virtualization

Running PC programs on a Mac without Windows

Apple's use of the same Intel chips and other hardware in Macs that PC manufacturers use allows for a number of options when it comes to running Windows-based software. Apple supports the option of dual booting with Boot Camp, and third-party virtualization solutions such as Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion are available as well. While convenient, all of these options require you to purchase a license for Windows and have Windows running somehow on your system.

Running Windows-based programs from within Windows is by far the stabler and more supported option, but if you do not wish to purchase … Read more

CNET lets you jump the line for the Glitch beta

This is your chance to enter the world of the giants.

Last week, Glitch, the new online game from Flickr co-founder Stewart Butterfield's company Tiny Speck went into beta. A whimsical playground that lets users meander through a complex, stylized virtual world, Glitch might someday be a place populated by millions of people looking for a little more than your standard Facebook game.

But for now, anyone wanting to play the game has to wait in a line of thousands of people queued up for the Glitch beta. Not you, though. At least, not if you're one of … Read more

Virtual-desktop integration touches all professions

I recently gave a presentation at a small gathering of IT "enthusiasts" in Albany, N.Y. I say "enthusiasts" because the audience was an eclectic mix of IT technologists and people with advanced expertise in non-IT fields. For example, I met two people from an architectural firm, and neither was an IT administrator. One was an architect and the other was a building systems engineer (HVAC, wiring, etc.). They were there specifically to learn more about an IT systems requirement for a new elementary-school building project. I had not expected to see an architect in the … Read more

3D Tunes: My life as a virtual karaoke star

Karaoke scares the wits out of me. I can sing in front of a crowd with a guitar and my own songs without batting an eyelash, but something about karaoke makes me want to hide under the nearest table. The only time I've karaoked was in a backwoods bar called The Rose in Cuba, Mo. I barely survived a shaky rendition of "Jumping Jack Flash" just minutes before closing time.

My karaoke phobia has now taken a turn for the better, however, as I've gone virtual. Utherverse, a provider of virtual worlds along the lines of Second Life, has introduced 3D Tunes, the latest place where virtual reality, avatars, and online karaoke collide.

You record a karaoke number through the SingSnap online karaoke service and then jump onto a virtual stage where your avatar shares your earth-shaking talent with a crowd of avatar attendees. No huge bar tab. No awkward dancing. No cab home afterward.

Taking your own turn on-stage requires a little preparation, though. Here's how to do it:… Read more

The 404 788: Where we buy you a virtual girlfriend (podcast)

Scott Stein fills in for Wilson, who is spending a sick day at home trawling WebMD on his iPad. Or maybe he's at a job interview for Grand Theft Auto V. Today's show discusses a phenomenon known as "Netflix hoarding," how to buy an online girlfriend using a new service called Cloud Girlfriend, and we suggest a few April Fools' Day pranks for nerds.

Episode 788 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

6 things the Nintendo 3DS needs to beat Apple at its own game

Not so long ago, Nintendo was king of the hill in video game land--especially when it came to handheld games. Back in those magical days, the Nintendo DS was the pinnacle of kid-friendly fun, and even casual gaming for those who normally didn't find games appealing.

Then came Apple. While some might debate the quality games in the App Store versus offerings for the Nintendo DS or Sony PSP, the success of Apple's seemingly endless supply of cheap games has been undeniable. Nintendo even acknowledges that Apple is its chief rival, now.

Enter the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo's next-gen 3D handheld. Can it change the equation and recapture the Nintendo magic--and, most notably, kid appeal--that's worn away a bit in the wake of shiny gadgets like the iPhone and iPad?

The 3DS goes on sale in America on March 27, and it's been on shelves in Japan for weeks. We've reviewed the system already at CNET, and I've been playing around with one for the last six days, along with a handful of launch games.

At this year's GDC, Nintendo delivered a keynote literally across the street--and on the same day--as Apple's iPad 2 unveiling. Nintendo's focus on handheld gaming has had to take into account the meteoric rise of Apple's App Store. The App Store redefined the landscape of game pricing and effectively stole some of the casual-gaming crowd from Nintendo. Now that the 3DS is about to arrive, can it help fix what Nintendo's been missing?

After a week playing with one, my feelings are mixed. The 3DS has technical tricks up its sleeve that no iDevice can lay claim to yet--namely, its 3D camera and glasses-free 3D screen--but 3D is a divisive technology. Some people prefer their entertainment without a third dimension forced onto it. Also, Nintendo has been intent on not using 3D as an essential element in its 3DS games, making it a less integral technology than motion control on the Wii. The system has its advantages, and it has impressively improved graphics, but that alone isn't enough.

If the Nintendo 3DS is to effectively answer back to the juggernaut of affordable, diverse iOS gaming and offer up a convincing alternative, this is what I think it still needs to stand a chance.… Read more

Target picks Microsoft's virtualization software

Retail giant Target plans to roll out Microsoft's virtualization technology to its 1,700 stores, giving the software giant's enterprise cloud computing efforts a new boost. Microsoft announced a new deal in which Target will manage such operations as inventory, point-of-sale, and supply-chain management remotely with Microsoft's Hyper-v software. In addition, Target will roll out 15,000 virtual machines using the technology across the country.

VMware, run by former Microsoft senior executive Paul Maritz, dominates the software virtualization business. But Microsoft has been working to cut into that lead with acquisitions and new software. The market offers … Read more

Making IT an enabler of business

Historically, users viewed IT departments as the people who ran the basic infrastructure "plumbing," were inflexible when it came to doing anything new, and generally far more of an inhibitor to the business than an enabler. That take was at least middling unfair in most cases, but it was grounded in certain realities.

For most organizations, IT was primarily focused on a fairly common--if hardly standardized--set of tasks. Functions like enterprise resource planning, financials, human resources, and e-mail all had to work. But they weren't something that especially advantaged the organization most of the time. Yes, an … Read more

VMware launches virtual desktop app for iPad

iPad corporate users can directly access and control their Windows PCs from their tablets through a new app from VMware.

Launched in Apple's App Store today, the free VMware View app for the iPad is designed for business users who want to be able to access their own office PCs or PCs set up in their company's data center through their tablets. The app can run over a Wi-Fi or 3G connection, allowing people to connect either in or out of the office.

In a blog posted today, VMware said that iPad users can use the tablet's … Read more