A new version of Parallels Desktop, the virtualization software that allows you to run Windows on your Intel Mac, is about to come out any day now...

Those of you with Intel Macs may already be enjoying the coolness of being able to run Windows on your Mac using Parallels Desktop. Version 2.0 offered some new features that made apps running in the Windows virtual machine look like equal Mac OS X citizens, and that offered more robust support for USB devices. Well, Version 3.0 is about to hit the streets. If you are a Parallels customer, you may want to sign up to get the new version now as you will save 20% on the upgrade fee. (Pay $39.99 instead of $49.99.) If you paid for "maintenance" when you purchased Parallels Desktop (or bought it last December when it came with free maintenance for a year), you should get this version for free. (Contact Parallels tech support to confirm your status.)

Among the key features in this new version is something called "SmartSelect", which will let you open any file using applications from either operating system, a very cool thing if you happen to like the Windows or Mac version of a particular program or if no equivalent of that program exists in one or the other operating system. Add to this the ability to take periodic "snapshots" of your Windows virtual machine state, and 3D graphics support for both OpenGL and DirectX.