Must be software bundle season -- on the heels of the MacHeist bundle last week, the MacUpdate Parallels bundle is now on sale. MU is featuring the usual unlock scheme, whereby the top-line apps remain off the table until the requisite number of bundles have been sold.For this bundle, as you might have sussed out from the name, MU is headlining Parallels as the final unlockable app; other apps include Hazel, Art Text, Leap, Typinator, DVD Remaster Pro, and (still to be unlocked) Sound Studio and BannerZest. $64.99 for the lot of them (assuming the unlock thresholds are reached), less than the retail cost of Parallels alone -- not bad.
As the value of a bundle decreases proportionally with the number of applications you already own, you might consider a bundle gift for the switcher in your life. Especially with Parallels in the mix, a new Mac user coming from Windows-land would probably be thrilled to get a whole pile of goodies.
A heads-up for readers -- while MU has an affiliate-link program in place, please don't use our comments for linkfarming. Comments with affiliate links will be deleted.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-16-2008 @ 10:56AM
Gareth R.N. Sloan said...
Hmm I think this bundle rocks the socks off of the MacHeist one.
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4-16-2008 @ 11:15AM
Aaron said...
Does the price of the bundle increase at any point during the run?
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4-16-2008 @ 11:22AM
wilstev said...
Bought one copy. I have complete faith that the allure of Parallels will encourage people to reach the 15000 sold mark. I'm seriously considering a second purchase just so my next Mac, whether it be i, Pro, or Book Pro will have a suite of programs waiting.
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4-16-2008 @ 12:23PM
gfahey said...
I use VMware Fusion and want to know if Parallels allows me to utilize the Nvidia card in my MacBook Pro. VMware doesn't do that and I can't use Compiz with any Linux distro. I'd love to of course.
Also, anyone use BannerZest? I'd like to know more about this app.
Still....I'll probably go for this and, as others have said, it's much better than the current MacHeist bundle which is a bit disappointing.
4-16-2008 @ 3:11PM
Stucco said...
I think it's rotten that the print ad in Macworld said NOTHING about sales thresholds. Why does software piracy exist? Exhibit #1244... Sell it as advertised.
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4-17-2008 @ 2:15PM
Simon Arch said...
It shouldn't be surprising. Every time a bundle like this has been offered (not that it's happened often) sales thresholds have been the norm. Using that as an excuse for piracy is lame.
4-17-2008 @ 2:44PM
Stucco said...
Lame? Shafting the consumer is okay because it always happens, and looking at this as a reason why people pirate software is lame? What kind of a masochist are you?
Are you unable to understand that the sales thresholds are not the problem- the failure to disclose them in advertising is? I need to get in the business of selling you something- I can presumably screw you over and have you thank me for it.
4-17-2008 @ 3:20PM
Simon Arch said...
You're saying that the FAILURE TO DISCLOSE sales thresholds are a reason to pirate software, and that IS lame. If you don't want to buy the software, don't buy it. Nobody's holding a gun to your head here.
4-17-2008 @ 6:52PM
Stucco said...
*sigh* Okay, let me try to explain. Failure to disclose the existence of thresholds is fraudulent or false advertising. Depending on the scale, it can be legally actionable, although I don't imagine any Attorneys General will be getting after mupromo.com about their print and banner ads which fail to provide any applicable details- even in fine print Hell, even the Ed McMahon "You May Already Be A Winner" junk mail has visible fine print.
It is not an exclusive reason (or a justifiable one) to pirate software. It is sadly yet another example of software vendors not treating their customers fairly, and this with other reasons (or countless reasons, depending on the vendor- *looking at Microsoft*) provide a collective justification in the minds of these consumers to steal software.
My original comment said "why does software piracy exist" and then I flippantly said "Exhibit #1244" to suggest a long list of reasons, of which this is a small part. I thought I was being clear. Treating customers badly is a reason it happens. I'm not defending it, I'm pointing out that these tactics feed it.
4-16-2008 @ 4:59PM
Christina Warren said...
I feel 10000% certain that the threshold will be reached (and in the event that it isn't, the programs would still be delivered as promised). This just helps build demand (it must work, as every bundle tends to use it).
I'm a big fan of VMWare but Parallels alone does make this extremely attractive.
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4-17-2008 @ 2:47PM
Stucco said...
You feel 10000% certain? You think the full complement will be delivered regardless of the threshold? Why? Do you have any reason to think this, like insider knowledge?
4-17-2008 @ 3:21PM
Simon Arch said...
Why the hostility, Stucco? I really shouldn't respond to an obvious troll, but damn, man...lighten up.
4-17-2008 @ 6:52PM
Stucco said...
I wasn't aware what I said (to Christina) was hostile or that I was trolling. I mean it as a serious question- why would someone think that? You aren't curious as well?
I think you are carrying over my profound disagreement with you from other comments and applying some kind of persecution deal to a simple question of Christina.
4-16-2008 @ 5:39PM
Walker said...
I already have ArtText, Leap, and StoryMill. TextExpander takes the place of Typinator, and Handbrake (open source!) takes the place of DVD Remaster Pro. Hazel and MenuCalendarClock are slihtly attractive, Hazel more so. I already have VMWare, but Parallels is very attractive. Bannerzest and Soundstudio are quite appealing as well. These last 3 make it beyond worth it for me, however, but first they need to be unlocked. (Or do they, I'm not certain...?)
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4-17-2008 @ 2:15PM
Joseph said...
Nothing is enticing to me, save for parallels, but with no garantee, I cannot buy. too bad, so sad.
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4-17-2008 @ 7:18PM
AveTenebrae said...
The bundle being called "Parallels bundle", I can't even imagine the general disappointement if it wasn't delivered. So I agree with Christina so about the certitude it will be reached.
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4-19-2008 @ 4:20PM
cartoonasaurus said...
I bought this bundle. It's a crazy good bargain and YES it is extremely unlikely that it won't sell like friggin' hotcakes. Do the math, people.
People LOVE bargains. The quality of the software offered is top-notch. AND the last 2 bundles (probably all of 'em, but the last 2 for sure) all had no problem making their minimum sales figures...
Anyways, I'm looking forward to using every last one of 'em.
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4-19-2008 @ 9:17PM
cjc said...
People, Handbrake, as good as it is, CANNOT take the place of DVD Remaster Pro.
Handbrake does not and cannot takes a VIDEO_TS folder and compress it so you can write it out to a single layer DVDR disk.
I use Handbrake, I love Handbrake, but it CANNOT do what DVD Remater Pro can do. It is therefore NOT an alternative.
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