PIN acts like a password, but is tied to a specific device.

BitLocker from Microsoft provides drive encryption. It is meant to address the threats of data theft or exposure from lost, stolen, or inappropriately-decommissioned computers.

Additionally, Parallels Desktop Pro Edition and Business Edition users can connect physical disks (both internal and external) to a VM as logical internal disks, which allows users to:

• Install Windows or another OS to that disk,
• Boot to an OS installed on that disk, and
• Use non-native Boot Camp installations. Apple's Boot Camp allows users to install Windows 10 on the Mac, then switch between macOS and Windows when restarting the Mac.

Enterprise users also benefit from an enhanced consistent user experience in Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac Business Edition. IT can now lock a VM in a desired mode—Window, Full Screen, or Coherence—so end users always get a familiar experience for increased productivity. According to Parallels, Coherence is a view mode that allows both Windows and Mac applications to be running at the same time without managing two separate desktops or rebooting.

Significant Parallels Desktop 15 performance improvements include:

• Up to 80% faster Microsoft Office application startup
• Up to 15% faster 3D graphics improvements
• A faster and more responsive Parallels Desktop user interface (UI)

The Installation Assistant in Parallels Desktop makes it simple to install Windows 10 on the Mac— and does not require users to purchase Windows beforehand. Windows installation scenarios for Parallels Desktop include:

- Parallels Desktop has just been installed on the Mac. The software will automatically detect that Windows is not present, and offer to install it.

- Moving Windows 10 and applications from a physical PC into a Parallels Desktop VM on the Mac.

- Adding a Windows 10 VM to Parallels Desktop.

- Upgrading an existing Windows VM to Windows 10.

- Adding preconfigured Windows VM test environments for Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer. 

Explore:

Install Windows 10 in Parallels Desktop for Mac

Details:

Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac
Upgrade from any edition	US$49.99
New subscription	US$79.99 per year
Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac Pro Edition
Upgrade from any edition	US$49.99 per year
New subscription	US$99.99 per year
Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac Business Edition
New subscription	US$99.99 per year

All editions of Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac (Standard, Pro Edition and Business Edition) are available now for purchase either online which also offers free full-featured 14-day trials for new users—or from retail and online stores worldwide. Apple's App store will also carry the softwaree from October.

Parallels Desktop subscriptions include complimentary, concurrent three-month subscriptions to Parallels Toolbox for Mac and Windows as well as to Parallels Access, which are also separately available to all PC and Mac users as standalone products for free trials and subscription.

Parallels Toolbox is a suite of more than 30 tools to complete beneficial tasks in a click, including:

• Download Internet videos to watch offline.
• Reclaim gigabytes of disk space or RAM to improve Mac performance.
• Make a GIF to share.

Parallels Access makes it simple to securely access up to five computers (Mac or PC) from anywhere via an HTML5 web browser, and from an unlimited number of iPad, iPhone and Android devices.

Parallels Desktop for Mac customers (any edition) can get upgrade pricing for Parallels Desktop 15 online.

New customers can download free trials and purchase online.

*User experience will depend on the hardware, especially the CPU and graphics card utilised on the Mac.

Parallels rolls out Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac

Parallels, a global cross-platform solutions provider and creator of bestselling software for running Windows applications on a Mac, has launched Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac, which supports macOS Mojave-readiness.

Upgrading to Parallels Desktop 14 offers significant storage savings, faster launch times, improved graphics and the latest versions of Parallels Toolbox for Windows or Mac.

“Millions of Parallels Desktop customers highly value performance and efficiency,” said Jack Zubarev, Parallels President.

“With Parallels Desktop 14, we’ve taken those to the next level by focusing on graphics and storage, allowing customers to save as much as 20 GB of disk space while enjoying the best-ever performance. Personal productivity enhancements include more Windows features available on Mac devices. Touch Bar support for Windows applications — such as OneNote or Quicken — enablesc ustomers to add their favourite applications to the Mac Touch Bar so their shortcuts are at their fingertips.”

Typically, virtual machines are large, taking anywhere from 15–100 GBs of space, or more. To manage two different storage mechanisms at work (Windows and Mac), newly-engineered storage optimisation takes both Windows and Mac mechanisms into account which can result in significant disk space savings.*

The new Free Up Disk Space dialogue that suggests storage-saving actions now handles multiple virtual machines better. Newly-created snapshots occupy up to 15% less disk space.

Parallels Desktop 14 now enables customers to use Microsoft Ink to edit Microsoft Office for Windows documents on a Mac, including pressure-sensitive support in applications such as PowerPoint, Microsoft Edge, CorelDRAW, Fresh Paint, Leonardo, openCanvas and Photoshop for Windows.**

Preconfigured Touch Bar sets have been added to Parallels Desktop 14 for Microsoft Visio and OneNote, SketchUp, AutoCAD, Revit, Quicken, QuickBooks and Visual Studio. They join current Parallels Desktop Touch Bar sets for Windows applications, including: Office 2016 (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook), Windows Start Menu and desktop (Cortana, Task View and Task Bar pinned elements), File Explorer (File Open and Save As settings), ArcGIS and web browsers (Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Vivaldi).

The Parallels Desktop Touch Bar Wizard makes it easy for users to customise the Touch Bar for Windows applications. Additionally, with the use of Touch Bar XML Authoring, users can further personalise the Touch Bar with their own function key shortcuts.

Parallels Desktop 14 supports Dark Mode, a Mojave feature. Quick Look issued on Windows files now shows quick actions. Support for additional Mojave features, which are currently in development, will be tested, finalised and introduced around the forthcoming public release of Mojave. The Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac installation image, which is notarised by Apple, will be seen by users when it is installed on Mojave.

Parallels Desktop 14 now features improved OpenGL support for enhanced graphics, with improvements in SketchUp 2017/2018, CTVox, DIALux 8 and OriginLab.

All view modes have been improved in terms of speed and memory usage, which is especially important when working on multiple high-resolution external displays, including those of 5K resolutions.

Unused virtual video memory is now effectively returned to Mac system memory. Auto mode for graphics allows Windows to use more than 2 GB of Mac system memory for video purposes, while allowing Windows applications to use that memory when possible.***

Additionally, users now get a better frame rate in videoconferencing and can use shared camera technology with cameras that support up to 4K resolutions.

Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition

The new Business Edition features enhanced management, plus security and licensing portals. Additional improvements include:

• Smart card readers which are now automatically available in both Mac and Windows for faster access (if enabled).

• The ability for administrators to invite users via email and assign separate administrators for sub-licences for improved efficiency.****

• The ability to replace existing virtual machines in Deployment Mode to streamline productivity.

• Applications deployed in Single Application mode which start faster, along with a new splash screen.

• The Parallels “My Account” portal has been redesigned to be optimised for popular use cases.****

New and popular Parallels Toolbox tools include:

• Screenshot Page – Capture and print lengthy webpages that do not fit onto your screen. Take and print screenshots of webpages in one click—even for pages longer than the browser screen.

• Free Memory – Reclaim RAM memory and optimise its consumption on your Mac. Add the Free Memory tool to the macOS menu bar to check how much RAM is available with just a click to reclaim available memory.

• Resize Images – Batch convert images to a desired file size and format. Drag the source images to the tool’s window, specify the desired dimensions/size and output location, and click.

Parallels Desktop 14 performance has improved significantly:

• Up to 200% performance improvement on the iMac Pro (audio and video encoding, AI, 3D modelling, cryptography and other complex math calculations workloads) thanks to AVX512 Intel Cannon Lake processor instructions set support

• Up to 80% faster application launch

• Up to 10% faster boot time

• Up to 30% faster suspend operation on the Apple File System (APFS) partition

• Up to 130% more frames per second in Shared Camera mode

• Up to 17% more frames per second in Coherence view mode

A CPU usage indicator has been added to the title bar to give a better understanding of high CPU usage in Windows. Resource Monitor is completely redesigned to show Mac resources along with the impact that multiple virtual machines have on them.

Parallels is a global cross-platform solutions provider that makes it possible for customers to use applications and files they need on any device or operating system.

Details:

Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac, Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac Pro Edition and Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition are available for subscribers and upgraders from Parallels Desktop 12 and 13 (parallels.com/upgradepd14), as well as new customers, online at parallels.com/desktop and at local
retail and online stores worldwide.

Free 14-day full-featured trials are also available for download.

The recommended retail price (RRP) of Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac is US$79.99 for an annual subscription or US$99.99 for a perpetual license.

Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition and Business Edition are each available to new customers for US$99.99 per year. Parallels Desktop 12 and 13 perpetual license customers can upgrade to Parallels Desktop 14 for US$49.99, or upgrade to a Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition subscription for US$49.99 per year. Parallels Desktop subscriptions include a complimentary concurrent subscription to Parallels Toolbox for Mac or Windows, as well as Parallels Access.

*Results in virtual disk optimisation will not be immediate after upgrade, as these optimisations happen in the background. Only Windows 8 and 10 are supported.

**Perpetual license.

***Auto mode is available only after the  Parallels Tools update in Windows 8 or Windows 10.

****New Parallels My Account features became available to users before the Parallels Desktop 14 release.

Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac first to bring Windows apps to the Mac Touch Bar

Source: Parallels. The new Parallels Desktop
13 for Mac.

Parallels, a global player in cross-platform solutions and creator of software for running Windows applications on a Mac, has launched Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac.

Bringing together the best of both worlds, Parallels Desktop 13 makes it simple for MacBook Pro users to add Windows applications to the Touch Bar, and use Touch Bar within Windows applications. The software provides macOS High Sierra readiness and support for upcoming Windows 10 features. It is also the first solution to bring the upcoming Windows 10 People Bar feature to the Mac – including integration with the Mac Dock and Spotlight. The new version also features up to 100% performance improvements for completing certain tasks. 

“This year, for the first time ever, we are bringing the two hottest features from Mac and Windows into one place via Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac,” said Jack Zubarev, Parallels President. “This new release delivers our best-ever Windows on Mac performance, plus innovative and useful new features and tools to help users get more done quickly and efficiently.”

The Parallels Installation Assistant will automatically install Windows 10 into a virtual machine (VM), which can be purchased at a later date without losing data or installed applications. It can also detect first-time users and ask if they would like a VM installed with a single click. Users can purchase and automatically install Windows 10 from Microsoft, add an existing copy of Windows, and simply move their PC to their Mac. "You can buy any flavour of product key to purchase that VM," said Kurt Schmucker, Senior Product Manager, Cross Platform Application, Parallels, pointing out that Windows product keys can come with different terms and conditions.

Highlights of the new features in Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac.

Users can choose to make Windows look like a PC (full screen) or make Windows invisible (coherence mode), while launching Windows apps from the Mac Dock, Launch Pad or Windows Start Menu.

Parallels Desktop 13 provides Mac Touch Bar integration for Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as browsers including Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera. Additionally, when using the Windows Start Menu or Desktop, Parallels Desktop 13 features Taskbar pinned elements, along with Cortana, Task View and settings in the Touch Bar. Thousands of other Windows applications that run in Parallels Desktop can quickly be customised with popular Touch Bar actions, if the default set of functional keys is inadequate for users.

Parallels Desktop can also build on Windows tools as well. Parallels Desktop 13 integrates People Bar (from Windows 10 Insider Preview build 16232), a forthcoming Windows 10 feature that lets users pin contacts to the Taskbar. Although Windows limits People Bar contacts to three, the Mac Dock does not limit favourite contacts and enables their photos to be larger for easy viewing.

New Parallels Desktop 13 innovations include picture-in-picture (PiP) view, a feature which creates windows of other active VMs - as many as the RAM will support, says Schmucker. The PiPs are always visible on top, even when a Mac app is in full screen mode. This allows users to monitor and work in multiple operating systems (OS) and their applications simultaneously on one screen, or watch a video while switching between macOS Spaces and applications. PiP view joins popular Parallels Desktop customisation settings such as coherence (Windows is invisible while using Windows apps on a Mac), full screen mode, and Window mode (Windows in a window in macOS).

The latest version of Parallel Desktop provides a number of visual and display improvements for improved transitions and better scaling resolution. Owners of high-resolution Retina displays enjoy greatly improved sharpness of text and graphics in scaled mode.

Significant performance improvements include:

• Up to 100% performance improvement for external Thunderbolt SSD drives (near native performance)
• Up to 50% faster Snapshot creation for VMs with a large amount of memory
• Up to 47% faster working in Windows files in Windows on rotational discs
• Up to 47% faster working with Windows files on a Mac 
• Up to 40% faster USB device performance in most scenarios
• OpenGL 3 support added for DIALux evo professional lighting design software and the strategy game Northgard 

In addition to the overall improvements to Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac, Parallels has upgraded Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro and Business Edition. Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition and Business Edition include a complimentary concurrent subscription to both Parallels Toolbox for Mac and Parallels Toolbox for Windows as well as Parallels Access. Version 2.0 of the Toolbox features 32 tools, up from 20 previously. Toolbox utilities for Windows and Mac include:

• Clean Drive – easily free up disk space 
• Presentation Mode – Prevent embarrassing notifications, desktop reveals of personal files, and screen saver lockout delays during the presentation – in just one click. (Mac only) 
• Download Video – Download video from YouTube, Facebook and other websites for watching later
• Find Duplicates – Search any drive or folder to quickly find identical files (even with different names), and free up disc space
• Record Screen – Capture video of the entire screen, a window or select area – which can include audio from the integrated computer microphone – in one click.

"(Each tool does) one thing really well: just use it and get on with the work, that's the philosophy of the tools," said Schmucker. He shared that the Download Video and Record Screen tools are the most popular.

Interested?

Parallels Desktop, the standard edition, is targeted at homes and students whereas the Pro Edition is for professionals, developers and small teams. The Parallels Desktop Business Edition is for enterprise use and offers centralised administration and management, unified volume licence keys for mass deployment, and advanced security features. View the comparison chart

Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac, Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition and Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition are available for subscribers and upgraders from Parallels Desktop 11 and 12, as well as new customers, online and at local retail and online stores worldwide. Free 14-day full-featured trials of Parallels Desktop are also available for download.

The recommended retail price (RRP) of Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac is US$79.99. Upgrades for existing Parallels Desktop 11 and 12 for Mac perpetual license customers are US$49.99, with an introductory offer to upgrade to a Parallels Desktop Pro Edition subscription for US$49.99 per year for life. Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition and Business Edition are each available to new customers for US$99.99 per year.

Watch the Instavideo of the PIP view feature in action. Schmucker shows Windows XP and Windows 10 VMs running simultaneously with a Mac OS in the demo

Parallels rolls out Parallels Toolbox for Mac version 1.5

Parallels has launched version 1.5 of Parallels Toolbox for Mac, a suite of software tools designed to simplify essential everyday tasks.

Parallels Toolbox makes working smoother through providing easy access to useful activities such as capturing a video of screen actions, archiving files to save storage space, or preventing the Mac from going to sleep.

The new Parallels Toolbox 1.5 adds several refinements and enhancements to the stable of tools.

For example, it is now easier for users to get to any one of their favourite tools as they can now drag their icons to the Desktop, to the Dock, to the Mac menu bar, or to a new “Favorite Tools” area in the Toolbox menu.

Parallels has also added the option to capture system audio - audio generated by the Mac or a Mac app - to its Record Screen tools.

Interested?

 

Parallels Toolbox 1.5 is a free update for existing Parallels Toolbox subscribers, and costs US$9.99 per year for new customers. 

Watch a video demonstrating what's new in the Parallels Toolbox 1.5 update

M·A·C cosmetics now available online in India at Nykaa

M·A·C (Make-up Art Cosmetics), a leading brand of professional cosmetics, will be available online in India for the first time exclusively on India's online beauty store Nykaa.com. Available online will be the blockbuster franchises from M·A·C: Prep + Prime, PRO Longwear, Mineralize and Studio.

The luxury offering will be available on the specialised 'Nykaa Luxe' section, which offers a unique experience both with design and content. In order to give customers an in depth understanding of the products, the store also hosts Luxe Letters, a blog featuring weekly inputs from industry leaders and experts.

Source: Nykaa.com. M·A·C cosmetics now available online in India at Nykaa.

Currently India's largest prestige beauty brand, M·A·C is part of ELCA Cosmetics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. ELCA Cosmetics has associated with Nykaa to launch its international beauty brands in a phased manner, beginning with Clinique and Estée Lauder in November 2016, now M·A·C and will continue with Bobbi Brown in January 2017.

Boosted by the addition of these beauty powerhouses and with the growing demand for luxury beauty among Indian consumers, Nykaa anticipates a growth of 10x in luxury beauty sales through the next year.

"The Estée Lauder Companies India and M·A·C Cosmetics are delighted to partner with Nykaa.com. M·A·C is the prestige makeup leader in India and we are pleased to have further expanded our consumer reach to all our aspiring M·A·C consumers across India," said Rohan Vaziralli, GM and Country Head, India, Estée Lauder Companies.

"We are very excited to have the prestigious Estée Lauder collection of brands on Nykaa. There is an increasing premiumisation in our customers' beauty picks and with the reach of Nykaa, the best of beauty products will now be available throughout India. Interestingly, it's not only the urban consumer who has become more demanding - we see orders coming in from many smaller towns for luxury beauty products. These customers trust our offering and are not afraid to make the extra investment in their beauty regime," said Falguni Nayar, CEO & Founder, Nykaa.com.

Nykaa has seen 3.5x growth over the past year, and is currently on a revenue run rate in excess of INR300 crores*. In 2016, Nykaa raised a total of INR104.3 crores through private equity and the family offices of India's leading CEOs.

*1 crore is 10 million Indian rupees.

Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac does more, faster

Source: Parallels. A new virtual machine offered in Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac.

Parallels, a global player in cross-platform solutions and creator of software for running Windows applications on a Mac, today launched Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac. Parallels Desktop 12 is macOS Sierra ready, includes up-to 25% performance improvements, and features more than 20 simple single-function tools and utilities which are also available as a standalone Parallels Toolbox for Mac app. In addition, all Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac customers will receive a one-year subscription to backup solution Acronis True Image, which includes a fast incremental backup feature that reduces the time and size of subsequent backups ups and provides up to 500 GB of free online storage.

New utilities featured in all editions of Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac make it easy to perform common tasks with simple single-function tools for both the Mac and Windows virtual machines (VMs). Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro and Business Edition subscribers, and Parallels Toolbox for Mac subscribers, also receive free updates of additional tools which will be made available every quarter. Initial tools include:

· Distraction-free presentation modes for both Mac and Windows VMs, including:

o Hide Desktop Files
o Do Not Disturb
o Keep Mac Awake.

· Archive, encrypt and password protect all of your files.

· Capture screen shots or record video of a screen, window or area.

· Download videos from YouTube, Facebook and other websites with a single click.

· Time management tools—an alarm, timer, date countdown and stopwatch.

· Unpack files from ZIP, RAR and many other formats.

“Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac joins our long history of innovations in ease of use and personalization,” said Jack Zubarev, Parallels president. “In addition to delivering our best Windows-on-Mac performance and experience, Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac simplifies a number of everyday tasks for millions of our customers in all walks of life.”

Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac also adds the ability to purchase Windows 10 and simply install it via the Parallels Desktop Wizard, and a Scheduled Windows Maintenance option so Windows Updates and maintenance can take place overnight or at times when it is not disruptive to a user’s workflow.

PC and Xbox game players will get increased support in Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac. Parallels engineers worked with Blizzard Entertainment and optimised Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac to support Overwatch, a 2016 PC and Xbox game that has sold more than 15 million copies in just over two months. Parallels Desktop also supports the Windows 10 Xbox app, enabling people to stream and play Xbox games on their Mac devices.

Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac feature highlights include:

· Parallels Toolbox for Mac: 20 tools that simplify everyday tasks on your Mac

· Simplified backup: One year of Acronis True Image 500 GB cloud backup storage, which can backup new incremental changes to a virtual machine (VM), instead of having to save an entire VM every time changes are made.

· Support for Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch PC game.

· Support for the Windows 10 Xbox app, for streaming and playing all Xbox games on a Mac

· Schedule Windows updates for an appropriate time at night to avoid time-consuming disruptions during the day.

· Control storage space used by VMs directly from the Optimized Storage feature in macOS Sierra.

· Store Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer passwords in Mac Keychain.

· Assign special behaviours to Windows apps, such as 'Always Open Full Screen' or 'Always Hide Other Apps,' so they play even better on the Mac.

· Cancel time-consuming VM actions.

· Open documents from SharePoint and Office 365 in Microsoft Office for Windows desktop applications directly from a favourite Mac browser.

· Keep Windows ready in the background, instead of suspending the VM, to instantly open Windows applications and documents.

· Outlook for Windows now features your recently accessed documents, both Mac and Windows, so they are conveniently available to select when you add attachments to your emails.

· Improved Retina support for resizing Windows VMs.

· Archive VMs to save space in the Pro Edition.

· Set resource usage limits for VMs in the Pro Edition.

· Network Conditioner in the Pro Edition now features preconfigured network profiles (including Edge, 100% loss, 3G, DSL, 'very bad network' and Wi-Fi) to make testing a breeze, as well as customisable settings.

Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac performance improvements include: *

· Up to 90% faster Snapshot creation.

· Up to 60% faster suspend of VMs.

· Up to 25% faster Shared Folders performance.

· Compile Visual Studio projects on shared folders up to 25% faster.

· Up to 10% battery life improvement.**

· Enjoy improved VM responsiveness when your Mac is low on free memory.

Interested?

Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac, Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition and Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition are available today for subscribers and upgraders from Parallels Desktop 10 and 11. General availability is August 23 online and at local retail and online stores worldwide.

The recommended retail price (RRP) of Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac is S$108. Upgrades for existing Parallels Desktop 10 and 11 for Mac perpetual license customers are S$68, with an introductory offer to upgrade to a Parallels Desktop Pro Edition subscription for S$68 per year for life.

Parallels Desktop Pro Edition and Parallels Desktop Business Edition are available to new customers for US$99.99 per year. Parallels Desktop Pro Edition and Business Edition include a complimentary Parallels Access subscription to remotely access up to five Mac or Windows PCs from any device.

Parallels Toolbox for Mac is a feature of all versions of Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac which will also be available as a standalone subscription product for US$9.99 per year, including all new tools and updates planned for release every few months. Starting August 23, download a full-featured trial for 14 days for free, or purchase a subscription

Switch easily between Mac and Windows apps with Parallels Access 3.1

Parallels today announced the availability of Parallels Access 3.1, bringing seamless support for remote PC or Mac access to the iPad Pro and Windows 10.

Parallels Access offers users an easy and natural way to control PC or Mac applications from their iOS or Android tablet, as well as from any computer with an HTML5 web browser, without installing any plugins.

New features in the latest version of Parallels Access include:

· Full support for the 9.7" and 12.9" iPad Pro, so that applications and desktops look just as if they are running naturally and natively on the tablet.

· 3D Touch is now enabled on iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

· Support for Apple Pencil, as well as other common styluses such as Samsung’s S Pen.

· Full compatibility with Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

Parallels Access 3.1 also features support for the new Tablet Mode in Windows 10 in both its iOS and Android versions, which makes Windows 10 easier to interact with when without a mouse or keyboard.

Interested?

Parallels Access 3.1 is a free update to anyone with a current Parallels Access subscription, which costs US$19.99 per year. Register for the seven-day trial

posted from Bloggeroid

Parallels has Labour Day offer on Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac

Parallels is offering a 20% discount on Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac from Labour Day, May 1. The software allows Windows applications to be run side-by-side with Mac apps without having to reboot.

The integration between Windows 10 and Mac OS X enables:

· Using the Mac Quick Look feature on files on the Windows desktop;

· Accessing the Windows 10 Action Center from the Mac desktop;

· Dragging and dropping of files across desktops;

· Copying and pasting text and formatting from Windows to Mac, and vice versa

Interested?

The deal will take effect from 1 May 2016 and is available while stocks last in Singapore at Best Denki, Challenger, EpiCentre, iStudio, nübox and other Apple Authorised Resellers.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac supports OS X El Capitan

Source: Parallels. Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition showing Cortana operating in El Capitan. 

Parallels, a cross-platform solutions provider and creator of software for running Windows applications on a Mac, has announced that Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac fully supports OS X El Capitan.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac (build 11.0.2) supports El Capitan as both a host and guest, as well as Windows 10 and dozens of other operating systems as a guest, and enables users to leverage the latest features and functionality from the newest operating system of their choice.

In Coherence mode, Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac enables users to run the new OS X El Capitan Split View feature – the ability to display two different apps on one screen for optimal multitasking. In addition, Microsoft’s intelligent personal assistant Cortana can be used on a Mac with both OS X and Windows 10 apps. This is the first time that Parallels Desktop has made both Windows and Mac features available across both OS platforms.

“With Windows 10 and OS X El Capitan launching within months of each other, we are seeing more innovation in software than ever before,” said Jack Zubarev, Parallels President. “We are pleased to enable a choice of OS X or Windows on a single device, as well as enjoy a seamless experience of integrating Windows and OS X key features.”

With full support for OS X El Capitan, Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac offers additional advantages for saving time and enhancing performance improvements over Parallels Desktop 10 for Mac for an even faster work experience, including*:

· Windows 8 and Windows 10 launches and shutdowns are up to 50% faster

· File operations inside of Windows are improved by up to 20%

· Virtual machine suspend is up to 20% faster

· Travel Mode can increase battery life up to 25%

· Improved network performance

Interested?

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac is available now to both current and new Parallels Desktop for Mac users at www.parallels.com/desktop worldwide, and at local retailers including Challenger, EpiCentre, Harvey Norman, iStudio, NuBox and other Apple resellers in Singapore.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition is available online at www.parallels.com/desktop and at the Apple online store.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Business Edition is available through commercial resellers.

The recommended retail price (RRP) of Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac is S$108. Upgrades for existing Parallels Desktop 9 or 10 for Mac customers are S$68, with an introductory offer to upgrade to a Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition subscription for S$68 per year available from www.parallels.com/desktop.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition and Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Business Edition are available to new customers for S$134 per year. Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition includes a complimentary Parallels Access subscription to remotely access their Mac from any device.

Read the TechTrade Asia blog post on the Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac launch

*Parallels internal testing

Pixelglow Software updates Instaviz, launches free lite version

Source: iTunes.
Instaviz 2.1 screen.

Pixelglow Software today launched Instaviz 2.1 to support Apple's iPhone 6s, 6s Plus and the iOS 9 update. The intelligent diagram sketcher now works with iPad multitasking in both Slide Over and Split View modes, allowing users to run another app at the same time. The developer also launched Instaviz Lite, a free app that showcases the core sketching features of Instaviz.

"Our customers absolutely love our rebuilt Instaviz 2, giving us 75% 5-star reviews since our relaunch in June," says developer Glen Low, winner of two Apple Design Awards. "With the new free Instaviz Lite, even more users will see how easy it really is, turning doodles into diagrams."

Instaviz users create formal diagrams by beginning with rough sketches of shapes, typing in some text, then linking the shapes together. Instaviz and Instaviz Lite neaten and rearrange them as the users work. With the paid app, the users can refine their ideas with different fonts, colours, styles and shapes. The diagrams can be shared on the paid app in different formats and through different channels, including email, message, print, AirDrop, and a number of popular social networks such as Facebook, Flickr, Pinterest, Twitter or WhatsApp.

"This is the best simple visual thinking, simple diagramming or back-of-the-napkin thinking app available for the iPhone and iPad," said Dr George Huba, a prominent mind-mapping and healthcare advocate. "And, unlike the napkin you draw on at lunch, diagrams from the program can look good enough to use in books and professional journals without further enhancements. And unlike those napkins, the diagrams from Instaviz come without ink smears, coffee cup rings, and grease stains from errant French fries, freedom fries, chips, British fish and chips, sweet potato fries, tempura, or pizza!"

Instaviz is built on two key technologies: Recog and Graphviz. Recog is a new shape recognition library. Trained on over 2,500 sketches drawn by real users, Recog uses advanced fuzzy logic and sophisticated geometric algorithms to recognize sketches in a split second. Graphviz is an automated graph layout engine. The industry standard for automated graph layout, Graphviz represents over 20 years of AT&T information visualisation research.

Interested?

Download version 2.1 of Instaviz or Instaviz Lite

View a collection of Dr Huba's mind maps

Watch the associated video

Download the PC/Mac companion app, Instavue (Instaviz app on a mobile device required)

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac runs Windows better than ever

Source: Parallels. Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac.

Parallels, a global provider of cross-platform solutions, today launched Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac. The release includes a new version of the software for developers, designers and power users, Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition. It also includes Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition, previously known as the Enterprise Edition.

The new editions of Parallels Desktop for Mac benefit from speed improvements of up to 50%, Travel Mode which extends battery life by up to 25% while on the go, support for Windows 10 along with OS X El Capitan readiness.

Jack Zubarev, Parallels President, noted that the company has made it easier than ever to run Windows on a Mac. “Developers, designers and power users are one of the biggest audiences among our millions of Parallels Desktop for Mac customers,” said Zubarev. 

"We’ve created Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition specifically for them and will continue to quickly innovate to help them stay more productive in their day-to-day work. Seamless experience has been the hallmark of Parallels Desktop since its inception. Today we further our commitment to innovation with Parallels Desktop 11—from Windows 10 and El Capitan integration to making Microsoft’s Cortana available on Mac."

Parallels Desktop 11 empowers Mac users to run Windows 10 and leverage the advantages of Microsoft’s intelligent personal assistant, Cortana, when using both Windows and OS X. This is the first time that Parallels Desktop has ever made a Windows feature available for OS X applications. Parallels Desktop 11 also provides experimental support for OS X El Capitan prior to its launch, and will fully support the platform shortly after its release to give users a seamless experience with the latest operating systems.

“As Windows 10 and OS X El Capitan enter the market, it is essential for businesses, developers and consumers that need to be productive to use virtualisation software to easily run both operating systems, so they can work effectively, regardless of their platform,” said Laura DiDio, Strategy Analytics Director of research and consulting. “All three Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac editions provide the best tools to address respective customer audiences and deployment scenarios that seamlessly enable people to use the applications they need, regardless of platform.”

New Parallels Desktop 11 ease-of-use benefits include improved performance and battery life with the use of Travel Mode, which can easily be activated to optimise performance. When users are on the go and not connected to power, Parallels Desktop Travel Mode will automatically extend battery life by up to 25% by temporarily shutting off resources that drain power.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac offers significant speed performance improvements over the previous version for an even faster work experience, including*:

· Windows launch and shutdown is up to 50% faster

· File operations inside of Windows are improved by up to 20%

· Virtual machine suspend is up to 20% faster

· Travel Mode can increase battery life up to 25%

· Improved network performance

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition 

This is a new version of the software specifically designed for developers, designers and power users, giving them the powerful tools they need for maximum productivity. The Pro Edition supports integration with popular developer tools including Docker, Visual Studio (plug-in), Chef and Jenkins, Vagrant, Guest OS debugging and network simulation. Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition empowers users to run preview Windows machines and use nested virtualisation for both Windows and Linux guests, making it the perfect tool for developers, power users and testers who need a variety of virtual machine environments, including simulation of more complex deployments.

Parallels Desktop for Mac Business EditionPreviously known as Parallels Desktop for Mac Enterprise Edition, Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition includes all Pro Edition features, offering IT admins the most efficient means to enable their employees with Macs to run Windows applications.

The Business Edition builds upon Parallels Desktop by adding administrative features that enable IT departments to control and manage end user virtual machines as well as manage and administer licenses via the new Parallels License Management Portal. This feature provides IT administrators with vital information, such as license expirations, usage statistics, and real-time visibility into licensing activities, to easily manage all of their deployed licenses. Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition also supports business cloud services including Box, Dropbox for Business and OneDrive Business.

Highlights of Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac include:

· Always on Cortana enables customers to use Microsoft’s virtual assistant with Mac applications, even when Windows 10 is not the forefront application

· Travel Mode extends the battery life by up to 25%

· Quick Look for Windows extends this cool Mac convenience to Windows documents and files

· New Force Touch gesture support enables a quick preview of files with Quick Look or the ability to look up the definition of an unknown word

· Improved Mac Window Controls include a new Coherence mode button

· Most recently used files list now can be viewed on the Mac regardless of where those files are stored: on the Mac, in a virtual machine, in the cloud or on a file server

· New easy printing with all Mac printer options support saves time with an intuitive solution for OS X users

· “New Item” support for creation of new files in Windows apps including Microsoft Outlook, Excel and Word

· Now users can easily cancel time-consuming virtual machine actions

· Mac location services are now available to Windows applications

· Automatic synchronisation of the volume setting of a virtual machine with that of the Mac

· Enhanced file associations with smart notification messaging helps change file association in OS X

· Improvements in the setup and use of a virtual machine to directly access a Boot Camp Windows partition—without rebooting

· One-time opportunity to upgrade to Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition from Parallels Desktop 9 or 10 for S$49.99 per year

· Improved Japanese keyboard—specific to the Japanese language edition only

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition includes all of the features of Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac, as well as the following new and key features:

· Integration with key developer tools, such as Docker, Visual Studio (plug-in), Chef and Jenkins

· Support for Vagrant and other developer tools

· Additional user profiles for developers, power users and testers for optimal configuration for their particular scenarios

· Advanced networking tools and configuration for virtual networks to test complex networking scenarios, including the ability to simulate some network instabilities

· Cloud storage access through Box.net, Dropbox for Business and OneDrive Business, for sharing from Windows to Mac

· Headless mode for running virtual machines in the background without user interface

· Ability to create linked clones to conserve disk space and optimise installations

· Enhanced memory (64 GB RAM) and processing power (16 vCPU) for improved performance

· Nested virtualisation for Linux guests

· Modern.IE test environments in the Parallels New Virtual Machine Wizard provide access to free trials of browsers for testing

· 24/7 phone and email support

The Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Business Edition has all of the features of the Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition, as well as the following additions:

· Centralised administration and management capabilities to keep IT in control of virtual machines

· Web-based Parallels License Management Portal with a single activation key to eliminate manual management of individual license keys

· Business-level support, including prioritised 24x7 phone and email support options

· USB devices policy enforcement for additional security

Interested?

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac is available now to both current and new Parallels Desktop for Mac users at www.parallels.com/desktop worldwide, and at local retailers in Singapore including Challenger, EpiCentre, Harvey Norman, iStudio, NuBox and other Apple resellers.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition is available online and at the Apple online store. Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Business Edition is available through commercial resellers.

The recommended retail price (RRP) of Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac is S$108.00. Upgrades for existing Parallels Desktop 9 or 10 for Mac customers are S$68.00, with an introductory offer to upgrade to a Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition subscription for S$68.00 per year available from www.parallels.com/desktop.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition and Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Business Edition are available to new customers for S$134 per year. Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition includes a complimentary Parallels Access subscription to remotely access their Mac from any device.

*Based on Parallels internal testing

Use PC or Mac apps from iOS, Android devices

Source: Parallels website.

Parallels has updated its Parallels Access app for remote access to PCs and Macs* on both iOS and Android platforms, a move targeted at various user segments including professionals who want to travel light, but still access all their computer files on the go.

Parallels Access transforms mobile devices into more powerful computing machines by allowing them to remotely run any application, edit documents, and search through and access all the files on a remote computer through a universal file manager. It also allows users to tap any computer with a web browser to access and run everything on a remote computer without requiring any plug-ins or extensions. 

“The need to do more on mobile devices has been a growing trend among both consumers and business professional alike. Our latest Parallels Access update brings new features that make it easier than ever before to get work done with native touch gestures on mobile devices, as well as from any computer with a web browser,” said Jack Zubarev, President of Parallels. “Parallels Access makes every application and file on your remote work and home computers available at your fingertips no matter where you are, so you can be productive on the go.”

“As the market shifts increasingly towards mobile applications, solutions that can further turn a mobile device into a powerful computer are becoming increasingly necessary,” said Laura DiDio, IT Analyst and Principal of ITIC. “The latest update to Parallels Access further extends this invaluable functionality to make the practice of working remotely from your mobile device more efficient and powerful.”

Additional features for both Android and iOS include:

· Universal File Manager with local file support, cloud storage, file previews and access to photos

· New “remoteless” connection for File Manager–connect to a computer to access files without taking over the screen

· Ability to transfer files from a remote computer to other apps on iOS and Android

· Enhanced file preview for files on a remote computer–now supports Microsoft Office files

· Improved Wake-on-LAN feature which offers additional ways to wake a remote computer

· Ability to work with multiple monitors in a web-browser session from a remote computer allowing the user to switch between available displays, or see them all at once

· Access to photos on a mobile device from the desktop agent, including the ability to take photos and copy them to a remote computer

Additional updates for iOS only include:

· Universal support for portrait and landscape for enhanced usability

· New OneDrive support for cloud storage in addition to existing support for Google Drive and Dropbox providing consumers additional options

· File previews in icons through File Manager for easier navigation

· 64-bit support for new CPU architecture on iOS devices

Interested?

Parallels Access 3.0 is available in the Apple iTunes App Store and on Google Play with a one week free trial. Individual subscriptions are available for purchase for US$19.99 for one year or US$34.99 for two years. Users can access up to five remote computers from an unlimited number of iOS and Android tablets and phones or computers with a modern web browser. As a limited-time offer, new customers who purchase Parallels Access can get a two-year subscription for US$29.99.

*Hardware requirements:
iPad: iPad mini 2 and iPad 2 or later running iOS 7 or later
iPhone: iPhone 4s and later running iOS 7 or later
Android: most tablets and phones running Android 5.0

Remote computers can be a PC running Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8 or Windows 7, or a Mac running OS X El Capitan (experimental support), OS X Yosemite (10.10) or OS X Mavericks (10.9).

Agent upgrades will happen automatically once the update becomes available or users will be notified immediately if not. Parallels recommends users update their client software on their mobile devices following agent upgrades on their computers to ensure compatibility.

Microsoft releases preview for Office 2016 for Mac

Yesterday, Microsoft announced that the preview of Office 2016 for Mac is now available for trial. In a blog post introducing the new cloud-based Office, Kirk Koenigsbauer, Corporate VP for the Office 365 Client Apps and Services team called it "another proof point of our commitment to cross-platform support and a consistent experiences across devices. Unmistakably Office, but thoughtfully designed for the Mac."

Source: Navigation pane for Word.

The experience for the new Office is similar to the recent announcement of universal Office apps for Windows 10, and takes advantage of the unique features of the Mac. The new apps offer full retina display support and full screen views. 

The new Office 2016 for Mac includes updated versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook. The user experience has been modernised in order to enable users to get things done more easily. In Word, for example, a design tab helps users to manage layout, colours and fonts across a document, and the navigation pane refines document structure. Threaded comments are new and provide more context for editing.

The full product release will be available later this summer (Editor's note: roughly June to August) and current Office 365 subscribers will be able to get the new Office 2016 for Mac at no cost when it becomes available.

Read Microsoft's blog post here. Get the preview here. Feedback is invited.

OS X Yosemite is a free upgrade

Apple has announced that OS X Yosemite, the latest major release of the desktop operating system used by Macs, is available as a free upgrade for from the Mac App Store. Yosemite delivers a new look and introduces Continuity features that make it easy to hand off activities between Mac and iOS devices and even make and receive iPhone calls from your Mac.

Yosemite also includes a new Today view, a redesigned Spotlight system-wide search feature, and updated versions of the Safari browser, Mail, Messages and iTunes.

“OS X Yosemite is the most advanced version of OS X we’ve ever built, with a brand new design, amazing Continuity features and powerful versions of the apps you use every day,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior VP of Software Engineering. “OS X Yosemite ushers in the future of computing, where your Apple devices all work together seamlessly and magically. It’s something only Apple can do, and it’s available today.”

App icons have a consistent design, and a new system font improves readability on every Mac. and looks stunning on a Retina display.

Yosemite includes Continuity features that allow the Mac and iOS devices work more closely together.* Handoff automatically passes what you’re doing from one device to another, like writing an email or surfing the web. Instant Hotspot makes using your iPhone’s hotspot as easy as connecting to a Wi-Fi network.** AirDrop now works between Mac and iOS, so you can quickly and easily share content across devices. All the SMS messages that previously only appeared on your iPhone now can automatically appear in Messages on your Mac and all your iOS devices. You can even make and receive iPhone calls on your Mac.***

Yosemite introduces innovative new features, including:

§ The Today view in Notification Center, giving you quick access to informative widgets for Calendar, Weather, Stocks, Reminders, World Clock and social networks. You can also add widgets like Yahoo! Sports from the Mac App Store to customize the Today view;

§ a new Spotlight, delivering rich information right to your desktop from Wikipedia, Maps, Bing, App Store℠, iTunes Store, iBooks Store, top websites, news and movie showtimes;

§ iCloud Drive, so you can store files of any type in iCloud, organize them any way you like, and access them from your Mac, iPhone, iPad or even a Windows PC;

§ a streamlined new Safari that delivers the fastest performance, as well as the longest battery life for web browsing and Netflix HD video streaming on the Mac;

§ an updated version of Mail, which includes Markup for quickly filling out and signing forms and PDFs right within Mail, plus Mail Drop, which makes it easy to send large attachments up to 5GB for free;

§ enhanced Messages, so now you can add participants to your ongoing group conversations, see their locations on a map, quickly access attachments and even mute notifications;

§ iTunes 12, which has a new look, and makes it easier to switch between browsing your music library and discovering new music on the iTunes Store. A new Recents view makes it easy to access the media you just purchased or recently played.

Yosemite also delivers platform technologies that make it easier for developers to create new Mac apps. Swift is a powerful, next-generation programming language for iOS and OS X that’s fast, modern, interactive and helps developers write safer and more reliable code. SpriteKit makes it easier for developers to incorporate realistic motion, lighting and physics in games and when integrated with SceneKit, makes it simple to create games with animated 3D scenes and effects.

Yosemite supports all Macs introduced in 2009 or later, and some models introduced in 2007 and 2008. For a complete list of system requirements and compatible systems, please visit apple.com/osx/how-to-upgrade. Continuity features require iOS 8.1, which is available as a free upgrade starting October 20. OS X Server 4.0 requires Yosemite and is available from the Mac App Store for US$19.99****.

*Some Continuity features require advanced Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi features available only in more recent Macs.
**Check with your carrier for hotspot availability.
***Cellular data charges may apply.
****Pricing refers to the US, and may vary in other countries.

Entry level Mac given a makeover

Apple has updated the Mac mini and given it a new lower starting price, making Apple’s most affordable Mac.

The Mac mini now features fourth-generation Intel Core processors, faster integrated graphics, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Thunderbolt 2.

Mac mini is a great first Mac, said Philip Schiller, Apple’s Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing. “With the latest CPU and graphics, faster Wi-Fi, two Thunderbolt 2 ports, OS X Yosemite, and starting at just US$499, the new Mac mini is the best value ever.”

The new Mac mini delivers new levels of graphics performance, expandability and connectivity. New integrated Intel HD Graphics 5000 and Intel Iris Graphics deliver up to 90% faster graphics performance than the previous generation.* Mac mini now includes two Thunderbolt 2 ports, each delivering up to 20Gbps of bandwidth to each port, as well as next-generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi that is up to three times faster when connected to an 802.11ac base station. According to Apple, Mac mini is still the world’s most energy efficient desktop, exceeding Energy Star 6.1 requirements by seven times the standard and consuming as few as 6 watts of power at idle.**

Every new Mac comes with Mac OS X Yosemite, a new version of OS X that sports a new look and amazing Continuity features that make working across your Mac and iOS devices more integrated than ever. iMovie for editing movies, GarageBand for audio and the suite of iWork apps come free with every new Mac.

Mac mini comes in three standard models: a 1.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.7 GHz, 4GB of memory, Intel HD Graphics 5000 and a 500GB hard drive starting at a suggested retail price of US$499; a 2.6 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.1 GHz, 8GB of memory, Intel Iris Graphics and a 1TB hard drive starting at suggested retail price of US$699; and a 2.8 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, 8GB of memory, Intel Iris Graphics and a 1TB Fusion Drive starting at a suggested retail price of US$999. Customers can order Mac mini through the Apple Online Store.

Customers can choose to configure their Mac mini with up to a 3.0 GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 processor, up to 16GB of memory, and up to a 1TB PCIe-based flash drive. Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at www.apple.com/mac-mini.

All prices as in the US. Pricing in other countries may vary.

*Testing conducted by Apple in October 2014 using preproduction Mac mini configurations. For more information visit www.apple.com/macmini/features.html.
**Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed within the EPA ENERGY STAR 6.1 energy database. EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Trend Micro rolls out free tools to protect users against Shellshock (the Bash bug)

Trend Micro, a security software and solutions provider, has released license-free tools to help protect web users against the Shellshock or Bash bug across the Mac OSX and Linux platforms. 

Source: Trend Micro infographic.

Broadly publicised the week of 22 September, Shellshock is a vulnerability that can exploit command access to Linux-based systems and adversely impact a majority of the web servers around the world, as well as Internet-connected devices on the Mac OSX platform. The vulnerability has potential to adversely impact a half billion web servers and other Internet-connected devices including mobile phones, routers and medical devices.

"Since this situation has potential to escalate quickly, we are taking immediate preventative steps to help keep the public safe from this unprecedented vulnerability," said Eva Chen, CEO, Trend Micro. "We believe the most responsible course of action is for technology users to remain calm and apply the resources made available from Trend Micro, and others, to create a strong defensive front. By making our tools accessible free of charge to our customers, and beyond, we are trying to address this 'outbreak' to stop a possible epidemic before it can start."

One of the free tools featured, the on-demand BashLite Malware Scanner, will determine if the BashLite malware is resident on Linux systems.

"Shellshock could be notably more widespread than the infamous Heartbleed from earlier this year," said Raimund Genes, CTO, Trend Micro. "Heartbleed was very different in nature and behaviour. With Shellshock the threats are much more severe."

For those unable to implement the Trend Micro wall of protection against the Shellshock threat, Trend Micro's threat defense experts recommend the following steps to help businesses and end-users mitigate the vulnerability:

• End-users should watch for patches for Mac OSX and implement them immediately.
• Linux system operators should consider virtually patching until a patch is available from their vendor.
• Linux/Apache web server operators using BASH scripts should consider retooling those scripts to use something other than BASH until a patch is available.
• Hosted service customers should contact their service provider to determine if they are vulnerable and find out their remediation plans if they are exposed.

Trend Micro researchers are currently monitoring this vulnerability in the wild to anticipate additional escalations. The company has released a detailed blog post explaining the vulnerability with additional recommendations to stay protected, and created an infographic detailing what the vulnerability is and how it works.