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Apple Drops Boot Camp from Mac Ad, Adds Parallels

by , 8:15 AM EDT, June 27th, 2006

Apple Computer has replaced the reference to Boot Camp in its Touché commercial with Parallels Desktop. The commercial highlights the Mac's ability to run Windows as well as Mac OS X. The original version of the commercial notes in small type that Boot Camp is required, but the new version replaces the small type with "Purchase of Windows and Parallels software required."


Apple's revised Touché ad.

Apple's Get a Mac Web site also references Parallels instead of Boot Camp. The Boot Camp page is still available on the Apple Web site.

It is widely believed that Apple will include some type of support for running Windows or Windows-based applications in Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard), but it's not clear if that support would be Boot Camp-style (reboot your Mac as a Windows machine) or Parallels-style (run Windows in a Window inside Mac OS X).

Thanks to TMO reader Marv for pointing out the revised Get a Mac ad in the reader forums.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:ziploc Posts: 14 Joined: 10 Jul 2001
Subject: Never Boot Camp

Actually all it said originally was "Purchase of Windows XP required"

Close Name:VSeward -   TMO Staff Posts: 971 Joined: 28 Jun 2001
Subject: Widely Believed...

It makes sense for Apple to give the boot to Boot Camp and embrace Parallels; running 2 OSes concurrently IS the way to go , not rebooting everytine you want to swap an OS.

How much you wanna bet that Apple buys Parallels?

Vern Seward

Close Name:Tiger Posts: 940 Joined: 17 Jun 2003
Subject: Hey Vern...

This sounds vaguely familiar....

Close Name:Mikuro Posts: 448 Joined: 15 Jun 2002
Subject: Both have their place

I'd much prefer a method like Parallels for most things, but it wouldn't be great for gaming, which is of course the #1 reason to use Windows. Even if they got graphics card support (which I expect will happen sooner or later), running one OS within another OS will always slow things down to a degree, especially with memory-hungry apps.

I don't expect Apple to buy Parallels, because by the time Leopard comes out, Parallels will be old technology. Instead, I think Apple will make use of the virtualization technology in Intel's newer chips (not available in the current models), and also support Boot Camp-style booting. That way you could run the two side-by-side, or boot straight into Windows if you need 100% of your power. And you'd do this with the same OS installation, which is currently not possible with Parallels.

But personally, I won't cry if Apple does buy Parallels. Even in its current flawed state, it's everything I would need it to be — a great way to test software and web sites I make and play 80s/90s-era games.

Close Name:Terrin Posts: 357 Joined: 29 Jan 2006
Subject:

Not referencing BootCamp makes sense because BootCamp is Beta software, not a shipping product.

In addition, Apple should not abandon BootCamp because of Parallel. Parallel has limitations that BootCamp does not. If I am going to play a Windows only game for a few hours I would much prefer Bootcamp, and rebooting into Windows is not so much of a pain.

Close Name:brett_x Posts: 312 Joined: 24 Jan 2006
Subject: Is it game?

My only reservation on this whole thing is that rebooting into Windows gives you full-speed hardware including graphics capabilities. Right now, that is not the case with Parallels.
When I get an Intel Mac, I want to be able to play games on it occasionally. And since Apple doesn't seem to be embracing that concept in OSX, Boot Camp is a really good alternative to buying yet another PC just for games.
I wonder, though, if they changed the wording because Boot Camp is still officially in Beta. It is probably just a legal issue. Though I do expect dual OS functionality in Leopard.

Close Name:mac-a-licious Posts: 2 Joined: 27 Jun 2006
Subject: HD version of the Touche

the HD version of the Touche commercial states that only "Windows XP is required." Parallels isn't even mentioned!

Close Name:Mav Posts: 1157 Joined: 17 Oct 2003
Subject:

I don't remember having ever seen a reference to Boot Camp in the ads either -- just "Windows XP required."

Given what Apple did with Rosetta, I'm thinking it could just as well license Parallels technology rather than buy the entire company outright, though given their relative sizes the purchase would be child's play for Apple (or residual interest income from Braeburn Capital, or whatever )

Close Name:VSeward -   TMO Staff Posts: 971 Joined: 28 Jun 2001
Subject: Ref: Hey Vern...

Quote
Tiger wrote:
This sounds vaguely familiar....



Familiar? Whatever do you mean??

This is the Darwinian Theory at its best.

(In a Aussi voice) Ere we ave the wiley Mactel in its natural abitat. Isn't e a beaut! AND LOOK! There's something ya don't see everyday: It's showing both OS X and Windows mating colors AT THE SAME TIME! Crikey!"

Vern Seward

Close Name:Rainy Day Posts: 607 Joined: 07 Jun 2005
Subject: Improving Parallels’ speed?

From the web site:

PD Tweaker is an Application Enhancer (APE) plugin that addresses a few shortcomings in Parallels Desktop 1.0 for Intel-based Macintoshes.


It has two major features which can be enabled separately:


  • Optimizes caching for HDD and SAV files

    A much better caching strategy for these files is actually no caching at all. Caching large files is actually harmful to your Mac's overall performance. HDD files do not need caching because the client OS will already have a cache layer. SAV files are streamed in and out and don't need to reside in the disk cache.

  • Always writes HDD and SAV files all the way to disk

    Your data is precious. Especially data like a HDD file that took you hours to install and configure. Shouldn't you treat it that way?

Close Name:smindeaux Posts: 1 Joined: 17 Jun 2002
Subject: If you dig deeper on that page..

On the same page if you click on Reason #6 it talks about using Parallels and doesn't mention BootCamp:

Talk about a win-win situation. Now you can take advantage of all the benefits of owning a Mac but still enjoy the convenience of starting up your Mac in Windows XP and running a Windows-only game or productivity application when needed. Third-party software solutions such as Parallels Desktop for Mac help make it possible.

That’s a prospect that has the Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg very excited. “You can run any combination of Mac and Windows programs at the same time, on the same screen.” For example, you could “simultaneously download your corporate email in Outlook using Windows while editing a home video in iMovie using the Mac OS.” Or how about this multi-tasking example from Mossberg: “I was able to do email in Apple’s Mail program while simultaneously watching a baseball game in Internet Explorer.”

And the latitude Parallels Desktop for Mac lends New York Times tech columnist David Pogue has him raving: “I just can’t tell you how handy it is to be able to live in Mac OS X but have the flexibility to duck into the occasional Windows program without having to restart the Mac.” How’s that for opening up a whole new world of possibilities?

If you’ve ever wished you could enjoy the best of both worlds, now you can. With a Mac.

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