Forget about the leaked Windows 7 Build 6.1.7000.0.081212-1400, as the official fully-fledged Beta of the next iteration of the Windows client is now available for download straight from Microsoft. In the opening keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show 2009 (CES 2009) in Las Vegas, Microsoft Chief Executive Office Steve Ballmer informed that the company had given Windows 7 Beta 1 downloads the green light. “I'm excited to announce that we are releasing the beta of Windows 7. Our TechNet and MSEN customers can get Windows 7 right now,” Ballmer stated. However, for the time being only TechNet Plus and MSDN subscribers can grab the Windows 7. As previously announced, the public release of Windows 7 Beta 1 will be made available for download on January 9, 2009.

“If you are [an] MSDN Subscriber, you can download Windows 7 Beta right now,” a member of the Microsoft team focused on developers revealed. “By making Windows 7 Beta publicly available, we are hoping developers and enthusiasts will download it and the SDK, and will start testing this new Microsoft OS – Windows 7. Now that the beta is out and available, we can start engaging developers and can provide them with technical content, so they can test and experiment with Windows 7.”

Only starting tomorrow, January 9, 2009, will the general public also have a chance to download the Windows 7 Beta. According to Microsoft, the public release of Windows 7 Beta 1 will be made available via the official Win7 website. The Redmond company informed that it would launch five localized versions of the Beta in English, German, Japanese, Arabic, and Hindi, for both the 32-bit and 64-bit flavors of the operating system, with the exception of Hindi, which comes only as x86 and not x64. At the same time, the window to download Windows 7 Beta will be limited, as the program is open to just the first 2.5 million people that manage to grab it.

“After much anticipation, Microsoft has now made Windows 7 Beta available for evaluation and testing to IT professionals! For TechNet subscribers, you can download Windows 7 Beta today here,” Celine Allee, director, Windows Client, said. “The beta is your chance to help us with feedback that targets the fundamentals—the 'quality bar' that we are setting for Windows 7 on security, reliability, and performance. If you are interested in getting even more involved, the Windows Feedback Program is your chance to directly influence future versions of the Windows operating system. This program is limited to the first 500 IT professionals to sign up, so don’t delay!”