" Thought you might be interested in this. Parallels now includes the improvements of PD tweaker it seems.
-Josh.

(copy of Parallels mail follows)

Beta Update of Parallels Desktop for Mac is available!
Update your current Parallels Desktop version and evaluate improvements we made:

• USB improvements - easily use multi interfaced and isochronous USB devices (including Windows Mobile 2005 and webcams).
• Mac OS X performance improvements - optimize Mac OS X or guest OS performance by switching off the Mac cache function.
• Graphic performance improvements - enjoy faster, smoother video playback.
• Keyboard support improvements - use all of the keys on your Mac keyboard, such as the eject CD button, right-left and Shift/Ctrl/Alt (option)/Windows keys, in any virtual machine.
• Unicode path support improvements - name files and paths in national languages.
• Shared folders performance improvements - open folders and files faster, and transfer data across OSes smoother.
• Other fixes and improvements

Parallels Desktop for Mac Update Beta is available now!
Click here to learn more
Update Now "

" FYI - OWC will have the first FB-DIMMs that have an Apple Qualified HeatSink / Meet Apple's thermal specifications as well as the operational specs - tomorrow with stock of our 1GB FB-DIMMs arriving. 2GB based sets are expected early next week. Info online here:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory
Upgrading via OWC offers savings of 20-25%. A trade-in 'rebate' of $140 for a pair of Apple 512MB, $350 for a pair of Apple 1GB modules is also available for those looking to fill all their slots out. :)
Thanks!
Best Regards,
Lawrence R. O'Connor
Other World Computing "

See the earlier post below for Apple's comments on memory heatsinks in the Mac Pro. (They're much larger than typical heatsinks on memory in the past.)

" Please note: Apple created a more robust thermal specification for the Mac Pro FB-DIMM heat sinks that provide more efficient cooling than many other FB-DIMMs. These FB-DIMMs require less airflow to stay cool and allow the internal fans to spin at slower speeds, improving system acoustics. FB-DIMMs made by other manufacturers that do not include a sufficient heat sink may cause the fans to run faster (and louder) or the memory chips to run slower so as not to overheat."

Just posting as a FYI that the Apple shipped RAM has a huge heatsink compared to what is typically seen. (Apple doesn't make memory, they just OEM it from major mfrs. Some Mac Pro's shipped with Nanya memory - see Wednesday's news for notes on them.)
Apple has added Mac Pro FB-Dimm info to their Memory Developer notes which includes technical details and mentions the FB-Dimms' Advanced Memory Buffer ('AMB' that does serial/parallel conversion) runs at 4GHz.
BTW - Two readers sent a note that Crucial today listed Mac Pro compatible 1GB dimms. (Update: Crucial link removed because as of the next day, they no longer list Mac Pro compatible RAM. The link now resulted in "We're Sorry! No products are currently available for the system you selected. Your system may require proprietary or non-standard parts...") OWC also has Mac Pro memory that has much larger heatsinks (Mac Pro specific they say) than pictured on the Crucial page, but costs more. (See the later post for more info on OWC's Mac Pro memory/trade-in offers.)
If any Mac Pro owner uses FB-Dimms that do not have large heatsinks, let me know if you notice higher fan speeds than with the OEM memory.

" This update fixes product vulnerabilities in Office v. X that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer's memory with malicious code.
Applies to: Office v. X, Microsoft Word X for Mac, Microsoft Excel X for Mac, Microsoft PowerPoint X for Mac, Microsoft Entourage X for Mac.

Before you install this update, make sure that the Microsoft Office v. X for Mac 10.1.7 Security Update is installed on your computer."

They also have a similar update for Mac Office 2004.

• 20in Cinema now $699 (was $799)
• 23in Cinema - $999 (was $1299)
• 30in Cinema - $1999 (was $2499)

A reader said he thinks they also recently improved the specs a bit (brightness, contrast, response time), but I don't know if that's actually a recent change.

" ... decided to order the 2Ghz MacPro as soon as the Apple Store was available. The only options I decided on was the ATI Radeon x1900 and Bluetooth module (cheaper than buying the part later). Estimated ship: 3-5 weeks. :(

However, I own two, new, Dual core Xeon 3.0Ghz (667Mhz) processors that I will replace the 2.0Ghz with. (NOTE: He later wrote to confirm he has the wrong CPUs. Prices will drop over time, but currently I think the 3GHz Dual-Core Xeon CPU (1333MHz FSB, Woodcrest, 5100 series) sells on the web for around $900 as of today.-Mike)
I mean, its socketed. Just have to apply the thermal grease to bottom of heatsinks for the new ones after cleaning the old grease off. Really nifty design (powersupply is on top and rear, fans for CPU up front, fans in housing of memory section). Looks like you need to install the memory in pairs and then in pairs on the risers (there are two risers, an A and a B) but you don't need to match the pairs in size. Its like they are two risers with two banks of 2 slots.
The Optical drives look pretty easy to upgrade/access. The drive is mounted on a carrier. Just disconnect the IDE cable and pull the carrier out. Nice.
HDs just plugin, no cable. Nice feature (same for Superdrive access) is that you need to use the rear release latch. One lock on this and nobody steals your drives.
I think the antenna is on the bottom as there is nothing on the back. Wonder how reception will be...still I use Cat6 instead of Airport Express...
There is a heat sensor above the superdrives (much like the ambient sensor over the hard drives in the G5).

I wonder if the delay is because of the BTO (Build to Order). (I mentioned yesterday the Mac Pro graphics options listing said selecting the Radeon X1900 or Nvidia FX4500 "may delay shipment". Default config showed shipping in 1-3 days as of yesterday afternoon, but I suspected that would change if demand (orders) were high.-Mike) I just really wanted the BT and the Radeon... I can wait.

I'll let you know how the 3.0Ghz upgrade goes, unless someone else is able to first. :)
(I wrote him regarding the CPU cost for 3GHz Woodcrest Xeon's (appx $900) and he replied:)
I got the wrong CPUs sitting here...
These are the 5050 (667mhz FSB, and NOT the 5160's 1333mhz FSB)
So yeah, looks like $917 each. oh man...well...I can send these back to vendor and get credit toward at least one ;)
Maybe I will have to wait till prices drop to upgrade. Not so bad. wait for Radeon.
-Ed S. "

Another reader asked if it would be possible to swap the Woodcrest Xeon cpu with the Clovertown Xeon cpu expected to be available next quarter.
After the end user CPU swaps in the socketed Mini and iMac, I wondered if Apple would try to thwart that in some way on future machines. If you upgrade the CPU in a Mac Pro, let me know. (Over time prices will drop, but with current chip pricing, unless you get a steal on some samples, it doesn't make sense cost-wise vs Apple's CPU option prices. )

" I was told today that video cards used in Mac Pro's must be EFI compliant cards. BIOS compliant video cards will not work in EFI equipped Mac Pro's. My dream of running PC video cards in Mac's seems to be thwarted at every turn!
-Iain B. "

• Digidesign Announces Upcoming Pro Tools Compatibility with Apple's New Mac Pro
• ATTO Technology Delivers Blazing-Fast Transfer Rates for Apple's Mac on Intel Platform
• Mac Pro: How to reset the System Management Controller (SMC) (Apple kbase doc)
• Mac Pro: Audio may not switch when new devices are connected (Apple kbase doc)
• VMware for Mac beta registration
• Apple Chud Tools 4.4.2
• iTunes Exclusive Pre-Order of Bob Dylan's Modern Times album
• Voice Candy 1.1 (Recorder with 8 different effects)
• RIP:Strike Back 1.1.0 (game)
• Insider Updates Font Management and Repair Offerings (Universal Binary)
• Tiger Cache Cleaner 3.1.7
• Apple OS X Server Admin Tools 10.4.7
• WebExport 1.0b311 - Universal exporter for iPhoto 5 and 6
• Sony Bets on WiFi With Mylo
• ISP Freebies Neglect Mac Users
• AMD stays hand over ATi brand axe
• Why I've gone back to DS Fat