The Public Beta for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 is now available. The Service Pack is a collection of updates and hotfixes. While the Service Pack does not add functionality to Windows 7, it does add two new virtualization based features to Windows Server 2008 R2. The new functionality adds Dynamic Memory to Hyper-V, and RemoteFX which enables full 3D graphics to VDI and Terminal Service Sessions.

Once again Microsoft has decided to extend the OEM downgrade rights for Windows XP. Now customers can continue to downgrade to Windows XP (OEM) throughout the Lifecycle of Windows 7. However, Windows XP End-of-Life still remains 2014. So if customers decide to downgrade to XP after the XP End-of-Life, they will not be able to obtain product support and security updates will no longer be released.

The Windows Team has posted more detailed information on the Beta and the Lifecycle policy change on their Blog here: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2010/07/12/public-beta-now-available-for-windows-7-and-windows-server-2008-r2-service-pack-1.aspx

There is a downgrade rights brief that was updated here:  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/confirmation.aspx?familyId=4f4b3cfd-7f4e-46cb-8117-8275f7683d3f&displayLang=en