Parallels Desktop 11 claims to improve startup and shutdown times for virtual machines by as much as 50 percent. Running Windows as a virtual machine on a Mac requires a considerable amount of memory and processor power, so the developers at Parallels continue to fine-tune the program's performance. The Business Edition includes all these features, along with additional tools for IT managers who need to administer and deploy site licenses of the software, or create and manage standardised virtual machines for their staff.
The Pro Edition is aimed at developers and other power users, and supports tools such as Visual Studio and Docker for developing and testing applications on a variety of VMs running different operating systems. The Business Edition of Parallels includes additional features for IT managers. The Cortana window then pops up from the Dock on the Mac desktop and lists options for my meeting. So, while I'm typing this review in Apple's Pages wordprocessor, I can say "Hey Cortana - schedule a meeting".
Parallels Desktop 11 therefore pulls off quite a trick by allowing Cortana to not only run within a Windows 10 virtual machine, but also to run with the VM hidden or running in the background while you work in native Mac apps. Cortana is often compared to Apple's Siri, but Siri is currently only available on Apple's iOS devices and doesn't run on the Mac. One of the headline features in Windows 10 is Cortana, the 'personal assistant' that lets you use voice commands to find information on the web, send messages and perform a variety of other tasks.
The most impressive aspect of Parallels Desktop 11 is not simply that it allows you to run Windows as a virtual machine (VM) on the Mac (along with various versions of Unix, and even Android and ChromeOS too), but that it continues to integrate the Mac and Windows environments so that features from each operating system become almost interchangeable. You can use Cortana running in a virtual machine even when using native Mac apps. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping.