Parallels has released a new beta of Parallels Desktop 3.0, the company’s virtual machine software for Intel Macs. The new update is available for download from the Parallels Web site.
Parallels Desktop enables Intel-based Macs to run Windows and other operating systems and accompanying software without having to reboot the Mac, unlike Apple’s Boot Camp software, which is included as part of Leopard.
The latest beta build — version 5540 — features support for Mac OS X v10.5, and also adds the ability to use two identical CD or DVD drives in virtual machines.
The company also reports that Transporter can be used to cleanly migrate a Boot Camp partition to a Parallels virtual machine, along with better video performance and better 3D performance. The new release also integrates support for Spaces, Leopard’s new multi-desktop tool. You can use Coherence across multiple spaces, or work with operating systems in full-screen mode as an individual space.