Microsoft Updates Expression Blend 2

Microsoft on Thursday released an updated preview of Expression Blend 2, the next version of its interface design tool that integrates into Silverlight, Microsoft's new Web-based platform for rich media that is competing with Flash. Most notably, the August update supports Visual Studio 2008, which is also in beta.

Expression Studio 1.0 was officially launched at MIX 07 at the end of April, and Microsoft had already prepared Blend 2 specifically for Silverlight. The company hopes to entice developers to build rich Web interfaces using the tool, and then deploying them with Silverlight, which requires a browser plug-in much like Flash. Other updates in the August Blend 2 preview include reusing control content like animations, XAML editing improvements, a Storyboard Picker, and object manipulation. Download Blend 2 from FileForum.