The following information is outdated given that the RC1 bits are already out. For the updated information, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/Windows-7/download.aspx
Windows 7 Beta is out for sometime now and needless to say, the reception has been excellent so far. I personally haven’t seen any beta version as stable as the Windows 7 bits and personally know many of my friends, peers who have been using it as the primary operating system despite this being in Beta.
Meanwhile, if you are getting notifications for activating the Windows Beta, you would be frustrated with it over some time and would want to get rid of the same. Despite Windows 7 being a beta, there are product keys available, both for the 32-bit version as well as 64-bit version.
One can get the product key from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-download.aspx after signing-in using passport ID and filling in a few basic details.
I have seen a lot of hacking solutions running around the web which is absolutely un-necessary.
At this stage, the Beta is available for free and so are the activation keys and there is no need to hack around this process.
Kindly note that the Beta expires around August 1, 2009 and is not recommended for installing on primary work stations where you have important information. Also, Technical support is not available at this time and hence only if you are comfortable installing/working with beta, you are advised to install the same.
A lot of enhancements have been done in terms of user experience, UAC, file and print as well as core enhancements to the kernel.
To read stuff from the engineering team that is building this operating system, subscribe to http://blogs.msdn.com/e7
Cheers !!!