InfoWorld reports that the next Windows 7 release is a release candidate

The head of Microsoft Windows development confirmed Friday that Windows 7 will take the unusual path of moving straight from a single beta, which was launched earlier this month, to a release candidate.However, Steven Sinofsky, the senior vice president in charge of the Windows engineering group, declined to spell out a timetable for the rest of the Windows 7's development.

Microsoft: Next step for Windows 7 is a release candidate