Washington  - Ready or not, here comes Windows 7. Although the release of the successor to Windows Vista isn't due out in final form until later this year, Microsoft wants you to start thinking about Windows 7 now - and maybe even to start using it.

The company announced this week that the public beta of Windows 7 will be released ahead of schedule. As with previous public betas, anyone will be able to download and try out Windows 7, and judging from the high level of interest in the new operating system, lots of people will want to.

Berlin  - Networking PCs and other devices can be a tricky process. One false check in the automatic IP assignment settings or an outdated driver for a WLAN card and the whole system will refuse to function properly. Powerline adapters can provide an alternative path.

Hanover  - Anyone looking to buy a new family PC should not get caught up in the hype surrounding quad core computers. The quad core machines offer far more brawn than really needed for household applications, says the Hanover-based c't magazine.

A PC with dual core processors is a better choice. Normal users will see little benefit from quad cores, c't's editors say. A PC with a quad core processor also makes more noise and consumes more power than comparably priced twin-core machines.

Bonn  - Sometimes crooks disguise themselves as friends. That's exactly what's happening when you're surfing the web and suddenly see the warning message "Your computer is virus infected. Click here to receive the latest anti-virus software."

Beware! The warning is part of a new threat faced by computer users: scareware. Essentially, scareware is malicious software that pretends to be anti-virus software, but really wants to gain access to your computer.

Munich  - When it comes to colours being displayed on computer monitors, many computer users cannot be blamed for being confused. After all, the white on the screen is not really white. Monitor technology itself often disrupts the neutral depiction of colours: imperfect circuitry or tubes may cause the image to have a reddish tinge or the colours to appear too cold. The best chance you have of setting up your monitor with professional precision is to calibrate it, says Andreas Roth from Prad, a consumer portal for monitors and TVs.

Bonn, Germany  - If you use Internet Explorer, you should either deactivate JavaScript or temporarily switch to another browser to combat a newly discovered vulnerability, according to the German Federal Agency for Security in Information Technology (BSI)

The security hole allows hackers to execute programs on your computer without your knowledge or permission, says the Bonn-based agency. The victims need only be lured into visiting a specially rigged web site.