Peter Laudati and Jennifer Marsman have confirmed for me via the ever-so-wonderful Twitter that Windows 7 Beta 1 will be handed out to MSDN DevCon attendees. Separately, they also confirmed that January MSDN DevCon event attendees will receive the build on-site while December attendees will see it mailed to them in January.
The first batch of January events is on January 13, which means Beta 1 will have to be signed off prior to the 13th to allow for DVD pressing.
Find more information about MSDN DevCon below and see where you can attend if you’re in the US for your copy of Windows 7 Beta 1 (attendance is $99):
Tom Warren goes into more detail with his thoughts that it might be released alongside CES.
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[...] Windows 7 news sites (here, here or here) are guessing that Microsoft will officially announce Windows 7 Beta at the Consumer [...]
I attended the one in Atlanta – and the word ther ewas that it would be mailed to us when available.