Consumer Reports articles from January 2007

Consumer Reports archives from January 2007

5 serious safety concerns.(Have You Heard?)
January 1, 2007... At Consumers Union, we're not shy about sharing our opinions with the federal agencies responsible for product safety. As we enter a new year, we're focusing on some of the dangers that, with enlightened regulatory action, shouldn't be dangers....

Battle of the bookstores.
January 1, 2007... Whether you're eager to read Tolstoy or Twain, there's a bookstore to oblige. We set out to find out which of the obvious choices--Barnes & Noble, bn.com, Borders, and Amazon.com, which fills online orders for Borders.com--have the best buys,...

Biggest bargains B & N vs. Borders vs. online.(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... We shopped for 23 titles, new and old, best-selling and not. A hardcover suspense novel, a classic self-help paperback, a cookbook companion to a TV show, and Jane Austen's "Emma" were in the mix. The list price for our list was $565. Internet...

Logitech io2 digital pen.(first look)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Product: Logitech io2 digital pen. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you have to transcribe handwritten notes into a computer, have we got a device for you. Or maybe that should be a question: Have we got a device for you? Because as clever as...

'Softergents' for double duty.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The claim. Blends of laundry detergent and fabric softener can clean and soften clothes "in a single step." Besides saving a ton of labor (we're smiling here), the blends eliminate the need for a separate softener. Blends we tested cost 8 to 31...

Carbon credits: clean up after your car.(up front)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... A car that travels 15,000 miles a year and averages 25 miles per gallon exhales about 5.5 metric tons of C[O.sub.2].Anyone feeling a twinge of guilt over that might be interested in buying carbon dioxide credits, a novel way to offset your...

Chicken soups: an upstart wins.(up front)
January 1, 2007... If a cold catches up with you this season, there may be a place you can turn to for relief instead of your medicine chest: your stove. Echoing moms, researchers at the University of Nebraska concluded in a study published in October 2000 in...

A close look at binoculars.(up front)
January 1, 2007... Anyone who relies on binoculars for close encounters needs to consider power, image quality, durability, and ease of use. The good news from our tests of 36 pairs is that they won't have to consider spending a lot. A $60 pair of binoculars...

A virtual coach for walkers & runners.(up front)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The Nike + iPod Sport Kit combines shoes, sensor, receiver, and iPod Nano to create a pedometer system designed to give runners and walkers feedback on their workout. The receiver plugs into the bottom of a Nano; the sensor slips into a pocket...

Sony expands recall of lithium-ion batteries for laptop computers.(Recalls & Safety Alerts)
January 1, 2007... A Sony recall of an additional 3.4 million laptop batteries brings the total number of the company's recalled laptop batteries to about 9.4 million. Previously, almost 6 million of the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries had been recalled....

'05-06 Ford five hundred and freestyle, and mercury montego.(VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Water may seep into side door latch mechanism. In freezing weather, door may not shut properly and could open while vehicle is moving. Models: 139,537 vehicles sold in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,...

Baby Cookie Monster toys sold with DVD at Wal-Mart.(CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Fabric cookie in toy's hand can be pulled off and ingested by children, posing a choking hazard. Products: 31,000 Baby Cookie Monster plush toys sold 3/06 to 7/06 at Wal-Mart stores for about $15. Toy was packaged with some Sesame...

Britax child safety "companion" infant seat.(CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Tabs on bottom of carrier may not be assembled correctly. In a crash, the carrier could rotate, possibly injuring the child. Products: Seats made from 10/31/03 to 6/6/04. "Companion" model E9L14 is a rear-facing, infant-only seat. What...

Minnie Mouse cardigan sets from Wal-Mart.(CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... If cardigan is buttoned, ribbon woven around neckline poses strangulation hazard for children. Products: 14,000 cardigans sold 7/06 to 8/06 for about $15 at Wal-Mart nationwide. Cardigan is part of a three-piece set which includes a light...

Starbucks barista aroma stainless-steel 8-cup coffee brewer.(HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Coffee brewer has defective wiring that can result in overheating, smoking, melting, and burning. Products: 73,000 brewers sold 3/05 to 9/06 at Starbucks for about $100. The brewer has silver control panel buttons and a chrome finish....

Wrinkle creams: selling hope in a jar.
January 1, 2007... We've heard the claims: A "breakthrough in herbaceutical science" (Avon Anew Alternative). "Regenerate damaged skin" (Olay Regenerist). Have your wrinkles "virtually slept away" (Lancome Renergie). Americans spend more than a billion dollars a...

Electronics gift guide: last-minute picks for the holidays.(Buyers guide)
January 1, 2007... Digital cameras Sizing up screens, stabilizers, and more Spirits aren't the only things soaring this season: So is camera resolution. Consumer-priced SLRs have moved into 10-megapixel territory, joined by several point-and-shoots....

Dirty birds: even 'premium' chickens harbor dangerous bacteria.(CR INVESTIGATES)
January 1, 2007... If you eat undercooked or mishandled chicken, our new tests indicate, you have a good chance of feeling miserable. CR's analysis of fresh, whole broilers bought nationwide revealed that 83 percent harbored campylobacter or salmonella, the...

Best cell-phone deals: cut through the static with this step-by-step guide.(Buyers guide)(Table)
January 1, 2007... If you thought choosing your last cell phone, service provider, and calling plan was a more confusing process than it had any reason to be, just wait until the next time you try it. Not only are the plans devilishly difficult to figure...

Washers & dryers: cycles of change.(Buyers guide)(Table)
January 1, 2007... New energy rules starting Jan. 1 will require most new top-loading washing machines to use less energy. But some have murky labeling, and you could get soaked along with your clothing since there's no easy way to tell whether the washer in the...

Laundry detergents: clean & green options.(Buyers guide)(Table)
January 1, 2007... The chemicals in laundry detergents that clean clothing are called surfactants. But in the case of at least one type, surfactant is also a dirty word. Nonylphenol ethoxylates, also known as NPEs, are recognized by the Environmental...

Virtual wallets safer ways to pay online.(CR Money)
January 1, 2007... Uneasy about spreading your credit-card number around the Internet as you go about your holiday shopping? Several services, including PayPal and Bill Me Later, can offer added security in an electronic world vulnerable to credit-card fraud and...

Stuffy nose how to ease the congestion.(CR Health)
January 1, 2007... To keep people from using a common decongestant, pseudo-ephedrine, to make the illegal drug methamphetamine, federal law now requires that cold remedies such as Sudafed and Contac be moved from shelves to behind the counter. You have to show...

Small SUVs: the BMW X3 bests two other sporty models; Toyota FJ Cruiser and Jeep Wrangler disappoint.(ROAD & TRAIL)(Buyers guide)(Table)
January 1, 2007... Automakers now offer more performance-oriented versions of nearly all types of vehicles, from small cars to SUVs. Small SUVs, which historically have been functional, versatile, and affordable, are the latest group of vehicles to gain these...

Stop playing chicken with food safety.(THE CONSUMERS UNION PERSPECTIVE)
January 1, 2007... In September, consumers were advised not to buy fresh spinach because some of it was contaminated with the potentially deadly bacteria E. coli O157:H7. But it's not just the salad that can make us sick; it's the main course as well. Tests...

Information from Consumer Reports[R] for Canadian readers.(Canada extra)(Buyers guide)(Table)
January 1, 2007... How to use the Canada Extra section Every month, Canada Extra provides Canadian pricing and availability information about products tested for that issue. The Ratings in this section are based on this month's reports, but they narrow your...