New Features in SharePoint 2010

Note:- These are subject to change as this is Beta Version.
There would be many others which I have missed, but these are the ones which are visible easily.

1. Database failover options, dependant on SQL mirroring.
2. Search, people, BDC, Excel Services all working as individual entities providing robust and
easy to maintain environment.
3. Access Database Integration at server level.
4. Fast Search Server.
5. Lotus Notes Connector for Crawling data.
6. New Connection options for importing User Profiles from different directories other than AD.
7. In-Built Monitoring and Health check on servers.
8. Enhanced options of Site Usage Reports, trimming reports and storing them directly to a library. Web Analytics Report.
9. Direct Edit option using SharePoint Designer 2010 only. Out of the box workflows can also be
edited.
10. New Site Templates [ bugs, projects, charity, Enterprise Wiki ]
11. Enhanced RSS Feed options. Tagging Options.
12. Major My Site template changes. Combination of facebook and newsgator features.
13. Granular Backup and Restore options for site collections and Individual Lists.
14. Recover data from unattached content databases.
15. GUI mode to integrate SQL Reporting services.
16. PowerShell Scripting and Management Console available.
17.Silverlight webpart and few more.
18.External Content Type options
19.Connection to any external application of another FARM which has service app .svc extension (not sure what is this as I am not into developing)

Features of SharePoint 2010

New features Sneak Preview of SharePoint 2010
Though the features and look and feel of the new product is farely good, I will not be surprised to find double the bugs in that product as SharePoint 2007.

Upgrade and Central Administration is quiet a relief to look at but then again it depands on how smoothly it works on large enterprises where already a lot of customization is done. Microsoft has still not released anything on SharePoint 2010 Basic installation or upgradation path from that type of installation. Will have to wait and watch......