Microsoft Expression Blend release candidate now available

This almost slipped off of my radar as I was checking feeds today, but according to the Expression Blog, Microsoft rolled out the release candidate version of Blend tonight. Blend is an interactive designer for creating XAML-based applications and is part of Microsoft's Expression Studio.

I haven't heard any talk of a release date for Blend, but I have to assume that it's coming at MIX conference, especially with the release candidate tonight. Dan Agonistes who is attending the MVP Summit had some information on WPF, WPF/E and Expression Studio that implied a release date of "spring or early summer". With two of the other Expression products out, I just can't see them not releasing Blend at MIX07, but stranger things have happened. His blog also mentions a "WPF/E" 1.0 release of this summer. I was hoping we would see that at MIX as well, but in his session that didn't seem to be the case.

I don’t see any release notes to know what's changed, but as soon as I find them I'll update the post, but right now I'm off to bed.