Consumer Reports articles from September 2003

Consumer Reports archives from September 2003

This issue by the numbers.
September 1, 2003... THIS ISSUE BY THE NUMBERS SUPERMARKETS Shoppers surveyed 27,000 POWER BLOWERS Pounds of leaves blown 1,500 INTERIOR PAINTS Number of sq. ft. painted 4,860 LAPTOPS Hours they were run to ...

Suzuki vs. CU: what you could lose.(have you heard?)(Suzuki suit against Consumers Union)
September 1, 2003... Amendment 1. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition...

Can you hear me? I said, 'say cheese.'.(Up front: news / trends / advise)(camera-equipped cell phones)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... Ads for the hot new camera-equipped cell phones suggest you can get crisp, clear images that would make Ansel Adams proud. Reality isn't quite so clearly focused, we learned from testing the first camera phones available in the U.S. and allied...

Carbon monoxide hazards on boats.(Safety Alert)
September 1, 2003... The silent killer known as carbon monoxide (CO) can imperil boaters as well as people at home. Since 1990, CO has killed at least 93 people while they were boating and sickened nearly 400 others, according to federal safety investigators. The...

An exterior paint that promises to do it all.(Safety Alert)(McCloskey MultiUse Paint)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... Valspar Corp. recently introduced McCloskey MultiUse Paint, advertised as an all-purpose coating for your home's exterior. The manufacturer says it can be used as house paint, deck paint, trim paint, primer, and floor paint. The product...

First look.(Nissan 350Z sports car)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... Product: Nissan 350Z Full report: December 2003 The new Nissan 350Z sports car is in showrooms after a five-year hiatus. Its arrival was eagerly awaited because of the Z's iconic ancestor, the Datsun 240Z, whose quickness and nimble...

Paychecks go plastic.(Up front: news / trends / advice)(payroll cards)
September 1, 2003... A growing number of wage earners--mainly teenagers, low-income, part-time, or temporary workers--are being paid with a debit or ATM card known as the payroll card. It's supposed to be a convenience for people who don't have a bank account. In...

Claim check.(Fruit Saver)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... The claim: The Fruit Saver, touted as "the most innovative kitchen appliance since the microwave oven," claims to "extend the life of fruit so you can eat healthy foods instead of throwing them away." To keep fruit cool, it uses an insulated...

New rankings of child car seats.(Up front: news / trends / advice)(from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
September 1, 2003... The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released its first ratings of child car seats, evaluating 68 seats for their ease of use. The ratings cover 95 percent of the safety seats on the market. The agency scored some seats...

Does a meal in a bottle beat one in a can?(Up front: news / trends / advice)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... Slim-Fast is the leading drink-a-meal product, aimed at dieters as well as people too rushed to sit and eat. It now has some new competition from brands such as Yoplalt, Frulatte, and Snapple. We pitted Slim-Fast orange-pineapple flavor...

Pets and vets.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2003... Thank you for your July report "Pets & Vets." I lost my 10-year-old purebred English setter in November 2002 and was astonished at the cost of my dog's care and how our love for this animal was exploited. For months our dog's health was failing...

Restaurants.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2003... With regard to your July restaurant article, "Best Meals, Best Deals," I have begun checking the local health department inspection reports, which are available online for our area. Some localities print their inspection reports in the...

Our new look.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2003... I like what you've done with the magazine and the Web site. We may not see eye-to-eye politically but I support your efforts at protection and keeping business honest.

Fisher-Price recalls toy that may leak battery acid.(recalls & safety alerts)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Fisher-Price is recalling nearly a quarter-million "Sparkling Symphony" battery-powered spinning crib mobiles because liquid from corroded batteries could drip onto the infant, possibly causing chemical burns. The company has received 30...

Cosco "Arriva" and "Turnabout" infant carrier-safety seats.(Children's Products)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... When used as carrier, plastic handle locks may break or release, allowing baby to fall to the ground and suffer injuries. Products: 1.2 million safety seats made through 1/31/00. This recall is an expansion of a 7/99 recall involving...

"Tiffany" and "Josephine" wooden cribs sold at Babies "R" Us stores.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Slats on drop-side rails could loosen or detach and allow child's head to be caught in the gap. Child could also fall through slat opening. Products: About 2,000 cribs sold at Babies "R" Us stores from 7/01 to 1/03 for about $500. The...

Conceptual Marketing and Development Inc. (Grass Gator brand) metal blades for weed cutter attachment.(Home & Yard Products)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Blades could break off and strike user, causing serious injuries. Products: 1.1 million cast-aluminum blades sold 11/99 through 12/01 with company's model 4650 weed-cutting attachment (for about $15) or separately (about $6 for a set of...

Homier Distributing Co. (HDC brand) extension cords, portable lights, and fluorescent work lights.(Home & Yard Products)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Pose risk of electrocution, shock, or fire. Products: 384,000 products sold 1/00 to 5/03 via traveling sales shows, online at www.homier.com, and at the company's retail stores in Indiana for $3 to $7. Recall pertains to the following:...

When good software goes bad.(CR Investigates)
September 1, 2003... Software problems are not a matter of "if" but "when." Sooner or later you'll find yourself among the estimated eight million consumers per year who get snagged by trouble serious enough to prompt a cry for help to technical support,...

Laptops: your next computer?(Home computing: the new realities)(Buyers Guide)
September 1, 2003... This year, the laptop has finally come into its own as a serious alternative to the desktop computer. Laptops are no longer little machines intended for road warriors who are willing to sacrifice performance for portability. Diminutive...

Wireless computing: all about Wi-Fi:.(Home computing: the new realities)
September 1, 2003... Wireless has become the new byword for computing, at home and on the road. One in 10 of the people we've surveyed who have linked their computers in a home network did it wirelessly so they can move laptops from room to room yet remain...

Printers: image makers.(Home computing: the new realities)(Buyers Guide)
September 1, 2003... Go shopping for a printer and you'll find that good things do come in small packages, and sometimes with small price tags. Inkjet printers selling for $100 or less can churn out black-and-white text pages at speeds up to 8 pages per minute,...

Best-selling finance gurus: whose book is best?(personal finance guides)(Book Review)
September 1, 2003... If your finances are no more orderly than your 14-year-old's bedroom, a good book can help clean up the mess. A personal-finance book may also be the best option for long-term planning, especially if you don't have bags of money to spend. ...

Supermarket showdown.(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... Conventional supermarkets are under siege, struggling to defend their turf against a host of challengers ranging from warehouse clubs and natural-food emporiums to Wal-Mart, which has leaped over the likes of Kroger, Albertsons, and Safeway to...

Interior paint: a brighter picture.(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... This is a good time to buy paint. Manufacturers have survived a period of struggle with changing technologies to meet stricter environmental regulations. Now the paint companies seem to be back on track. Paints are better than their...

Save your money = save the planet.(energy-efficient appliances)
September 1, 2003... In a way, global climate change is for the birds. On one side of the aviary, we have Chicken Little, telling us the sky is falling; on the other side, the ostrich, his head deep in the sand. Scientists have concluded that the ostrich is in...

Cooktops & wall ovens: style meets convenience.
September 1, 2003... What delights your eyes can also ease your workload, at least when it comes to cooktops and wall ovens. A growing number of both appliances now offer flush surfaces and controls that look seek and wipe clean with less effort, along with...

Power blowers: plug-ins prevail.
September 1, 2003... Gasoline reigns supreme when it comes to mowers and other large yard equipment. But among the handheld blowers most people buy, electrics rule. Besides outperforming the best gas-powered models, electrics cost and weigh less while freeing you...

Head-lice shampoos can be dangerous.(health)
September 1, 2003... The millions of kids who will inevitably turn up with head lice during the coming school year have gained Food and Drug Administration protection against one dangerous prescription treatment--lindane, an organochlorine insecticide that can be...

Excerpts from two recent newspaper ads.(names & claims)(from providers of Lasik eye surgery)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Big print "Now you can enjoy natural eyesight and a lifestyle no longer controlled by glasses or contact lenses," says an ad for LasikPlus eye surgery. Small print Not if you have [actual size] "age related vision conditions requiring...

Taking supplements of the antioxidant.(Did You Know?)(statistics on beta-carotene)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Taking supplements of the antioxidant beta-carotene (a source of vitamin A) may increase your risk of disease. When researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation examined eight large clinical trials, they found that daily beta-carotene...

5 tips for buying that new car: expert advice from David Champion, Director of Auto Testing and The Consumer Reports New Car Price Service.
September 1, 2003... Can buying a new car be less of an ordeal for you? We think so. If you arm yourself with knowledge and an organized plan, you'll get the car you want equipped to your liking, at a fair price. 1 Learn the lowest cost Get the Consumer...

Sure-thing mutual funds?(principal-protected mutual funds)
September 1, 2003... With worldwide political uncertainty and a domestic economy that's as stable as a punch-drunk sparring partner, it's no wonder investors are jumpy these days. It's also no wonder that so many of them are responding to the sales pitch for...

Where the lower fees are.(Did You Know?)(Federal Reserve report on checking accounts)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Size counts when you choose a place to do your checking. A greater share of large institutions (38 percent) offer free checking than do medium-sized (31 percent) or small (29 percent) ones. But the bigs wallop you with higher fees on other...

Luxury lineup: these models scored highly, but they're on a par with comparable SUVs that cost $10,000 less.(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... All five of the sport-utilities we tested for this report performed better overall than the best SUV of five years ago. That illustrates how high the class standard has risen in performance, comfort, fuel economy, and safety. Yet few SUVs at...

Calling for better cell phone service.(View point: the Consumers Union perspective)
September 1, 2003... Remember the Lily Tomlin character Ernestine the Operator? She responded to callers' complaints with, "We don't care. We don't have to. We're the phone company." The Ma Bell monopoly may be gone, but too many consumers still have to deal with...

Peripatetic PCs.(then & now)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Portable computing 20 years ago wasn't for weaklings. The $1,500 Kaypro IIx--dubbed a "luggable"--weighed 25 pounds and had to be plugged in. But with a detachable keyboard, a crisp 9-Inch screen, and dual 5.25-inch floppy drives, it held its...

What's wrong with these pictures?(Selling it: goofs / glitches / rip-offs)
September 1, 2003... Well, we can certainly see why Air Jamaica was "Voted Best Airline in the Caribbean." This jet is able to fly (apparently at an altitude of several yards) with clipped wings and just one engine on its left side. It may be FREE, but is it...

All wet.(Selling it: goofs / glitches / rip-offs)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... A reader found a tag like this hanging from a 1-liter bottle of water placed on a table in her hotel room. Please enjoy? Sorry, Marriott, but the idea of paying the equivalent of about $18 per gallon for this "service" is apt to produce a...

Huh?(Selling it: goofs / glitches / rip-offs)
September 1, 2003... The reader who bought the bar inside this wrapper wonders whether it can actually suck fat out of your body.

The name game.(Selling it: goofs / glitches / rip-offs)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Contrary to its name, Crust toothpaste is supposed to leave your teeth "slick and smooth," the box says. But if it doesn't remove that tartar build-up, perhaps Delete chewing gum will do the trick. We were told Crust was bought in Iraq; Delete,...