Washington - Think about how much time you spend switching from one application to another, searching for windows that are hidden behind other windows, or opening and re-opening applications.

It adds up. And depending upon the type of work you do, it can add up to a lot - a lot of frustration and a lot of lost productivity. The solution may be to add a second monitor.

With today's PCs, adding another monitor to your setup is fairly easy, and the advantages are manifold. Not only will you be able to give an entire application - such as your e-mail program - a permanent home of its own during the day.

London, Feb 27 : Personalised desktops can reveal a lot more than just your ''fun side'', claims a new study, which suggests that people''s personalities, habits and ambitions could be laid bare by analysing their computer screens.

The study into desktop psychology was conducted by Windows Vista.

To reach the conclusion, Donna Dawson, a psychologist specialising in personality and behaviour, reviewed a selection of office workers'' desktops and identified several clues that could indicate a person''s personality, reports The Telegraph.

Mainz, Germany  - A special, secure internet chat service for children aged 8 to 12 is slated for its world premiere at this year's CeBit technology show from March 2-8.

Packed with security protocols, the free Windows Live Messenger for Kids is designed to protect children from offensive content, reported jugendschutz. net, a website specializing in protecting children. Working with representatives of the various German states, it developed the child-friendly messenger in collaboration with Microsoft and FSM, an e-commerce site that focuses on protecting minors.

Hamburg  - Hi-fi systems are in no danger of being replaced by computers, said the Hamburg-based computer magazine Computebild.

But while the best PC loudspeakers cannot match the sound quality or volume levels of a good stereo system, some computers still offer sounds good enough to liven up computer games or provide background music while working, reports Computerbild magazine

But that's about all users should expect. After all, a good pair of hi-fi speakers can cost 300 euros (386 dollars).

Hanover  - Setting up a home internet network may not be your idea of fun, but there's one consolation. If you set it up from scratch, you can set up a system best suited for transmitting pictures, music and other computer data from inside your own four walls.

If you're building a brand new home or undertaking a complete renovation, laying local area network (LAN) cables and network boxes is advisable. If you're adding a network to an existing home, your choice is between LAN, wireless LAN, an optical fibre network or making use of the house's existing power network to transmit information.

Hanover  - Microsoft has released a beta version of Windows 7 for consumers, but computer experts recommend trying it out only in controlled environments.

"Checking it out is fun," says Axel Vahldiek of c', a German computer magazine. But since it still has security gaps, use of the beta version should be limited to controlled environments. That means users should not store any vital data on computers using the test version of Windows 7.