Nick White, Product Manager working with the Windows Vista launch team has announced on the Windows Vista Team Blog that the Redmond Company has released a preview version to RC1 on August 24, 2006.

"We are pleased to announce the release of Pre-RC1 build 5536.16385! This build represents significant progress incorporating your Beta 2 and 5472 feedback. We have made a lot of progress since Beta 2 and 5472, and we think you will notice the quality improvements that we've been seeing in the daily builds," stated the Windows Vista Release Team.

The Pre-RC1 build 5536.16385 is meant for limited distribution, revealed White, stating that the general public will have to wait for the release candidate, as this pre-release interim will not be available to them. However, White has announced previously that RC1 will be automatically delivered to the participants in the Customer Preview Program for Beta 2, but will also be made available to the public outside of the Beta 2 testing program.

"This interim build is not widely distributed (you'll have to wait for RC1) but does serve to underscore the progress the Dev and Test teams have made since Beta 2, while also confirming that we're still on track for the release of RC1 in the near future," concluded White.