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 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

Kluje.com expands property management bidding e-platform

Kluje.com, pronounced "clue-jay", has extended its successful online contractor platform to over 30,000 property agents and facility managers. The agency platform enables users to locate quality contractors for jobs such as electrical wiring, plumbing or flooring.

"We have created a tailored solution for real estate agents and facilities managers who are always stretched on time to maintain and fix the properties they’re looking after. Knowing that they’ve to manage their time more effectively, we hope that Kluje.com’s agency platform can bring productivity gains for the industry," says Jamey Merkel, CEO of Kluje.com. 

Merkel notes that the site can also help with commercial renovation. "Although Kluje.com was originally targeted at the home renovation market, we have had a fair amount of interest in commercial renovation. In fact, building managers can specify during our request process if the property is commercial. I believe that this is a huge untapped market as Kluje.com expands into the B2B side of renovation,” he commented.

The new agency service is designed to meet specific needs as one account holder can service multiple residences or offices. Furthermore, the user will be able to manage the jobs posted and indicate whether the contractor should liaise with him/her or directly with the property owner/tenant. The new solution enables agents to post more home improvement jobs on the Kluje.com platform.

Kluje.com runs a simple three-step process to realising one’s dream office:

1. Post ‘jobs to be done’ on the website for free - choose 'commercial' under 'Property Type' dropdown menu.

2. Up to three quality contractors can bid for the job.

3. Select the best contractor based on their portfolio and ratings.

"We are really excited to bring additional functionality to our platform, that will aid us in our mission to create an online community of trusted renovation professionals," added Merkel.

Kluje.com intends to build a mobile app for its users to manage jobs/bids on the go. The app will be built in-house by technology start-up accelerator and Kluje.com’s cornerstone investor GHX and should be launched shortly.

Universiti Putra Malaysia makes mark on academic world with free MOOC platform

Universiti Putra Malaysia’s (UPM's) latest public service to the Malaysian community and the world at large is a free online learning environment on various field of studies.

This new method of learning, incorporating video lectures, interactive forums, chats, quizzes, and e-assessments, is in line with the current National Higher Education Strategic Plan which emphasises life-long learning, e-learning, internationalisation and knowledge transfer, the university said. 

Students can register online for the Putra Massive Open Online Course (PutraMOOC), and complete a course in roughly seven to eight weeks. The Agriculture and Man course is already available, and Malay Arts is expected to be ready soon. 

In line with the national level MOOC initiative, UPM is also converting the “Islamic Civilization and Asian Civilization” (TITAS) course that is compulsory for all public universities as a MOOC course to benefit in-campus students as well as interested public communities.