Microsoft Expression Blend 2 is a professional design tool to create compelling user experiences and applications for Windows using either the .NET Framework 3.0, .NET framework 3.5 (which both include the Windows Presentation Foundation), or for the web with Silverlight.

Expression Blend 2 is available either separately or as part of the full Expression Studio 2. It can be purchased from a range of resellers and online resellers or can be purchased for immediate download from Microsoft’s online store. For a comprehensive list of purchasing options, see the How To Buy page.

Expression Blend 2 has an estimated retail price of US $399.

Qualifying customers can upgrade to Expression Blend 2 for an estimated retail price of US $99. Existing customers can also upgrade to the full Expression Studio 2 for an estimated retail price of US $349.

Each of the Microsoft Expression products is available in the following languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, and Korean.

Yes. The fully featured 30 day free trial for Expression Blend 2 is currently available for download here.

There is an Expression Community Website that contains a frequently updated wealth of materials on all the Expression products and the Microsoft technologies that they are designed to work with.

Yes. Expression Blend 2.5 June 2008 Preview Beta is available for download.

No. Expression Blend 2 does not target pre-release versions of Microsoft’s .NET or Silverlight platforms. To build content that targets Silverlight 2 Beta 1, a pre-release platform, you use Expression Blend 2.5 June 2008 Preview.

Yes. You can install Expression Blend, Expression Blend 2 and Expression Blend 2.5 at the same time if you wish.

With the .NET Framework 3.0, designers and developers can work collaboratively to build visually stunning Windows applications that deliver a superior user experience and enhance user productivity and satisfaction. .NET Framework 3.0 includes the Windows Presentation Foundation, which introduces XAML (Extensible Application Markup Language), a markup language for describing application user interface, documents, and media content. XAML serves as a back-and-forth communication format which designers and developers can use to directly exchange and collaborate on applications created using both the Expression Studio 2 and Visual Studio. Expression Blend 2 targets both .NET Framework 3.0 and 3.5 applications.

Expression Blend and Expression Blend 2 do not support the .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 Beta, and will not work on machines updated with the Beta service pack.

Please use Expression Blend 2.5 June 2008 Preview if you are testing the .NET Framework 3.5 SP 1 Beta.

PLEASE NOTE: To continue using Expression Blend 2.5 Preview and Visual Studio to create and edit Silverlight 2 projects you will also need to update your Silverlight Tools to the latest release that targets the Silverlight 2 Beta 2. This updated version of Silverlight tools is compatible with Silverlight 2 Beta 2 projects and the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 Beta runtime.

All versions of Expression Blend will support Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 when it is released later this year.

Microsoft® Expression® Design 2 supports the creation of graphic designs for export to the XAML file format–the declarative markup language that is used to describe application user interface elements and rich content for both WPF and Silverlight. Microsoft Expression Blend 2 is built on WPF and can natively consume the XAML files exported from Expression Design 2. For more information, view the Expression Blend training videos that are available on the Expression Web site.

To learn more technical details about Windows Vista, WPF, and building applications using .NET Framework 3.0, visit the Windows Vista Developer Center and for Silverlight information visit Silverlight.net

Yes. The free trial will expire 30 days after your install the program. When your trial expires, select the option "I have a product key and want to license Microsoft Expression Blend 2" if you have a valid product key and want to enable full licensing rights to your copy of Expression Blend 2.

To get accelerated hardware performance from .NET Framework 3.0/3.5 and Expression Blend 2, you need to make sure you have a recent graphics driver installed. Check your display adapter for the following settings (Start, Control Panel and then Display):

Click the Settings tab and then under Color quality, make sure Highest (32 bit) is selected.

Click the Advanced button, and then on the Adapter tab, click the Properties button.

Click the Driver tab and look next to the Driver Date to see if the date is more recent than 11/1/2004. If it is not, then video and hardware acceleration will not work properly on your system unless you upgrade your video drivers. This issue will be fixed in future versions of the .NET Framework.

Visit Microsoft Help and Support

Formal support is not offered for this Expression Trials. Instead, we have a community web site and forums for all the Expression products where you can solicit feedback and help get your questions answered by the both the Expression community and the moderators from the different Expression teams.