VMWare Fusion 5 Hits With Mountain Lion And Windows 8 Support

Looking to run Windows on your Mac? You aren't alone, and if you're a fan of using VMWare to make that magic happen, there's a new build begging for your attention. VMWare Fusion 5 is the latest and greatest, announced this week as an optimized version that caters to the newer technologies found in Mountain Lion, Windows 8 and the newest Mac hardware. In addition, VMware is introducing VMware Fusion 5 Professional with new capabilities designed to dramatically improve the way businesses deliver applications to users on Macs and PCs. Moreover, this build is ready for Windows 8, so keep that in mind if you were considering an OS X / Win8 dual-boot machine in the coming months. Both the standard and pro builds are available now for $50 and $100, respectively, and the full list of improvements can be found below.

VMware Fusion 5

The VMware Fusion 5 product family offers the easiest, fastest and most reliable way to run Windows on a Mac for individual or business use. VMware Fusion 5 has been revamped to take advantage of new technologies only available in Mountain Lion, Windows 8 and the latest Macs to deliver a Windows on Mac experience never seen before. New features include:
- Designed for Mountain Lion – Run Windows on Mountain Lion and search Windows programs in Launchpad, use "AirPlay Mirroring" to stream Mac and Windows applications on an HDTV and get VMware Fusion notifications in Mountain Lion's notification center.
- Windows 8 Optimization – VMware Fusion 5 supports Windows 8 standard, pro and enterprise editions so consumers can optimize the new Windows 8 "Metro" environment directly on a Mac.
- Enhanced Mac Support – Support for the latest Mac technologies include compatibility with Mountain Lion, retina display optimization, USB 3 connectivity, and improved support for large memory Macs.
- Next Generation Performance – Performance enhancements include up to 40% faster general performance speeds compared to the previous version of the product, improved power management for longer battery life and faster 3D graphics.
- Additional Functionalities – New, powerful ways to experience Windows on a Mac are available through an updated virtual machine library that enables seamless transitions between multiple operating systems, one click snapshots with improved graphical appearance, a brand new graphics driver for Linux 3D desktops, and a new embedded learning center for immediate support.

VMware Fusion 5 Professional
VMware Fusion 5 Professional includes all the features of Fusion 5 plus new capabilities that will improve the way professionals deliver business applications to Mac users. Key benefits include:
- Open the Doors to Macs – Whether business applications run on Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8 or one of more than 200 other operating systems, VMware Fusion 5 is designed to ensure maximum compatibility with the applications users need.
- Create Restricted Virtual Machines – Create an encrypted corporate image that meets the needs of employees and enables productivity from their first power-on. To avoid tampering of the corporate image, restrictions can prevent users from changing virtual machine settings or attaching USB devices to Windows.
- Easy Deployment Across Multiple Platforms – VMware Fusion 5 Professional includes a commercial license of VMware Player™ 5 to deploy and run restricted virtual machines on Macs, Windows and Linux systems. So regardless of the underlying platform, VMware Fusion 5 Professional gives users the business applications they need.
- Reduce Support Costs – Reduce support costs by directing end-users to customized Web resources directly from VMware Fusion 5 Professional's Help menu.
- Easy Management – VMware Fusion 5 Professional is a full perpetual license which activates both VMware Fusion 5 Professional and VMware Player 5.