VMware Player allows you to run multiple operating systems in multiple virtual machines on your PC and easily juggle them. For example, you can have Windows 8 or Ubuntu installed on top of your Windows 7.VMware Player 5.0 user interface has been completely revamped. The new user interface conforms with Windows standards, menus have been updated, the toolbar now matches Workstation in regular and full screen mode, new device icons have been added, along with many more improvements.
VMware Player 5.0 includes the same virtual hardware improvements included with Workstation 9.0. VMware Player now also allows you to configure the network adapters.
Note: To try new hardware features, you must upgrade the hardware version of your virtual machine or create a new virtual machine that uses the latest virtual hardware version.
Update: VMware Player 5.0.1 has been released that adds support for Ubuntu 12.10 as a host and guest, and some bug-fixes.
Download: VMware Player 5.0.1
VMware Workstation 9 and VMware Fusion 5 has also been released today.