Windows Phone Thoughts: Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 Released, Silverlight 4 Later This Week

"Kicking off a global launch consisting of more than 150 developer-focused events, Microsoft Corp. announced the general availability of Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4. The company also announced that Silverlight 4 will release to Web (RTW) later in the week. Together, these technologies simplify the entire development process, enabling developers to target new platforms and build high-quality applications. Developers will be able to download Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 in conjunction with the Microsoft Visual Studio Conference & Expo launch event in Las Vegas."

Windows Phone and Zune developers, take note. Microsoft has three surprises for us this week. The first two are Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4, both of which have gone gold. All four versions of the former are available for purchase; alternatively, if you're an MSDN subscriber, you'll find everything you need in the Subscriber Downloads section. And as for the much-anticipated Silverlight 4, it'll make an appearance later in the week.