Silverlight 3 Release and Expression 3 Announced
On Friday, July 10, we released Silverlight 3 to web. Version 3 of Silverlight definitely makes a lot more advances over Silverlight 2 for delivering rich internet applications (RIAs). Check out the Silverlight blog on the announcement its features.
Now I say that Expression 3 was announced, not released. We’re currently in the Release Candidate stage which you can download and try out for yourself.
What is Expression? Expression is Microsoft set of tools that will allow help you design and develop Web sites and RIAs for the desktop or Silverlight.
If you’re web designer, you would probably be interested in Expression Web. Included in this product includes the following tools:
- Expression Web 3
- Expression Design 3
- Expression Encoder 3
If you were familiar with FrontPage, Expression Web is next evolution of that product. It design area allows you take advantage of PHP, HTML/XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, and more to create high-quality, Internet standards-based Web sites. One of the really great features is called SuperPreview which allows you see how your site will look in browsers, which will allow you make script/code corrections before deploying it any server. Think about how many frustrating hours you’re going save be making these adjustments before deployment.
Web sites and RIAs are very graphically oriented, which means you might have to bring in a lot of artwork from graphic artists or create some lineart yourself. Expression Design is a tool that will allow you to import existing artwork or create your own vector-based art with a number of drawing tools at your disposal.
With streaming media (live or pre-recorded) being what it is today, Expression Encoder allows you to take content from webcams, camcorders, and/or screen captures and edit the material to be used with your web site.
If you a lot of screencasts, you’ll definitely be interested to know that Encoder comes with a new product called Expression Encoder Screen Capture 3 (say that 3 times fast). This tool allows you record your screen and audio at high quality to be reused for blogs or your Web sites. Check out Keith Combs’ demo of this tool. (Note: you will need Silverlight 3 to see the demo. I had to make you upgrade somehow <grin>).
If you do more than just create Web sites, then you’ll be interested Expression Studio. Expression Studio comes with the following:
- Expression Blend
- Sketchflow
- Expression Web
- Expression Encoder
- Expression Design
Expression Blend is a tool for both designers and developers to create much more compelling user interfaces.
Sketchflow a plug-in for Blend that allows you to create a prototype of your Web site or RIA’s user interface by using wireframes that are XAML-based to show how an application would interact with the user from one screen to the next. It’s comes with a Sketchflow player so that you can hand this prototype to your users to interact with it. But as the pitchman would say, “but wait, there’s more!” The Sketchflow player also allows your reviews to annotate and provide feedback on the Sketchflow mockup that they’ve just tried which can provide you valuable feedback as to whether you’re on the right design/development track or not.
Whether you’re a visual designer or application developer using Expression Studio, you will need a way to track versions of the stuff you’re working one. Expression Studio comes with a TFS Connector to allow you check in and check out your assets from Team Foundation Server (TFS).
Since the announcement on Friday, there have been a ton of blog posts by people a lot closer to the product than I going into much more in depth on the features of Silverlight 3 and Expression 3.
A couple of sites I’d like to call out are:
Definitely check out Keith Combs’ demo on the Encoder Screen Capture 3 tool. It’s very cool!
And as always, check out ScottGu’s blog on a pretty in-depth breakdown of everything that was announced on Friday.
That’s it for now. Excelsior!
Technorati Tags: Silverlight,Expression,Sketchflow,TFS,Expression Blend,Expression Web,Expression Encoder