Come on. Standard practice for beta invites these days.

They introduced the word "maybe": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWZAL64E0DI#t=30m

And what exactly is wrong with that? It's just a game of enticing.

Seems like different people will get a different read, for me it's a chance to participate on an exciting new product from well known developers and innovators. If I don't get in the first invites what's the problem?

I'll eventually make it in just a bit later.

It's 37signals. If you haven't heard of them before, you're incredibly lucky to be even allowed to view the webpage of the hipster gods. Let alone get a beta invite.