Apple has put a big smile on the face of millions of Mac users who also need to work on Windows XP systems. Apple today released BootCamp [codenamed, Apple Chameleon] that allows Mac users can run multiple operating systems (like Windows XP, Vista or Linux) simultaneously on a single Intel-based Mac.

With BootCamp, Windows XP will run completely natively on a Macintosh. Apple even gives you the the option to set the default operating system to use each time the computer starts up.

Boot Camp lets you install Microsoft Windows XP SP2 on an Intel-based Macintosh computer, in addition to an existing Mac OS X installation. After running Boot Camp Beta and installing Windows XP, you can switch between Windows XP and Mac OS X by holding Option (Alt) key when you start up.

The Boot Camp Assistant Beta creates a partition just for Windows XP without erasing your existing Mac OS X information. Boot Camp Assistant Beta also burns a CD with drivers for Windows XP. The drivers are automatically installed when you insert the disc into your Macintosh after you install Windows XP.

Though BootCamp is available as a standalone installer, Apple says that Boot Camp will be a feature in Leopard, the next big update to Mac OS X.

Source: Apple Introduces Boot Camp | Download BootCamp