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Parallels has announced, by way of a blog posting, the release of Parallels Desktop Beta 3036, a “free” update of the currently available version. Parallels allows you to switch back and forth between Mac OS X and XP without rebooting

New and / or improved features are said to include:

• New look and feel, improved usability
• Virtual machines catalogue
• One-click virtual machine aliases:
• Automatically created by OS installation assistant
• Clicking on alias automatically starts the VM
• Shutting down a VM automatically closes Parallels

More …

You can only use this to restore the firmware after an interrupted or failed update. If your computer is already in this state, you’ll need to download the software and create the CD on another Macintosh computer, or you can take your computer to an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider to restore your firmware. This CD can be created on both PowerPC and Intel-based Macintosh computers.

This CD cannot be used to return an Intel-based Macintosh computer’s firmware to a previous version if a successful update has already been performed. More …

Apple has released a quintet of firmware updates that address Boot Camp, start up and wake-from-sleep issues with the company’s iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac mini and Mac Pro product lines, essentially the whole enchilada.

Here are the links:

• iMac EFI Firmware Update 1.1
• MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.2
• MacBook EFI Firmware Update 1.0
• Mac mini EFI Firmware Update 1.1
• Mac Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.1

Apple’s offering the following info each of these updates:

This EFI Firmware Update fixes several Boot Camp, start up, and wake-from-sleep issues on [model name] computers.

Macmini has a detailed transformation of a G4 Cube to a Mac mini Cube running a Core Duo Intel CPU. What gets sacrificed is a Intel Mac mini. A very exciting project. More …

CNET posted computer ratings with a link on the front page entitled “Best desktop PCs we’ve ever seen.” It leads to ratings in five categories, three of which Apple took top honors:

Mainstream PCs - 17″ iMac

Media Center - 24″ iMac

Business - 17″ iMac

In “Budget PCs” the Mac Mini came in second but with a caveat that “… if you want a small, innocuous computer for sending or receiving media or other files between rooms, no other computer offers the deal that Apple has with this one.”

In “Performance PCs” the Apple Mac Pro tied for second place with an “Excellent” rating at 8.0, with a Dell costing $1,500 more grading out at 8.1. More …

Ars Technica reports that Parallels Desktop has made its way into retail Apple stores. “In a phone conversation this morning, a company representative stated that Parallels’ desktop software has been made available in at least some Apple retail stores as early as this past Saturday, July 15th. The representative also noted that sales were going extremely well with the SoHo Apple store in NYC selling out of the boxed product on the same day it hit the shelves. More …

The freeware, handbrake will rip a DVD to an MPEG-4 file which can be converted to iTunes and then play on a 5th generation iPod. Garry Barker does a review of handbrake on Tech.

Another use of handbrake is to rip DVD’s on your Intel Mac mini. The mini comes with Front Row. If the mini is connected to your home entertainment system, all those MEPG-4 movies can be viewed on your wide screen, LCD or Plasma TV using QuickTime or Front Row..

The SMC (System Management Control) Firmware Update addresses boot issues with the Mac mini. More …

The Front Row Update delivers a variety of fixes for better reliability and compatibility when playing music, photos, and videos on your Macintosh.

Bugs fixed in 1.2.2 include:
- Addresses bugs that prevented song shuffling within playlists
- Front row no longer says the server was not found when its waiting for a large movie trailer or long shared video to load
- Corrects bugs that prevented authorized Audible Audiobooks from playing
- Fixes a variety of DVD compatibility issues
- Purchased movies located in the Movies folder are now correctly recognized
- Includes a variety of fixes for VoiceOver accessibility
- Fixes a bug that prevented Front Row from reconnecting to shared video libraries after wake from sleep

What’s New in this Version
- With Front Row, you can enjoy full-screen music, photos, videos, and DVDs on your Macintosh using a simple Apple remote control. This Front Row update provides a variety of fixes for better reliability.