Parallels Desktop® 9 for Mac is here!

Parallels Desktop® 9 for Mac seamlessly brings together Windows, Mac and the cloud, pushes boundaries and boosts performance by up to 40 percent

The best-selling software for running Windows applications on a Mac brings a range of indispensable features to millions of users, including support for the upcoming Windows 8.1 and Mac OS X Mavericks.

Prague, Czech Republic – September 9, 2013 – Parallels® today launched Parallels Desktop® 9 for Mac, enabling customers to run Windows and Mac applications simultaneously on a Mac without rebooting – the award-winning, best-selling virtualization software for Mac computers for more than 7 years. Innovative and indispensable features include optimization for iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive and SkyDrive cloud storage. Customers will also appreciate increased productivity with Mac OS X features such as Launchpad in Windows applications and the ability to use the new OS X Mavericks. For Windows 8 users, Parallels Desktop brings back the familiar and often-missed Windows Start menu and Start button. From August 29, existing Parallels Desktop users can upgrade to Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac at www.parallels.com/desktop. New customers can purchase Parallels Desktop from September 9 through retail resellers, online stores and the Parallels website.

“Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac users can be confident that Parallels keeps pace with support for cutting-edge new technologies such as the upcoming OS X Mavericks, Windows 8.1 and the increasingly popular cloud,” said Birger Steen, CEO of Parallels. “We would like to thank our customers for valuing innovation in our product, which has made Parallels Desktop for Mac the best-selling software for running Windows on Mac computers for seven years running.”

Everyone from business owners and web developers to IT professionals, Mac enthusiasts, parents and students will benefit from the advantages of Parallels Desktop 9. These include increased performance, Power Nap for MacBook in Windows systems and Windows applications, the ability to connect Thunderbolt and Firewire storage devices to Windows virtual machines, enhanced security features and greater flexibility for users with multiple monitors. Parallels Desktop 9 also improves support for Mac gestures in Windows applications and provides Linux users with enhanced integration with the Mac operating system.

Parallels Desktop 9 also delivers significantly higher performance for some very common scenarios and operations, including 40 percent higher disk performance; virtual machines start up and shut down 25 percent faster, and suspending a virtual machine can be up to 20 percent faster than before. 3D graphics and web browsing have also been significantly accelerated, with improvements of up to 15 percent for both.

Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac will also provide customers with an exclusive 6-month subscription to the newly released and highly anticipated Parallels Access app for iPad. It is a breakthrough product for users on the go that makes Windows and Mac applications available on an iPad. It allows customers to access these applications remotely as if they were created for iPad. Users can now enjoy iPad-specific gestures in applications that were not originally designed for iPad. Mac users with Parallels Desktop 9 can also use Windows applications made available through Parallels Access from their iPad. Detailed information about Parallels Access and a free trial are available at www.parallels.com/access.

Key features of Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac

• Cloud services support: Ability to synchronize iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, SkyDrive, etc. with a Mac and Windows virtual machines without unnecessary local duplication of files.
• Enhanced support for Windows 8 and 8.1: Parallels Desktop brings back a real Start menu and allows users to run Metro applications in windows instead of full screen.
• Security Center: Provides easy access to and installation of security software with a free subscription to protect Mac and Windows virtual machines against viruses and malware.
• Enhanced New Virtual Machine Wizard: Setting up a new virtual machine is easier, especially on computers without DVD drives.
• Power Nap support: On Retina MacBook Pro and MacBook Air laptops, Power Nap is now extended to Windows and Windows applications, keeping virtual machines and all Windows applications continuously up to date.
• Mac gestures inside Windows applications: Parallels Desktop now includes, among other things, a dictionary lookup gesture in Windows applications.
• Thunderbolt and Firewire storage device support: To simplify everyday use, users can connect these devices directly to a Windows virtual machine.
• Windows PDF printer: Enables printing from any Windows application to a PDF on the Mac desktop, even when the application itself does not have this feature.
• Multiple monitor settings on connection: When using Windows in full-screen mode and connecting to an external monitor, Parallels Desktop remembers the settings and returns the Windows virtual machine to full-screen mode on the external monitor.
• Keyboard customization: Customizable keyboard shortcuts help tailor the way Windows works.
• Linux guest integration: Users running Linux now have broader and enhanced integration with Mac OS.

 

Availability and pricing

Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac has been available since August 29, 2013 as an upgrade for existing Parallels Desktop for Mac users. The full version will be available to new customers at www.parallels.cz from September 9, 2013 and subsequently from all resellers.

The standard retail price of Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac is CZK 2,097, while the student version costs CZK 1,346. For a limited time, Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac customers will receive a 6-month subscription to Parallels Access for the Mac computer on which Parallels Desktop is installed and activated, valued at USD 39.99. The Parallels Desktop for Mac subscription offer, including business product support, ongoing updates and major version upgrades of Parallels Desktop for Mac Enterprise Edition, is available through the Parallels sales team at http://www.parallels.com/desktop/volume-licensing.

Customers who purchased Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac from an authorized reseller between August 15 and October 31 are entitled to a free upgrade to Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac. Customers who purchased the application from parallels.com or have a registered product activation key will automatically receive an email with instructions on how to upgrade to Parallels Desktop 9. Detailed information can be found at http://www.parallels.com/techguarantee2013.

Parallels Access for iPad is available as a free 14-day trial, with an annual subscription for each computer being accessed costing USD 79.99. Access to Windows devices is currently in beta with an extended 90-day trial period. The app and further information are available online at www.parallels.com/access.

About Parallels
Parallels is a global leader in creating solutions for hosting, cloud services and cross-platform solutions. Founded in 1999, it is a rapidly growing company with 900 employees in North America, Europe and Asia.