If you signed up for Windows Vista Beta 2 and registered your product key with Microsoft, you will have access to Release Candidate 1 when it is released.

I didn't know this until tonight, and I'm sure many others didn't either.

There was also some talk about a big "suprise" being planned for people who registered their product keys with Beta 2.. so hang onto them.

any idea what the suprise is?

No. Here's hoping its a free copy of Windows Vista. Unless of course, RC1 access is the suprise.