Windows 7 will be out in the latter half of 2009.

It's true, as Microsoft's spokespeople contend, that the "public guidance" around Windows 7 hasn't changed; Microsoft marketeers continue to state that Windows 7 is on track to ship three years after Windows Vista was released to market (and cite that target date as January 2010). As a number of Microsoft watchers, yours truly included, have noted, Microsoft is NOT going to release another version of Windows client in January again unless there's a awfully compelling reason to do so. The best time to RTM a new Windows release is summer if you hope to get it preloaded on back-to-school and holiday