The people at VMware Inc. have issued a new beta update to their powerful virtualization solution for Mac OS , VMware Fusion. VMware Fusion allows Intel Macs to run x86 operating systems, like Windows, Linux, NetWare and Solaris, in a virtual machine, side by side with Mac OS X.

The release of VMware Fusion 2.0.6 Beta 1 is marked solely by bug fixes, which include the mouse losing focus on Snow Leopard hosts; driverless printing fails after an upgrade install of Mac OS X Snow Leopard or Snow Leopard Software Update VMware Fusion 2 claims to be unlicensed after upgrading to Snow Leopard; fix corrupt Windows application icons in Unity on Snow Leopard hosts; slow 3D graphics on Macs with NVIDIA graphics cards running Snow Leopard; installation would fail in some cases due to permissions problems; and sound would stop playing after the virtual machine is resumed.

Fusion runs Windows inside a secure and isolated virtual machine. Unlike free virtualization solutions such as Sun Microsystem’s VirtualBox, VMware Fusion fully integrates the guest OS with the host and its hardware, offering support for features like copy/paste and drag & drop, among many others. As noted in our extensive review, the key features of VMware Fusion include:

– Run Windows applications on your Intel Mac without the need to reboot;
– Launch your Windows applications from the Dock, or even from your Mac files;
– Share data between your Mac and Windows applications by dragging and dropping;
– Copy and paste, and mirrored folders;
– Mac-native user interface designed to integrate seamlessly with Mac OS X, including Cover Flow, Quick Look, and Apple Help integration;
– Support for different languages (pick your language during installation).

The latest stable version available, VMware Fusion 2.0.5, is a free, downloadable upgrade for all VMware Fusion customers. Simply download the new software for use with your existing serial number. Both the beta and the stable releases can be acquired via the link below.

Download VMware Fusion (Update / Trial / Buy)