Consumer Reports articles from November 2004

Consumer Reports archives from November 2004

On the trail of unsafe products.(Have you heard?)
November 1, 2004... Here's a story about a story, about how difficult it is for any of us, experienced reporters and consumers alike, to get basic information on products, some so hazardous that they're not allowed on our store shelves. Investigating for...

iPods vs. wannabes.(Up front: news / trends / advice)
November 1, 2004... Apple's phenomenally successful iPod players have dragged the digital music player (aka the MP3 player) firmly out of geekdom and into the mainstream. Now other companies are trying to match the iPods' distinctions, which include huge capacity...

Costly calling cards.(Up front: news / trends / advice)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Prepaid phone cards can be very useful for students and others who don't need or can't afford regular phone service. But a recent study of international calling found that prepaid cards can be a shockingly bad deal. Researchers from the...

Audiovox PM8920 camera phone.(first look)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Product: Audiovox PM8920 camera phone Full report: February 2005 This is one of the first 1-megapixel camera phones in the U.S., giving it much higher image resolution than other camera phones we've seen. The phone, offered by...

A safer way to fry a turkey.(Up front: news / trends / advice)
November 1, 2004... In many parts of the South and Midwest, the Thanksgiving turkey is deep-fried, not roasted. But in the eyes of safety experts, the typical propane-fueled turkey fryer is a major accident waiting to happen. Underwriters Laboratories won't...

Mattresses in minutes for overnight guests.(Up front: news / trends / advice)
November 1, 2004... Holidays bring houseguests. If you don't have enough guest rooms to go around, an inflatable bed may be the next best thing. We tested four, all in a queen size: the Aero Aerobed, $180; the Aero Deluxe, $210; the Aero Pillowtop, $200; and the...

Freezing for the long haul.(Up front: news / trends / advice)(vacuum sealers)
November 1, 2004... Vacuum sealers can prolong the life of many foods. But the price of the eight machines we tested ranges from $80 to $290 (not counting the refills of brand-specific plastic). That's a lot to spend on a pound of bologna or a package of saltines....

Fisher & Paykel Smartload DEGX1 dryer.(first look)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Product: Fisher & Paykel Smartload DEGX1 dryer Next report: January 2005 This dryer, the only full-sized top-loader on the market, is claimed to be easier to load and unload than the more typical front-loading dryer. We tested the...

Protect yourself online.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... Your cover article in September, "Protect Yourself Online," was excellent and extremely timely. This morning I received an e-mail from U.S. Bank, asking me to update my account data. I am not a customer of that bank. I called U.S. Bank in...

Fast food.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... Thank you for the article in the September issue "Fast Food: Adding Health to the Menu." I am surprised and concerned that the Panera Bread Tuscan Chicken sandwich contains 56 grams of fat. I often select this sandwich. Unfortunately, the...

Homeowners insurance.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... Just back from vacation, I leafed through the September issue, including "Surviving the "Hard Market' in Homeowners Insurance," about the 2.5 million families who'd lost their coverage. Moments later, I spied a letter from Allstate. My own...

Dorm safety.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... This concerns "Back to School: Is Your Dorm Fire-Safe?" in the September issue. The only fire-safe dormitory, fraternity house, rooming house, etc., is one that is protected by an automatic fire sprinkler system. I hope it does not take a fire...

Britax recalls top-line safety seats for faulty harness.(recalls & safety alerts)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Britax Child Safety has recalled four of its safety-seat models. The harness-adjuster assembly could allow the adjuster straps to slip. If that occurred in a crash, the child's head could move too far forward, increasing the risk of injury. ...

Hazard in aisle 5.(CR Investigates)
November 1, 2004... Holiday shoppers beware: Dangerous products that violate federal safety standards are finding their way onto store shelves as U.S. authorities struggle, and often fail, to protect you, a CONSUMER REPORTS investigation has found. Those...

What we tested, what we found.(from our labs)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... To see for ourselves whether unsafe products are on sale to consumers, we went shopping this summer at more than a dozen stores in five states: California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas. We visited dollar stores, drugstores, close-out...

what you can do.(to ensure product safety)
November 1, 2004... BEFORE YOU BUY All products * Avoid no-name products. They are commonly found in dollar and discount stores. A manufacturer name and address is not a guarantee of safety, but it means that you or authorities can track down a legitimate...

Rejected by U.S., unsafe goods go abroad.(close up)
November 1, 2004... The tubular metal bunk beds were prone to collapse. Consumers reported at least 150 incidents and several injuries. The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued three recalls, the last in July 2001. The agency warned American consumers to...

Going digital: tThe smart shopper's guide to cameras, HDTVs, and more.
November 1, 2004... When it comes to buying video and camera equipment, digital technology now dominates your choices--and how. Digital cameras, the hottest category by far, are more numerous and diverse than ever. More TVs are high-definition sets: In fact, these...

Cameras: simple and affordable.(Imaging)
November 1, 2004... The digital camera is now truly mainstream, selling in record numbers even to people who are used to dropping their rolls of film off at the drugstore. Now there are single-use digital cameras, too. As this issue went to press, the CVS...

Photofinishing: opting for the Internet pros.
November 1, 2004... Most digital Photos are still printed at home. But walk into any store that processes film and you'll see a kiosk that accepts CDs, DVDs, diskettes, and various types of digital-camera memory cards. Online photofinishers have taken that service...

Camcorders: affordable, high quality.(Imaging)
November 1, 2004... Nearly all the camcorders on the market are digital. Only a few older analog models remain. Digital dominates because it delivers consistent picture quality--no falloff at slow taping speed--and a wealth of options. With digital, you can record...

HDTV: the big picture.(Television)
November 1, 2004... In some ways, the high-definition (HD) TV set is to this decade what the color TV was to the 1960s. It's exciting, it's expensive, and there hasn't been much to watch. But that picture is changing. Prices for HDTVs have plummeted over the...

Plasma TVs: the big picture.(Television)
November 1, 2004... For big, bright, vivid images, a plasma TV has no equal. These flat panels have a definite wow factor, especially when displaying high-definition (HD) images. A mere 4 to 6 inches thick, plasma sets are the slimmest big-screen option. Most...

LCD TVs: slim and trim.(Television)
November 1, 2004... LCD televisions are getting bigger, better, and cheaper. Once available only with small screens, these flat panels now come in large sizes that can serve as a household's primary TV set. Most LCD TVs top out at about 32 inches diagonally,...

Conventional TVs: still the best value.(Television)
November 1, 2004... Even though trendy flat panels and big screens are hogging the headlines, plain old picture-tube TVs display the most realistic detail and clarity, whether you're watching standard TV programs, DVD movies, or HD programming. These TVs have...

Home theater: simple surround sound.(Audio)
November 1, 2004... Even the priciest digital TV can't convey the rich multichannel sound you will find on most DVD movies and HD programs. A home-theater-in-a-box system is the cheapest, easiest way to envelop yourself with surround sound. Most of these...

Video recording: DVD, TiVo, and more.(Television)
November 1, 2004... If you're replacing an aging VCR, a recorder that uses digital technology now deserves first consideration. The reasons include picture quality that can exceed that of a VCR and some recording conveniences and capabilities that no tape recorder...

Toasters & toaster ovens: style takes the stage.
November 1, 2004... The toaster is getting a fashion makeover. Manufacturers of this humble one-trick pony aren't focusing so much on technological innovation as on style, hoping you'll be inspired to update. "Design has been a major catalyst" of sales,...

Wine: bargains in red and white.
November 1, 2004... The latest trend in wine will give comfort to anyone who has tried to coax a cork from a bottle only to have it split in two. Traditional corks are being nudged aside not only by synthetic corks, but also by screw caps that are better-designed...

Disease-fighting vegetable medley.(health)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Variety, the spice of life, is also the path to good health. In recent years researchers have shown that various phytochemicals--substances that plants use to ward off insects, viruses, bacteria, and cell mutations--can lessen disease risk in...

Did you know?(health)(health aspects of fruits)
November 1, 2004... Apple power for your lungs Apples may offer significant protection for the lungs, helping to reduce coughing and phlegm in people with chronic lung problems, according to an August 2004 study by researchers in the U.S. and Singapore....

Super sprouts.(names & claims)(broccoli sprouts)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... "Not all broccoli sprouts are created equal." So claims the Web site for BroccoSprouts, a brand of sprouts developed by nutrition researchers at Johns Hopkins University. The three-day-old broccoli-seed sprouts are "guaranteed" to contain at...

First look: Chrysler 300.(cars)
November 1, 2004... Of the new models introduced for 2005, the Chrysler 300 has been one of the most talked about. Our initial impressions of two versions we've bought for testing are that they are pleasant to drive, with roomy, quiet cabins. Helped by a...

CR's recommended list reflects NHTSA rollover tests.(safety wise)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... As a result of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's first year of dynamic rollover testing, CONSUMER REPORTS has pulled its recommendations from several models. We no longer recommend the Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Escape, or Toyota...

Guarding your credit record.(money)
November 1, 2004... David Jokinen, a real-estate developer in Sugar Land, Tex., tells a story that's all too familiar. When he decided to refinance his mortgage in 2001, his application was denied. Three credit bureaus confused him with his recently deceased...

Car batteries some claims fall short.
November 1, 2004... Only a handful of auto batteries deliver what their labels imply, at least when it comes to claimed cold cranking amps (CCA). We found in our more realistic tests that only a small minority of batteries met manufacturer claims, although some...

SUV & pickup tires good prices, better grip.
November 1, 2004... Drivers of fuel-thirsty sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks may be taking a hit at the pumps, but they're getting a break on replacement tires. While you can still spend $120 or more per tire for the common, P235/70R16 size we tested,...

Family cars with zoom.
November 1, 2004... SPORTY SEDANS * THESE MIDSIZED, $30,000 CARS MIX A LITTLE FUN WITH PRACTICaLITY You want a sporty, fun-to-drive car, but need the practicality of a four-door sedan. A trend in the automotive market toward sportier sedans means there is now...

Recycling electronics: industry's responsibility.(View point: the consumers union perspective)
November 1, 2004... If you're like many consumers, you have an old computer, cell phone, or other electronic product that you no longer need. Perhaps you are waiting to find a new home for it or to dispose of it safely, The toxic ingredients in electronic waste,...

A belated billion.(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)(Pepsi's Play for a Billion Sweepstakes)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... A reader was pleased to see that he could win big bucks in Pepsi's recent Play for a Billion Sweepstakes. Then he found a gotcha. Deep in the Official Rules was this statement: "The Policy shall provide for payment of the One Billion Dollar...

A healthy dose of [H.sub.2]O.(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)(orange juice)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... This Tropicana Light 'n Healthy has "1/2 less sugar & calories than orange juice." How'd they do that? The ingredients tell the tale. The first is filtered water; the second, orange juice. Then come natural flavors and Splenda. We asked a...

Made in the shade.(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)
November 1, 2004... Here's a math problem: How does a "10'x10' instant canopy" provide "64 sq. ft. of shade"? Give up? The canopy, as the box notes elsewhere in smaller type, is 8x8; it's the legs that form a 10x10-foot base. We won't even ask how the shade in...

What's wrong with this picture?(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)
November 1, 2004... Given the location of the branch he's lopping off, this guy made a good choice of headgear.