We’ve seen this dance before: a few weeks ago Parallels introduced its latest Desktop 7 Windows virtualization software for Macs, and right on cue, VMware has released its response in the form of Fusion 4 ($50). Although there are more than 90 new features, the company is focusing on three main selling points. Fusion 4 is designed for OS X Lion, even more Mac-like, and offers turbocharged performance.
The software integrates many of Lion’s new features such as Mission Control and Launchpad into the Windows environment, making the experience of running the two operating systems at the same time as seamless as possible. You can even run your PC apps in Full Screen mode. Just like Parallels Desktop 7, Fusion 4 allows you to run a second instance of Lion as a virtual machine thanks to Apple’s licensing of the OS. Interestingly, VMware hasn’t placed Fusion 4 in the Mac App Store, and instead is selling the app as a digital download from the company’s website. If you want a physical copy, it ships on a flash drive. The price jumps to $80 in January, so if you think you’re interested in running Windows on your Mac, you have a few months to compare your options.
