Parallels to make switching to the Mac easier, safe and painless

August 24, 2009 | Dean Takahashi | Comments | |

mac-pcIn the Windows vs. Mac war, we are at a crossroads. Apple is launching its Snow Leopard version of the Mac operating system on Friday at the low price of $29. Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system will launch in October with the primary aim of fixing the problems created by Windows Vista.

There has never been a better time to switch to the Mac. Parallels, which makes software so you can run Windows or Mac software on the same machine and use them at the same time, is jumping on the opportunity. Today, it is launching Parallels Desktop 4.0 Switch to Mac Edition software.

The goal is to extend a lifeline to frustrated PC users by making it dead simple to switch from Windows to the Mac OS X. It includes a universal serial bus (USB) cable that you connect between your older Windows computer and a new Mac. It automatically starts a utility that transfers all of the programs and important data from the old computer to the new one. It then allows you to run properly licensed Windows programs on the Mac.

Renton, Wash.-based Parallels has made its virtualization software for many years and it now has 700 employees. It launched the fourth edition of its Parallels Desktop product last year. It creates a software layer that allows a computer to run both Mac and Windows software programs at the same time.

This software is dangerous to Microsoft. With the new Mac OS priced at $29, Apple clearly is going after “switchers.” If there are enough switchers, then Microsoft may have to start worrying about competition from Apple again, if it hasn’t already been worried enough. Right now, about half of all Macs being sold are going to Windows users who have never owned a Mac before.

parallels-boxSerguei Beloussov, chief executive of Parallels, said in an interview that many people who want to switch have been intimidated in the past because they didn’t understand how to do it without losing data or throwing away investments in software. Beloussov said the company has addressed those concerns by including how-to videos as tutorials and simplifying the transfer tools.

In the past, virtualization software has run slowly as it translates programs from one environment to another. But Beloussov said that with today’s modern hardware, the slowdown is not perceptible. Parallels software can even run a variety of games, which are among the most demanding applications. You still can’t run some games with highly realistic 3-D graphics, such as Far Cry 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, or Crysis.

The Parallels software also comes with two hours of tutorials that teach people how to use the Mac and help them understand the differences between the Mac and Windows. With Parallels, you can run Windows and Mac programs side-by-side. I think it’s cool that Parallels has stopped thinking like it was just a utility company and is now thinking of how to broaden the market for its software — and the Mac. The software costs $99.99.

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About the Author, Dean Takahashi

Dean is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He covers video games, security, chips and a variety of other subjects. Dean previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News, the Wall Street Journal, the Red Herring, the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Dallas Times Herald. He is the author of two books, Opening the Xbox and the Xbox 360 Uncloaked. Follow him on Twitter at @deantak, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.

  • dgulbran
    VMWare Fusion, all the way. I had USB and performance issues with Parallels. The support from them was horrible. Switched to Fusion, not a single issue--so I don't know how their support is, never had to use it!! :)
  • pbreit
    VirtualBox + Windows 7 = 0.00
  • " With the new Mac OS priced at $29, Apple clearly is going after switchers. "
    That cant be right - no switcher will be buying the OS alone - you cant run it on anything other than a mac without hacking and new macs come with the OS for free. The low price of Snow Leopard just says that Apple want all existing mac users to upgrade.
  • georgesvh
    I have both VMWare and Parallels, and for those that rely on smooth USB support, VMWare is the way to go
  • fred
    "There has never been a better time to switch to the Mac."

    Why? Especially when Windows 7 is a much better product than Vista.

    "With the new Mac OS priced at $29"

    That's upgrade pricing for Leopard users, and even then Intel only.

    I usually like your reporting, but this one was really weak.
  • It launched the fourth edition of its Parallels Desktop product last year. It creates a software layer that allows a computer to run both Mac and Windows software programs at the same time.
  • thunder from down under
    other comments have indicated this but the $29 price only for upgrading from leopard to snow leopard. if you're on tiger it's going to cost you a couple of hundred bucks. if you're on windows you're also going to have to buy an apple computer and you certainly can't do that for $29!

    i also wonder if the low pricing of the upgrade has anything to do an increase in mac users downloading the os from torrent sites???
  • bbbg
    Not sure how $169 translates to "a couple hundred bucks". Especially when you get the latest iLife media suite and the latest iWork office suite included ($79 each if you buy on their own)
  • thunder from down under
    being from down under, it's going to cost $229... more than the exchange rate conversion from $169, so australians getting stung again by apple. but, yes, thats a couple of hundred bucks. no arguments on getting ilife or iwork included because its not like you get a chance to buy the core os without them.
  • justMyDay
    It has been widely reported that the upgrade package will in fact install just fine on your Tiger based Mac. So, $29 is correct.
  • wrong! i don't know where you're getting your reports from but this is from apple's own site:

    Upgrading from Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard:
    If your Intel-based Mac is running Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard, just purchase Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard...

    Upgrading from Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger:
    If your Intel-based Mac is running Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger, purchase the Mac Box Set, which is a single, affordable package that includes Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard...

    Yes, the Mac Box Set also comes with updates to all of their software, but as per my previous comment, it's not like you get a choice to not have that software.

    http://www.apple.com/au/macosx/specs.html
  • justMyDay
  • justMyDay
    Actually, yes you do. The upgrade disc that is sold separately will
    update from Tiger as well.

    So, it's still $29 USD.
  • justMyDay
  • not sure why you had to put the same thing 3 times but whatever...

    if you want to believe a rumour blog as opposed to the company's official website then that's up to you champ.

    http://www.apple.com/au/macosx/specs.html
  • justMyDay
    So, what you're saying is that Walt Mossberg, a rather savvy tech reporter for the Wall Street Journal (and other pubs), is just a rumor mill?

    What an ID10T!
  • justMyDay
    Apparently you love to revel in your self imposed misery.

    Go for it.
  • thunder from down under
    mate, if you want to believe a journalist over the actual company that's your choice... you're entitled to it. ole misery guts that i am, i wish you good luck upgrading from tiger to snow leopard with the $29 upgrade package.

    this is getting a bite boring now...
  • get your facts straight
    You're kidding me right? Of course Apple will claim you need to buy the box set to upgrade from Tiger; they want the extra money, and it really is only fair if you didn't purchase Leopard to pay a higher price for Snow Leopard since you get all the Leopard improvements too (which cost $129 without iLife or iWork). However, Apple wants the user experience to be as simple as possible, so it doesn't use any crap-DRM on its OS like MS does. If Apple wanted to restrict Tiger users from upgrading they would have to make it an upgrade only, which would mean installing Leopard and then Snow Leopard to do a clean install, which is beyond inconvenient. Thus, Apple just doesn't advertise the fact that Snow Leopard will upgrade an older OS than Leopard. And the rumor mills are extremely reliable when its not concerning an upcoming product (a true rumor, and appleinsider is pretty reliable on those too).
  • Andreas
    Why switch? Use the best of two worlds, especially when Windows 7 is a much better product than Vista!
  • gemoney
    Well I purchased a Macbook pro a few weeks ago and it came with Mac OS X v10.5.7 and on apple's website it was only $9.95 plus tax to up grade to snow leopard.