I just check the lodestone once around 8:00 AM-ish every weekday morning. If there ain't nothin' then, probably won't be nothin' for the rest of the day. It's the same thing with the forums. These devs are like gnomes, after all; they get everything done while I'm asleep.

As for beta, I'm not expecting anything 'til at least the 15th or so of this month. 'Til then, I'll be melting my brain playing Fire Emblem.