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Introducing Coherence

Wednesday, December 13th, 2006  |  Tom Carmony

I’ve been a big fan of Parallels Desktop since it’s initial release. For the uninitiated, Parallels is a virtualization solution for Intel-based Macs that allows you to run multiple operating systems simultaneously within OS X. Thus, I can run Windows XP within it’s own self-contained window on my desktop, alongside by usual Mac software. It’s an excellent solution for those who prefer the Mac environment but may still need to run a few PC-only programs. Here at Bainbridge, we utilize Parallels to more easily test websites and HTML emails across both Mac and PC systems, all on one machine, all on the same screen.

This week, the fine folks at Parallels have upped the ante, releasing an ambitious Beta upgrade to Parallels. It includes a number of significant new features, including drag and drop copying (the ability to simply drag and drop files between operating systems).

What really caught my eye, and what I think will really impress a lot of other folks, is the introduction of Coherence, a Parallels framework that basically hides much of the extraneous Windows desktop, showing just the actively running window/programs. So, what’s the big deal? The big deal is that now you can literally run Internet Explorer, Outlook, Office 2007, etc. side by side with Safari, iLife, and more, without having to switch between desktops.

Checkout these screen caps taken on my MacBook Pro. The first features a neat trick for hiding/revealing the Windows XP toolbar (using it’s Auto Hide function) by tucking it under the OS X menu bar at the top of the screen. All of my XP software is just a couple clicks away, but I don’t have to fully jump back and forth betwen the two operating systems to access them.

The second screen cap below showcases the side-by-side effect; Internet Explorer 6 and Safari are both open onscreen and I can easily jump between the two.

 
 

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