Parallels 8 with Retina Support Now Available for Existing Customers

Parallels announced the availability of Parallels 8 upgrades for the Mac for existing Parallels Desktop customers. Parallels 8 is the latest version of their virtualization software that allows Mac users to run other operating systems, such as Windows, alongside OS X.

“People don’t need to make an either/or choice between Mac and Windows because Macs running Parallels Desktop 8 empower people to simultaneously use applications that best suit their needs – regardless of whether it’s an app for OS X, Windows, Google Chrome OS, Ubuntu, or even Android,” said Parallels CEO Birger Steen.

parallels
New features in Parallels 8 includes OS X Mountain Lion integration as well as Retina support and performance boosts:

- Speak, don’t type – Use the new Mountain Lion Dictation tool across both Windows and Mac environments
- Open in Internet Explorer – When a website doesn’t render well within Safari, launch it in Internet Explorer with a click of a button
- Parallels Wizard – Download and automatically install Windows or other operating systems (OSes) including Google Chrome OS, Ubuntu and Android on your Mac.
- Windows apps on OS X Launchpad – Add Windows applications to the Mountain Lion or Lion Launchpad to quickly launch Mac and Windows applications used most
- Consolidated notifications – Integration of Windows notifications into the Mac OS X Notification Center makes it easy to stay updated on Windows virtual machine operations
- Mountain Lion gestures for Windows apps – Enjoy seamless integration of Mountain Lion gestures with Windows apps such as pinch to zoom, Mission Control, three-finger drag, swipe between full-screen apps, two-finger scroll, Launchpad and rotate
- Retina display support – Enjoy stunning Retina display resolution in Windows OS and Windows applications to see crisper fonts, vivid photos, images and animations
- Improved Parallels Desktop 8 performance - up to 30 percent faster for input/output (I/O) operations, 30 percent faster for games and up to 25 percent faster for virtual machine operations such as boot, suspend, shutdown and resume, when compared to Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac

Parallels 8 will be available starting today as an upgrade for existing Parallels Desktop users. (Parallels' website not showing version 8 at time of publication) Upgrades are priced at $49.99.

The full version will become available for $79.99 both online and in retail stores starting on September 4th. C ustomers who purchased Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac on or after July 25, 2012, are eligible for a free upgrade.

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Top Rated Comments

Feed Me Avatar
168 months ago
- Open in Internet Explorer - When a website doesn't render well within Safari, launch it in Internet Explorer with a click of a button

sshneerrrr
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nydennis Avatar
168 months ago
Newegg has Parallels 7 for 29.60 after coupon EMCYTZT2138 with free upgrade to 8
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
168 months ago
Still overpriced, lol...

(and their education discounts are about as useful as a chocolate teapot)
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
achtung! Avatar
168 months ago
Nice! :)

I want to install it on my Mac Pro '08, 8 x 2.8 GHz, 8 GB RAM, Radeon 5870

This is gr8!

that would've been perfect if the price was 8 bucks! :p
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
6388442 Avatar
168 months ago
50 bucks for this laughable upgrade?
No thanks, I'll stay with 7.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacsRgr8 Avatar
168 months ago
What a nice timing and rare opportunity.

Parallels 8 works best on OSX 8 and also can run Windows 8

Such a harmony :)
Three different companies, two of them are not friends.
Nice! :)

I want to install it on my Mac Pro '08, 8 x 2.8 GHz, 8 GB RAM, Radeon 5870

This is gr8!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)