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Parallels Desktop for Mac was updated today to RC build 2.2.1884 and adds Mac Pro support, Leopard compatibly and Windows Vista support as a Guest OS. A full list of all the updates can be found here. I’ll be installing Vista RC1 tonight to check out how well its supported.

[Download here]

Over at the Parallels blog, the guys touch on some post-WWDC news, notable on VMWare entering the market while Microsoft bows out. A few interesting bits come up for whats planned in upcoming versions of Parallels this year:

• A groundbreaking new user interface that will make running Windows on a Mac easier and more productive than ever before
• Never before seen security and management tools
• Capability to burn CDs and DVDs inside virtual machines
• Fast 3D graphics support via support for OpenGL and DirectX. You’ll be able to run games at full speed without leaving your OS X desktop!
• An ACPI BIOS that provides the ability to run Microsoft Windows Vista

Wow. Parallels isn’t pulling any punches here. New “groundbreaking” interface? Burn CDs inside a VM? FULL SPEED GAMING?! This stuff is HUGE for the Mac community. I know I said I would probably switch to VMWare in an earlier post, but I think the guys at Parallels now have a devoted customer in me.

VMware just announced their rumored VMware for Mac OS X this morning. You can shoot over to there webpage to sign up for the beta. Product is not available yet but signing up will get you the beta as soon as its available while the final product looks to be released before the end of the year.

I’m a Parallel’s user myself and alittle excited to see what VMware is going to bring to the table. VMware is a more mature product with features like non-persistant disk mode and multiple freeze states which Parallel’s does not have. I’ve used VMware for years on both Windows and Linux and will probably switch to VMware for OS X just for the simple fact of being able to open images on any system.