Microsoft pulls off an extraordinary feat reinventing desktop application design, but it's only the taste of things to come regarding the web.

For years now there has been talk of Microsoft’s determination to move into the design software territory normally associated with Adobe. Now, with the launch of the Expression Studio suite, the talk is over – so how does it shape up?

Central to the Expression Studio is Expression Blend – and, as the full review shows, it’s been well worth the wait. Expression Blend is a ground-breaking application that uses Microsoft’s new XAML markup language to handle vectors, bitmaps, 3D, audio, video, user interface elements, databinding, animation and interactivity. By doing so, it allows programmers to work hand-in-hand with designers throughout the development process massively boosting efficiency and enabling a new level of engaging application design.
Expression Blend’s underlying technology and architecture are extraordinary, but for existing Flash-based designers this first release has two major practical downsides. First, the bundling of Visual Studio 2005 Standard to handle all logic coding and the need to get to grips with either C# or VB.NET is intimidating. Second, Blend’s browser-hosted XBAP applications are inherently tied to the Windows platform. As such, Microsoft’s direct challenge to Adobe Flash will have to wait for Blend 2.0 where both limitations are set to be addressed. In the meantime for desktop-oriented programmers and designers, and especially for Visual Studio-based development teams, Blend 1.0 is all set to go.

Expression Blend is the centre of this first release of Expression Studio

Expression Blend is a real stand out, but sadly the same can’t be said of its new supporting applications included in the Expression Studio. Expression Design is intended to be the creative core of the Studio and, in previous beta releases, it was just that, mixing advanced vector, bitmap and web capabilities. However, in this first official release, most of that power has been stripped out presumably to allow Design to focus on its role supporting Blend through XAML exchange.
Expression Media is even more disappointing. Microsoft clearly felt the Studio needed an Adobe Bridge-style media asset management application – but the program it bought in to do the job, iView Media Pro, is embarrassingly underpowered and old-fashioned. The standalone Expression Media Encoder is more modern and impressive – but its main selling point of outputting Silverlight-ready media for incorporation in web pages is ahead of its time until the player becomes established.