VMWare has updated its popular software package Fusion, which allows Mac users to run Windows on the Mac OS X desktop. Fusion 1.1.2 addresses a number of bugs, adds support for MacBook Air CD/DVD drives and lays the foundations for those looking to upgrade to Windows XP Service Pack 3.

MacBook Air owners will be happy to note one major fix: the bug which caused Fusion to crash when a virtual CD/DVD drive was connected to the virtual machine, but there was no CD/DVD drive connected to the Air. Also new is support for burning CD and DVDs with the MacBook Air’s USB Superdrive.

Another welcome change for those running OS X 10.5 is that you can now backup virtual machines using Time Machine. Previously a bug in OS X prevented Time Machine from handling virtual machines correctly, but the OS X 10.5.2 update solved that issue, and Fusion has been updated to support Time Machine backups.

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The team behind the MacHeist software promotions has announced a new retail bundle. The bundle of Mac shareware applications can be purchased directly from the MacHeist site for $50, and, if all goes according to plan, will be available in stores later this year.

If you missed out on the online deals earlier this year, or if you want to fill out your collection of software packaging materials, the MacHeist retail bundle is your friend.

So far the details are a bit thin, but it doesn’t appear that the retail bundle will feature any additional MacHeist-style shenanigans. However, as with other MacHeist efforts, 25 percent of the purchase price will go to select charities. The team has also produced a slick, high-quality video teaser for MacHeist’s retail release.

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Roxio will be announcing a new version of Toast Titanium, its CD/DVD creation tool for the Mac, later today. Toast 9 brings Blu-ray video to the table and also adds the ability to stream TiVo recordings and other video content to your iPhone/iPod Touch.

Other changes in the new version of Toast include a revamped user interface that offers a larger, easier-to-read capacity meter, a new top-level tab dedicated to media format conversion and other niceties like QuickLook support in Toast’s media browser.

For many users though the big news in Toast 9 is the Blu-ray support which means you can finally burn that AVCHD camera footage to an HD disc from your Mac. The Blu-ray video authoring comes via an HD/BD Plug-in, which will be available separately from Toast 9. The additional plugin in a free download through the end of March, after which it will set you back $20.

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