Apple Updates Boot Camp Tool

Beta 1.1 adds support for the newest Apple desktop machine, the Intel Xeon-based Mac Pro; allows installation of the Windows XP partition on any internal drive (not just the boot drive, as was previously the case); and duplicates Windows' mouse right-click function with a right-hand Apple keypress.

Boot Camp, which debuted in April, is Apple's only home-brewed solution for running multiple operating systems on the Intel Macs launched this year. Other solutions, including Parallels Desktop and a to-be-released VMware product, can run Windows XP -- and other OSes -- in virtual machines. To switch operating systems in Boot Camp, however, users must restart the Mac.

Boot Camp 1.1 also adds support for the iSight camera built into many Mac models, as well as for the machines' integrated microphone. Other improvements, Apple said, include keyboard support for Windows' Delete, PrintScreen, NumLock, and ScrollLock keys.

The 202MB update can be downloaded free of charge from the Apple Web site.