Parallels has finally arrived on Android with Parallels Access

Parallels has made a name for itself by running apps in unexpected places. Its virtualization software first brought Windows apps to the Mac, then it went a big step further last year with Parallels Access, which brought both Mac and Windows apps to the iPad. For an encore, the 14-year-old company is bringing all those desktop apps to any Android phone or tablet, as well as the iPhone. Parallels Access 2.0, available Tuesday in the iOS App Store and Google Play, will turn your mobile device into a virtual window to your PC or Mac, letting you run apps as if they were native. Say you’re curling up in bed when an urgent email comes in, and to deal with it, you need to log into your company’s proprietary desktop app, which happens to be on your computer at the office. Instead of getting in your car and mentally prepping for a long night, you log in right from your phone. Parallels adjusts the app for your device’s screen, and it even incorporates native functions, such as the iOS magnifying glass and cut-and-paste menus.