Apple users can now have Microsoft’s Cortana personal assistant running on their Macs, along with other Windows 10 features, when they install the latest Parallels Desktop 11 software.
The virtual desktop software has long been used by Mac users to run Windows seamlessly, as they switch between programs from the two operating systems.
The latest version, unveiled last week, promises to bring some of Windows 10’s most talked about features to Mac desktops, without having them exit their familiar interfaces.
Cortana, the smart assistant that answers voice commands, can be set to be always-on with a Mac desktop. Users simply call it up to ask, say, what’s the best Italian restaurant nearby, as if they are running Windows natively.
The feature is particularly handy because Apple hasn’t brought its popular Siri service from iOS devices onto Mac computers yet. It’s one key feature that Parallels hopes to sell its virtual desktop software with.
The latest version also hopes to bring other Windows 10 features, such as Microsoft’s updated Edge browser, to Mac users.
Key to this is Parallels’ Coherence mode, which lets users use both Mac and Windows side by side. An icon on the OS X menu bar now shows Windows notifications, bringing a more seamless experience for the two operating systems.
Under the hood, improvements promised include faster boot up time – up to 50 per cent – for Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. Battery life is said to be extended by 15 per cent, thanks to background tasks being switched off when a laptop is unplugged from a wall plug.
Parallels Desktop 11 runs on current Macs and is ready for the upcoming OS X El Capitan, said the company’s representatives in Singapore last week for a launch here.
The new software comes in three versions. The plain vanilla one that most users will buy is priced at S$108. Existing users of Parallels Desktop 9 or 10 can upgrade for S$68. This is a one-time cost.
A pro edition with developer tools to run various virtual machines for debugging is sold as a subscription for S$134 a year.
The same price is charged for a business edition aimed at IT administrators who wish to deploy multiple setups through a centralised management console.
