VMWare 4.1 for Mac promises performance fixes

VMWare has updated its range of virtualization products for Mac, Windows and Linux. The biggest update is VMWare Fusion 4.1 for Mac, which addresses a number of issues raised by users, including poor performance and the loss of certain features such as being able to automatically load virtual machines on application launch.

Also updated are VMWare Workstation 8.0.1 and the free VMWare Player 4.0.1 tool for Windows and Linux.

The most radical improvements are seen in the new VMWare Fusion 4.1. VMWare says the new update --which is free to all version 4.0 users -- comes from listening hard to its customer base, suggesting reaction to its initial release two months ago hasn’t been as universally popular as it might have liked. Some of the changes may also have resulted from unfavorable comparisons made to Parallels Desktop 7.0, which was released around the same time.

As a result, the new update delivers major changes across the board. First, VMWare Fusion 4.1 now supports native full-screen mode in Lion. A short delay has been added when the user rolls the mouse to the top of the screen so the menu bar doesn’t appear immediately, allowing the user to use the full real estate afforded by full-screen mode without worrying about triggering the menu.

One feature dropped from version 4.0 -- the ability to automatically launch a guest OS when VMWare Fusion is loaded -- has been reinstated after a customer outcry. The setting, the “Start automatically when VMWare Fusion launches” tick box, can be found under Settings > General.

Fusion 4.1 also promises better graphics performance, particularly when running Internet Explorer 9 in guest mode (VMWare promises performance up to six times faster in version 4.1). Graphics performance is also improved in OS X 10.7.2, while Windows 7 guest OSes should now start up quicker than before.

Other changes include improved mouse performance in OS X Lion guests and faster screen resizing when switching to and from Unity and Full Screen modes. The update is rounded off by numerous bug fixes -- see the release notes for full details.

In contrast, both VMWare Workstation 8.0.1 and VMWare Player 4.0.1 receive only minor updates. Both updates deliver better graphics performance and compatibility, plus tweaks to improve the creation and use of shared and remote virtual machines. Ubuntu 11.10 is officially supported as a guest OS, while various issues -- some customer-raised and others related to disk and memory management -- have been addressed.

VMWare Fusion 4.1 is available as a free trial download for Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and later. Both VMWare Workstation 8.0.1 (trial) and VMWare Player 4.0.1 (freeware) are available for download for PCs running supported versions of Windows or Linux.