Well, I've found some screenshots of Windows 7 M1, courtesy of http://www.thinknext.net/archives/2124. No new interface yet, but it does have power shell.
In the start menu, the new things are Power Shell and XPS Viewer EP.
Well, I don't think so. I think you can download Windows Live Mail from www.windowslive.com without registering, and you can use it without a Live Mail account.