Do I need a paid-for version of Visual Studio to develop for the new Windows Phone 7 Series?

Question

Free Expression Blend 4 for Windows Phone, Silverlight and XNA in all their glory...

But can I use them with a Visual Studio 10 version other than Express without paying for it? (My problem being that Express doesn't accept the addins/plugins I depend upon...)

Answer 1

I think i read something today of an express version for windows 7 phones... which would mean the answer here would be no. Not sure where I got it, though.

Ah, yes, here:

http://www.microsoft.com/exPress/

in more detail:

http://www.microsoft.com/express/Phone/

So, there will be an express version for the phones ;)

Answer 2

If you purchase VS 2010 professional, you will get Windows Phone development support in it automatically (via an add-in which gets automatically installed). And you can use your other add-ins as well.

Here is the msdn reference.

Answer 3

The answer is yes on both questions. There will be the free tools (VS 2010 Expres for Windows Phone and Expression Blend 4 for Windows Phone) if you happen to have VS 2010 Ultimate the add-ins will install in that version for you so you can use all the add-ons you currently use with VS 2010 as well.