Run Windows Apps without Windows, 2.33 GHz Core Duo Shipping, Parallels Desktop Review, and More

Compiled by Charles Moore and edited by Dan Knight - 2006.07.06

This Week's Macintel News

We've had Virtual PC and other x86 emulators. We've had VNC, which let you remotely control a Windows PC from your Mac. And we've had Boot Camp and Parallels Desktop - all solutions that let you run Windows from your Mac. Now comes CrossOver Mac, a version of WINE ported to OS X that will let Intel-based Macs run Windows apps without any need for a copy of Windows.

In other news, Intel is now shipping 2.33 GHz Core Duo CPUs, which could pave the way for speed bumps and Macworld looks at Parallels Desktop.

PowerBook, iBook, and other portable computing news is covered in The 'Book Review. General Apple and Mac desktop news is covered in The Mac News Review.

• Run Windows Apps under Mac OS X without Windows
• CrossOver Mac Is Coming!
• Intel Ships 2.33 GHz Mobile Core Duo
• Apple Mac Upgrades Accelerate the Intel Transition
• Macworld Reviews Parallels Desktop
• The Intel Transition: A Rush to Market!
• Mac Pro to Sport Case Redesign for Intel Era?

Run Windows Apps under Mac OS X without Windows

Mac on Intel reports:

"Want to play Half-Life 2 under Mac OS X? How about running Microsoft Office XP, Lotus Notes, or Visio - all without Windows? Do it, and soon, with CodeWeavers' CrossOver Mac, which will be arriving in late July or early August this year, for a retail price of $59.95. And you read right, you don't need a copy of Windows."

"How does CodeWeavers do it without requiring a copy of Windows? CrossOver is based on Wine (Wine Is Not an Emulator), which is a compatibility layer that provides alternative (native) implementations of the DLLs that Windows programs call at runtime."

Link: Run Windows Apps under Mac OS X - without Windows

CrossOver Mac Is Coming!

PR: CrossOver Mac - CodeWeavers' latest Windows-compatability product - is on its way. Intended for Intel Mac OS X machines, CrossOver Mac will allow Mac users to run their favorite Windows applications seamlessly on their Mac, without the need for a Windows OS license of any kind. Below are answers to some of the questions we are receiving on the product.

Late July/Early August 2006

We intend for it to run all the applications that our current CrossOver Office product runs, with some new additions in the Microsoft 2003 version products. We also hope to offer support for a limited number of games. However, the final mix of supported applications is still being determined.

CrossOver Mac will be priced at $59.95 for a single copy. Volume and Educational discounts will apply. CrossOver Mac will come with 1 year of both Level 2 support and free product upgrades from CodeWeavers.

Link: CrossOver Mac

Intel Ships 2.33 GHz Mobile Core Duo

The Register's Tony Smith reports:

"Intel has added the 2.33 GHz Core Duo T2700 mobile microprocessor to its list of available CPUs after quietly launching the part this month."

Link: Intel Ships Top-of-the-line Core Duo

Apple Mac Upgrades Accelerate the Intel Transition

Macworld UK reports:

"Apple continues to benefit from the adrenalin injection of making a migration to Intel processors, and seems ready to ramp up change in its Mac range as a result of the deal with the company.

"While PowerPC development was relatively slow in the past, impacting on the available processor speeds - and therefore model upgrades Apple could perform across its computer range - Intel continues to press on with rapid development of new processors and architectures."

Link: Apple Mac Upgrades Accelerate the Intel Transition

Macworld Reviews Parallels Desktop

Macworld's Rob Griffiths reports:

"For many Mac users, running Windows applications is a necessity. Perhaps your employer uses software that's available only for Windows, or requires use of a Web site that relies on some Windows-only technology. For years, these users haven't had many options. Microsoft's Virtual PC was the best choice, but even on the fastest Macs, it provided a less-than-speedy Windows experience.

"Apple's switch to Intel CPUs, however, means that running Windows on a Mac is suddenly much easier - there is no longer a need to emulate an entire CPU, as new Macs now use the same CPU as their Windows counterparts. This means that, in theory, running Windows on OS X should be both simpler and much faster than it was with Virtual PC."

Link: Parallels Desktop for Mac

The Intel Transition: A Rush to Market!

Gene Steinberg, the Mac Night Owl, says:

"In the scheme of things, Apple has done some incredible work over the years in making major system transitions. First it was the adoption of the PowerPC, beginning in 1994, and the various and sundry work developers had to do to make their products "native." Of course the migration to Mac OS X, with the public beta reaching your hands in September of 2000, represented a similar disruption."

Link: The Intel Transition: A Rush to Market!

Mac Pro to Sport Case Redesign for Intel Era?

The Register's Tony Smith reports:

"Apple's pro-oriented desktop Mac will not only sport a new name and a new Intel processor when it launches at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) next month but also a new case design.

"So claims website Think Secret, which reckons the Mac Pro enclosure will be broadly similar to the current machine - expect an aluminium casing with a vent mesh - it will nonetheless stand out from the PowerPC-based Power Mac G5."

Link: Mac Pro to Sport Case Redesign for Intel Era?