As a result, it seems that for the foreseeable future, VMware will remain a generation behind Parallels.

Explainer: Virtualization Vs. Boot Camp

Products that use virtualization are, of course, not the only option for running Windows on an Intel Mac. The other option is Apple's dual-boot system called Boot Camp. The primary advantage to virtualization is that a user doesn't have to leave the Mac OS X environment or restart the computer to run Windows because it is in a virtual environment within Mac OS X. Virtualization also offers support for a much wider range of Windows versions as well as other operating systems.

One major point in favor of Boot Camp is that the end-user license agreements for Windows Vista restrict its use in virtualized environments. This means that users wishing to run Vista with either Parallels or Fusion will need to purchase the more expensive Business or Ultimate editions of Vista. Even when using those, Microsoft forbids use of the digital rights management technologies that are built into Windows and recommends against the use of third-party DRM products as well.

This means that users should consider carefully whether or not to purchase Vista for use with virtualization products. The better option might be Boot Camp if Vista is being used for access to protected content from services not available for Mac OS X.