Another year brings another release of Parallels’ eponymous PC emulator for Macs. Ready for the release of OS X El Capitan, Parallels Desktop 11 ($80) supports Windows 10 and allows users to make use of Cortana, Microsoft’s digital assistant. Users can now simply swipe to switch between Mac and Windows screens, but even when Windows is running in the background, saying “Hey Cortana” will still get a reply from the digital assistant. Parallels also makes it possible to cut and paste or drag and drop items freely between Windows and Mac programs. Standard speed improvements are here, with Parallels claiming to have increased Windows startup performance by 50 percent and shaved 20 percent off the time it takes to open Microsoft Excel speadsheets. Battery life is improved 25 percent as well when operating in a new “travel mode.” Users will be able to tailor the Windows experience to their preferred use (gaming vs. design, for example), allowing them
