Press Release 841 Published by

A press release from Parallels:

HERNDON, Va. – August 23rd, 2006 - Parallels announced it is beginning public beta testing for Parallels Workstation 2.2 for Windows and Linux, which delivers faster performance, better OS stability and stronger virtual machine isolation than previous versions. This comes just two weeks after launching beta testing for a new, improved version of Parallels Desktop for Mac.



Parallels Workstation enables users to simultaneously run any version of Windows, any Linux distribution, Solaris, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OS/2, eComStation or DOS, in a stable, secure virtual machine on any computer running Windows 2000, XP or 2003, or any version of Linux. No re-booting or partitioning is required, and users never need to shut down or leave their home desktop to access a virtual machine.

Parallels Workstation 2.2 beta offers a number of key improvements:

* A new, more user-friendly look and feel.
* Support for AMD Secure Virtual Machine Technology (SVM) for better virtual machine performance and stability.
* Better USB support, including support for USB devices that run Windows Mobile 2005.
* Better networking, including automatic bridging to the available network via the default adapter, WiFi support in Linux, and the ability to change network and bridge type “on the fly.”
* An easy-to-set-up, easy-to-use shared folders utility that lets users quickly share files and folders between operating systems and programs.
* Broader guest OS support, including stronger support for Sun Solaris and full support for NetBSD.
* Improved full-screen mode in which guest OSes are automatically re-sized to the native screen resolution for a perfect full-screen fit.
* Better video support, including support for dynamic primary OS video modes, custom video modes, and 32 bpp video modes.
* Full Unicode support lets users name files in any language.
* Better sound playback and recording in virtual machines.
* An improved Parallels Tools package makes using Parallels Workstation even more comfortable and convenient, and a more powerful Parallels Image tool helps users quickly create .iso images and re-size virtual hard drives.

A complete list of new features and upgrades is available at http://www.parallels.com/en/products/workstation/update_beta/

“We’re rolling out a new, more powerful version of Parallels Workstation for Windows and Linux only four months after releasing our last update,” said Benjamin Rudolph, Marketing Manager, Parallels. “This results from the support and feedback from our tens of thousands of worldwide users and our commitment to a deep engagement with Windows and Linux users.”

New, as well as current, Parallels users can download and evaluate the beta for free at http://www.parallels.com/en/download/workstation/update/. Current users should note that after installing Workstation 2.2 beta, they will not need to re-install their guest operating system, nor will they lose any data saved in their virtual hard drive.

Parallels welcomes user feedback, comments, questions, bug reports and feature requests, which can be submitted to the Parallels Support Team at http://www.parallels.com/en/support/p,6/ or via e-mail to beta@parallels.com.

As with all release updates, current Parallels customers will be upgraded automatically to the final release version of Workstation 2.2 at no charge. The final release of Workstation 2.2 is expected to be available in the next several weeks.

About Parallels
Parallels is a server and workstation virtualization solutions company committed to building powerful, user-friendly, cost-effective products that can be used by any Windows, Linux or Mac user to improve efficiency, lower hardware costs, and reduce operating expenses. The company’s products all feature hypervisor technology for strong, stable virtual machines, and an intuitive web-like interface that facilitates quick setup and usage. Additionally, Parallels solutions fully support Intel Virtualization Technology and AMD Secure Virtual Machine Technology, which are optimized to provide superior virtual machine performance. The company is growing rapidly and employs a global team of experienced technical and business professionals. For more information, please visit www.parallels.com.