Microsoft has publicly said Beta 2 won't be around until atleast the first week of December. But The Inquirer reports we can expect to see Beta 2 sometime in Novemember.

My thoughts is that Microsoft might be realigning the Beta 2 release with the CTP releases. At PDC 2005, Microsoft announced monthly builds of Vista to testers called Community Technology Previews (CTP). In September, we saw Build 5219 as the official September CTP. We've yet to see the October CTP just yet and of course then there's Novemember. Maybe Microsoft will release Beta 2 in November before the Holidays instead of a November CTP. Will there be a December CTP?

Microsoft hasn't confirmed anything so of course all this is speculation.