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VMware Fusion updated for Leopard, adds Importer

VMware on Monday announced the release of VMware Fusion 1.1, an update to its “virtual machine” software for Intel-based Macs. A free update for registered users, VMware Fusion costs $79.99.

Fusion enables Intel-based Mac users to run other X86-based operating systems like Windows and Linux at the same time as they’re running Mac OS X; the software operates the other operating systems as “virtual machines” running simultaneously with the host operating system.

The 1.1 update adds official support for Mac OS X v10.5 “Leopard,” and further improves 3D graphics support, with experimental support for DirectX 9.0. Unity, which lets users minimize Windows applications to the Mac OS X Dock, switch between Mac and Windows apps using Exposé and more, has also been improved. Support has been added for Vista Boot Camp partitions as virtual machines, and the software has been localized for French, German and Japanese. Performance has been improved as well.

VMware has also introduced VMware Importer, a new beta application that lets Fusion users import virtual machines created using VMware Fusion’s principal Mac rival, Parallels Desktop. You can download it from the “ Drivers & Tools ” tab on the VMware Fusion 1.1 download page.