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TidBITS Watchlist: Notable Software Updates for 8 September 2014

VMware Fusion 7.0 and Fusion 7.0 Professional — Ensuring compatibility with OS X Yosemite as well as the latest Mac hardware, VMware has updated its popular virtualization package VMware Fusion to version 7.0 with standard and Professional editions. In addition to adopting Yosemite’s look and feel (with translucent windows and streamlined toolbars), both editions increase energy efficiency to improve battery life when running on a Mac laptop; support the latest Intel Core i5, i7, and Xeon E5 processors (with up to 43 percent improved performance from
multimedia, encryption, and decryption operations); and provide optimized Retina display support for Windows applications. In addition to the features found in the standard edition, Fusion 7 Professional adds support for a wider variety of operating systems, the capability to manage virtual machines remotely on vSphere servers, support for using a Mac’s iSight camera within a Windows virtual machine, and optimization for dual graphics processors on the MacBook Pro (enabling those with discrete and integrated GPUs to choose one or the other).

If you have a license for VMware Fusion 5 or 6, you can upgrade to the standard edition for $49.99, while VMware Fusion Professional 5 or 6 can be upgraded for $79.99. If you purchased version 6 of either edition on or after 1 August 2014, you are eligible for a free electronic upgrade. Note that VMware Fusion’s price has increased for both editions, moving to $69.99 from the $59.99 charged for the standard edition last year (see “VMware Fusion 6 and Fusion 6 Professional,” 8 September 2013) and upping the Professional edition to $149.99 from $129.99. The standard edition upgrade remains the same price, while the Professional edition jumps $10 in price from last year. ($69.99/149.99
new, $49.99/$79.99 upgrade, 341 MB, release notes)

Read/post comments about VMware Fusion 7.0 and Fusion 7.0 Professional.

Mailplane 3.3 — Uncomplex has released Mailplane 3.3, which now automatically signs out accounts with empty passwords as well as clearing cookies and caches when quitting. The Gmail-specific email client also enables you to preview and download attachments shared from Google Drive, plus open Google Docs in an external Web browser. The release also fixes the bulleted list insertion (Command-Shift-8) so that it works in a pop-out window, prevents inline images from being inserted into plain text messages, opens Google Hangouts if opened via a Google Calendar event, and ensures that print works if a language other than English was
selected. ($24.95 new, free update, 17.4 MB, release notes, 10.7+)

Read/post comments about Mailplane 3.3.

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