Consumer Reports articles from January 2006

Consumer Reports archives from January 2006

Poor excuses for cell service.(Have You Heard?)
January 1, 2006... We received e-mail in September from a reader whose newly merged cell-phone company refused to honor a rebate promised by the salesman and neglected to tell her that formerly free text messages would now cost her. "They made me so crazy, I...

Beware of hidden fees when you fly.(air travel cost management)
January 1, 2006... For the past decade, competition from low-cost carriers and Web sites that offer cheap seats have combined to keep a lid on airline-ticket prices, but that may be changing. Leisure fares spiked 15 percent this year, thanks in large part to...

Great music, so-so video.(NEW IPOD)(30- and 60-gigabyte iPods)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Shortly after introducing the tiny iPod Nano, Apple shrank its higher-capacity players and enabled them to play music videos and TV programs bought off the Internet. The slimmed-down 30- and 60-gigabyte iPods cost $299 and $399. Below, our...

Where to find low prices online.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Whether you're hunting for an MP3 player or slippers, shopping-comparison sites (a.k.a. shopping bots) can save time and money, especially if used wisely. We shopped on the six biggest bots--Froogle, NexTag.com, PriceGrabber.com, Shopping.com,...

Product: Volkswagen Passat.(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Product: Volkswagen Passat Full report: March 2006 The Volkswagen Passat, our top-rated family sedan from 1998 to 2004, was an inviting blend: a fairly fun-to-drive car whose good handling came with comfort, roominess, interior...

A healthful, tasty spread.(fat foods test results)
January 1, 2006... Trans fat is good for margarines and spreads--hydrogenation, which creates trans fat, solidifies and stabilizes them--but bad for the people who eat it. Trans fat boosts the risk of heart disease by raising bad cholesterol and lowering good....

Battle of the batteries.(AA batteries analysis)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Family and friends are assembled and portrait-ready, everyone says "cheese," and... no photo. To spare you such scenes, we tested AA batteries that claim to excel in digital devices. The combatants. The Panasonic Oxyride Extreme Power...

Drug-name game.(generic drugs brand names)
January 1, 2006... Although the naming of generic drugs is monitored by international authorities such as the World Health Organization, no group supervises brand names. As a result, drugs with the same brand name in the U.S. and abroad might not have the same...

We pan silicone bakeware.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Silicone bakeware is touted as easy to clean, stain resistant, and so flexible that it folds for storage. And oh, yes, it promises picture-perfect baked goods that slide from the pan. It's sold everywhere from cooking catalogs to Target. We...

New Cheer aims to keep dark clothes dark.(Cheer Dark Formula tested)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... The claim. Cheer Dark Formula "helps prevent black and other dark colored clothes from fading in the wash." The check. We washed black swatches of 100 percent cotton knits and poplin five times in three detergents--Cheer Dark Formula, Cheer...

Electronics.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... Your November article "Digital Video Recording" opened with the statement that DVDs have replaced videos as the "medium of choice" for prerecorded video. I feel it should be added that the "choice" was forced upon consumers by the very rapid...

Credit cards.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... Regarding November's report "Credit Cards: They Really Are Out to Get You," since when are credit cards a necessary part of life? If people don't like the rates or terms, they don't have to get them. What happened to paying for what you...

Cooktops.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... You rated cooktops in the November issue. As any serious cook can attest, one of the most important features to consider is the ability of the cooking surface to respond quickly to changes requested by the cook. My experience with electric...

Tea.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... Regarding your November report "Coffee vs. Tea: Benefits and Risks," I would like to add that while fluoride in tea may bolster bone density, it may also cause excessive fluoride absorption, resulting in skeletal fluorosis. Your readers should...

Door locks.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... In your October issue you appear to endorse double-cylinder deadbolts, which require a key to open the lock from inside. While the evaluation does contain the advisement "some municipalities ban them," all comprehensive building and fire codes...

Correction.(Your Letters)(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2006... The November report on credit cards incorrectly stated currency-exchange fees. Commerce Bank does not have a fee. The correct fee for Town North Bank is 1 percent; for Pulaski Bank, it's 2 percent.

Blood-glucose meters could give incorrect readings.(Recalls & Safety Alerts)(Services of Abbott Diabetes Care )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Abbott Diabetes Care has issued a nationwide alert regarding its blood-glucosemeters, sold under various names, because users could inadvertently change the unit of measure when setting the date and time. If that happens, test results could be...

'05 Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep SUVs, pick-ups, and passenger cars.(VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Vehicle could roll unexpectedly even though shifter is in Park. Models: 256,409 vehicles with 42RLE automatic transmission including the following: Chrysler 300, Dodge Dakota, Durango, and Magnum, and Jeep Liberty and Wrangler. What to...

'04-05 Hyundai Elantra and Kia Spectra.(VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Computer system that controls front passenger air bags could mistake a child safety seat for an adult occupant and deploy in crash. If that happens, child faces increased risk of injury. Models: 313,641 vehicles with advanced air bag...

'04-05 Toyota Prius.(VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... "Logic" problem in electronic-control module could cause various warning lights to come on, gasoline engine to shut down, and electric motor to operate at diminished power. Models: 75,000 hybrid cars. If problem occurs, vehicle will enter...

HP and Compaq notebook-computer battery packs.(ELECTRONICS)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... An internal electrical short could cause battery cells to overheat and melt or char the plastic case, posing burn and fire hazards. Products: 85,000 rechargeable lithium-ion battery packs sold in the U.S. from 3/04 through 5/05 at computer...

Sony PlayStation 2 (Slim Version).(ELECTRONICS)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... AC adapter could overheat and melt, posing risk of fire, burn, and shock injuries. Products: 843,000 AC adapters packaged with game systems that were sold from 10/04 to 8/05 at stores and online for about $150. Adapters came with Slim...

Wi-Fi models & more.(CAMERAS UPDATE)
January 1, 2006... The 2005 holiday season has brought several new options to satisfy shutterbugs looking for more than a plainvanilla point-and-shoot digital camera. The number of single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras priced below $1,000 has increased. Cameras with...

Best phone & plan for you.(SPECIAL PHONE SECTION)(Brief Article)(Cover Story)
January 1, 2006... The continuing rise of alternatives to the landline telephone makes the days when you simply got a phone and service from The Phone Company seem more quaint by the year. Most households now supplement their landline service with one or more...

The right mix: wired & wireless & web.
January 1, 2006... Just as one phone isn't enough for most households anymore, one type of phone service probably isn't, either. For both safety and savings, you need at least two and possibly all three types. Indeed, most readers of this report probably use...

Best cell service: exclusive survey results.(SPECIAL PHONE SECTION)
January 1, 2006... Despite fierce competition among carriers and cell towers seemingly sprouting up overnight in many places, cell-phone service isn't getting any better, according to our latest survey. Our largest-ever survey of cell-phone users found the...

Cell phones: more than just talk.(SPECIAL PHONE SECTION)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2006... If you're like many cell-phone users, you're using your phone for more than just talking these days. In a recent survey of more than 50,000 ConsumerReports.org subscribers, more than one-third reported having used their phone's text-messaging...

Internet phoning: lower cost, more capability.(SPECIAL PHONE SECTION)(Voice over Internet Protocol)
January 1, 2006... Consumers tired of paying big bills for traditional landline telephone service are increasingly turning to the Internet for some financial relief. Many are saving $20 to $50 or more a month by using Voice over Internet Protocol, often...

Prescription for trouble: common drugs, hidden dangers. Tens of millions of people at risk.(risk factor of prescription drugs)
January 1, 2006... U.S. consumers have been buffeted by bad news about the safety of the prescription drugs they take. One shock was the revelation of serious heart risks from the pain reliever Vioxx. Then "black box"warnings about an increased risk of suicide in...

Refrigerators: cooler ways to chill.
January 1, 2006... A water dispenser you can program by the cup or liter? It's among the latest refrigerator features you'll find this year as manufacturers tout new models with added conveniences for roughly the same price as last year's. A Whirlpool Gold...

Replacement headlight bulbs: a bright idea?(aerodynamic headlight)(high-intensity-discharge)
January 1, 2006... Premium replacement headlight bulbs are marketed as a functional and cosmetic improvement over the conventional bulbs found in most cars. The bulbs try to mimic the whiter, brighter light of the high-intensity-discharge (HID) lights found on...

Spice it up: disease-fighting flavors.(disease-fighting antioxidant power in spices)
January 1, 2006... Your spice cabinet may hold a key to good health. A U.S. Department of Agriculture laboratory study of 27 cooking herbs found that most had greater disease-fighting antioxidant power per gram than many fruits and vegetables. And some spices...

Travel bargains: where to find them fast online.(travel Web sites)
January 1, 2006... Shop around at travel Web sites such as Expedia.com and Orbitz. com and you'll get good deals, and aching fingers. A fast way to find even bigger bargains is to head straight for the clearance racks of the travel industry: Hotwire.com and...

Tall wagons: four vehicles try to balance space, utility, and fuel economy.
January 1, 2006... More consumers are shedding their large SUVs and looking elsewhere for the space and utility to which they've become accustomed. The four vehicles in this test, which blend the characteristics of small sport-utilities and mini-vans, can provide...

Needed: safer drugs and medical devices.(safety laws )
January 1, 2006... It is long past time for Congress to strengthen our nation's safety laws regarding drugs and medical devices. Over the past two years, numerous deaths and injuries have been linked to certain prescription medications and medical devices....

Madison Avenue revisited.(Lux to wash your dishes)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Are you unpopular? Do you have dishpan hands? Are your dates spoiled by stocking runs? Are you just too washed out to go out on Monday evenings? Well, use Lux to wash your dishes and stockings and Rinso for the family laundry, and all will...

Amelia Earhart? Yeah, they found her.(Intelius.com)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... We noticed something intriguing when using Yahoo People Search. For every name we typed in, whether Yahoo found that person or not, the screen told us that Intelius.com, a paid search site, could provide a phone number and address. (Cost: about...

Maybe they're doing research.
January 1, 2006... Looks as if "experimenting with drugs" (here, two different sexual-dysfunction remedies) takes on a new meaning when one reaches a certain age. [ILLUSRATION OMITTED]

Why did the chicken leave the soup?
January 1, 2006... Because the soup is vegetarian. Hey, that gives us an idea for a whole line of foods: teriyaki beef with no beef, sweet and sour pork with no pork.... [ILLUSRATION OMITTED]

Doing the math.(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)
January 1, 2006... A reader submitted this photo of a dollar store in Pittsburgh whose calculator must have closed down early. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Listen up.(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)
January 1, 2006... If your back doesn't hurt now, it might once you've spent 24 hours on the phone.

And your point is?(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... A Georgia funeral home offers a special deal on services. "This offer," the flyer goes on to say,"may expire without notice." While we were struck by the use of the word "expire" so close to the word "caskets," a Georgia reader had another...