Been trying out the early beta builds of 090x and I must say that there are a lot of great features that are coming into the product.

These are just some of the things that I and some of my guys have picked out that are new in 090x vs 0807:

1. Installer
• Install and configuration steps are now combined in the same step.  No more separate installation and configuration steps
• There is a common Visual Studio core component set followed by a specific component set for either VS2005 or VS2008.
• Installer supports installing on the new 2008 technologies. i.e. Windows 2008, VS 2008 and SQL Server 2008.
• Installer has additional checks for the pre-requisites such as MSMQ. 
• Installer nows also helps to configure required file and registry permissions.  Very useful for locked down machine setups where you do not want the service account to be a local administrator.
• Installer supports upgrading from K2 blackpoint 0902.
• Installer has the new diagnostic tool which helps to troubleshoot common setup issues.  This is the same tool available in the new blackpoint installer.
2. New components
• The new Dynamic SQL Services broker - This is a enhanced and more robust version of the Dynamic SQL services brokers available on blackmarket.  This one gives access to custom SQL Server Stored Procedures, Views and Tables.
• Inline functions is a big new thing as well.  It supports nesting of functions and you can do pretty complex stuff without having to go to code.  It introduces a new tab in the K2 context browser in the process designer and allows you to do:
• .NET type conversion functions
• Date Time functions (math functions, format, etc)
• InfoPath functions to work with attachments (limited to first attachment currently).
• Common mathematical functions.  Absolution, Sum, Subtract, Square, etc
• String functions
3. SmartObject enhancements
• SmartObject performance enhancements for SmartBox and the Dynamic SQL Services brokers - They now pull data directly from the servers without storing them in a intermediate temp table.  Very funky stuff.
• SmartObject Filtering is now enhanced.  Allows combination of And/Or conditions comparing different values using different comparison operators.  Pretty cool.  E.g. In the destination rules, this allows you to get a list of Managers and filter off the process originator.
4. Workspace enhancements 
• I also noticed the Workspace performance has jumped in responsiveness.  Could it be due to the SO performance enhancements?
• Workflow server rights now allows you to add domain groups when configuring admin/export permissions.
• Error profiles now shows the Process Instance ID.  Useful for knowing which instance to fix if it is a data issue.  The detailed description of the error is also now fully visible.
5. Designers and wizards 
• New K2 Studio Designer and K2 Silverlight Web designer from K2 blackpoint 0902 is brought into the product.
• As the new designers are coming in, so are the new wizards from blackpoint as well.  The new reference event wizard and also the data event wizard.
• K2 Studio designer will also now include the SmartObject designer.
• K2 Web designer will be renamed to K2 Process designer.
• Client Event notification now allows you to modify the email body template directly in the wizard.  Cool stuff.
6. K2 MOSS components 
• K2 for MOSS component can now also deploy all K2 features in one click.
• Process Portals from K2 blackpoint are also now in the product.

If you know of any other new features from testing the 090x beta (now available from the customer portal), please do post them up here.

Cheers.