VMWare Fusion 2 Ups the Ante for Mac Virtualization Software
VMware has unveiled the first beta of its upcoming Fusion 2.0 virtualization software for Mac OS X. Fusion 2.0, which allows Mac users to run Windows and Linux apps within Mac OS X, features multidisplay support for virtual machines, improved 3-D graphics and easier-to-use "shared" folders for moving documents between your Mac and the guest OS.
The Fusion 2.0 beta is open to the public and VMWare says that 2.0 will be a free upgrade for current Fusion users when it’s released later this year.
Most of the focus for this release is on the multiple monitor support. VMWare is touting Fusion 2.0 beta 1 as the first “true” multidisplay solution for Mac virtual machines. What they mean by that is that even your “Unity” windows can be dragged between monitors and expanded and minimized just like your Mac application windows. That allows you, among other things, to move all your virtual machine windows to a second monitor so that you can have one monitor for Mac apps and one for Windows or Linux apps.
The multiple monitor support also means that any Windows-only apps that require more than one display will work without a hitch.
Gamers will be happy to note that Fusion 2.0 continues the experimental support for DirectX 9.0, this time adding Shader Model 2 (Fusion 1.1 supports DirectX 9.0 without pixel shaders). The new Shader Model 2 support means you can play those PC-only 3-D games in Windows XP virtual machines (the Shader features don’t work with Vista). Naturally, since it’s a beta and the DirectX support is experimental, bugs may be present. The Fusion blog notes that some games that work in VMware Fusion 1.x may fail in this beta.
VMware Fusion 2.0 Beta 1 also includes the ability to convert virtual machines created with competitor Parallels Desktop (or Virtual PC for Mac), making it easy to migrate from one to the other.
Other nice touches in the new Fusion include a much improved shared folder experience, with quick access from the Status bar and Virtual Machine menus. The Virtual Machine Library can now auto-launch virtual machines when Fusion starts up and the VMs will even remember their windows settings so you can go straight into Unity mode.
As with any beta there may be some bugs in Fusion 2.0, though I played around with it for a while last night and had no issues (it also felt a bit faster than the current version of Fusion). We don’t recommend you replace Fusion 1.1 if it’s a critical part of your workflow, but if you’d like to give the beta a try, head over to the Fusion site and grab the download.
For a detailed look at Fusion 2.0 in action, check out this video which includes a rather over-the-top scenario - a Mac with 8 monitors attached - to show off the new multiple display support:
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