Tucson Real Estate Expert, Peter Deluca has 20 years Experience in Southern Arizona

TUCSON CLEAN AND BEAUTIFUL.  Connect the facts: Over 2.5 million tons of electronic waste containing hazardous materials-computers, televisions, cell phones, and much more-are discarded each year in the US. Of this amount, only an estimated 20% is recycled or otherwise beneficially reused. Many local e-waste recycling & reuse options are available for you to do your part today!   Check out all these drop off sites>>

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“Make your pics look good with Picasa”           

This photo organizer strikes us as the picture of simplicity. Although not the most powerful image manager on the block, Picasa has the distinction of being the prettiest, with an easygoing demeanor we don’t usually associate with good looks.

Picasa has only gotten better over time. Its editing tools now allow you to see your photo tweaks as you make them–no more rendering delays. Multiple levels of undo make it a snap to revert to the original image if you decide you don’t like a certain change.

Picasa really shines when it comes to organizing pictures, with improved search capabilities and a time-line slide-show function for beautifully displaying your photo collection. It also automatically resizes your photos for e-mailing. You get several options for storage and sharing. You can burn albums to DVD or CD, print pictures at home, or use links to several online companies, including Ofoto and Shutterfly.

Tucson is ripe with opportunites for good photos:  The Santa Catalina Mountain Range, Tucson Sunsets, Wild Coyotes, Roadrunners, Beautiful Saguaros and all the fruitful cactus plants right now!  So, keep your cameras with you…for your next Southern Arizona photo.

The latest version provides easy access to Picasa Web Albums, so it’s easy to post your photos online, and supports geotag information. One caveat: Picasa eats a lot of memory by default, and even more each time you add a thumbnail, so users with older computers may experience a performance drag. In other respects this free program is a good choice for amateur shutterbugs with plenty of photos to share.

For a free download>>

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(ARA) - Is your computer getting bogged down? Does it often hang on the hour glass for several minutes at a time? If so, your computer is likely experiencing problems with its registry database, the operating system component that stores information about the system, application settings and hardware.

Even if you’re extremely careful about how you use your computer and never download questionable material, over time it is inevitable that your system will accumulate unwanted registry entries, errors, clutter and debris.

The most common causes are the installation and removal of software, online games, application crashes and upgrades of software programs. While many errors will go unnoticed, the more errors your computer has, the higher the chances that you’ll experience trouble. But there is something proactive you can do to protect your system: install a one-click tool called Advanced Registry Optimizer 5 (ARO 5) that will scan, identify and repair errors.

Advanced Registry Optimizer 5 was awarded 4 stars in May 2007 from CNET’s Download.com Editorial Staff who commented “Advanced Registry Optimizer will clean your computer’s clock and keep it ticking.”

Not sure if you really need one? Sammsoft, a Washington State software company, offers free trials of their ARO 5 software people can use to check their systems for errors. Click here to begin the download process.

Once the download is complete, just click the “Run” button to install ARO 5. Once installed, the program will do a complete scan and diagnosis of your computer’s registry and tell you how many errors are present.  It will then fix the first 20 problems  completely free of charge.

Copyright © 2007, ARAnet.inc.

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What did we ever do before wireless networks? But you may as well be sending smoke signals if you can’t find one when you’re on the go. Before you head out with your laptop, check here first for where to log on. Remember, not all “hot spots” are free [if they are, remember to at least buy something or tip the staff]. Some locations allow you to buy a day pass, but if you’re always away from your office, you’ll do better to get wireless access from your cellphone provider.  LEARN MORE>>

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Advancements in technology have forever changed many aspects of our lives, especially in our homes. While smart home devices have been around for as long as 30 years now in small numbers, a new breed of computerized products from a new diverse group of suppliers is ready to enter the marketplace. This is good news developers who, if they add smart home automation systems as a value added service, can expect long-term revenue streams.

One product supplier, HAI (Home Automation, Inc.), a leading manufacturer of integrated automation and security products since 1985, recently announced it is shipping a 4-Button Wireless Keypad as part of its wireless products line that can activate lighting, arm and disarm a security system, operate a garage door, set off a panic alarm, and change temperatures. It features an elegant, slim design which mounts on any wall where a light switch is desired but electrical wires aren’t available to connect it to.  LEARN MORE>>

Filed under: Becoming A Tucsonan, Computer Resources, Getting Settled, What's New in Tucson | No Comments »