Consumer Reports articles from September 2005

Consumer Reports archives from September 2005

Beware the spy on your hard drive.(Have You Heard?)
September 1, 2005... I'm competent, but not a whiz, on computers. So when the team working on the Internet security article for this issue of CONSUMER REPORTS sat me down to explain "adware"--spyware that throws advertisements onto your computer screen--they...

Dressing in style: best balsamic vinaigrettes.(up front: News / Trends / Advice)(Buyers Guide)
September 1, 2005... If you've shopped in the condiment aisle lately, you've probably noticed that salad-dressing standbys such as Kraft and Wish-Bone are being jostled by fancier fare from well-known restaurants, chefs, specialty shops, and a couple of fellows who...

Dishwasher decibels: sears signs indicate loudness.
September 1, 2005... Which dishwasher is quieter: the Quiet Guard 7 or the Quiet Partner III? Now shoppers can tell for themselves, at least at Sears stores. The retailer is requiring that every dishwasher it sells, whatever the brand, bear a sign indicating...

No toasts for these bags.(CLAIM CHECK)(Toaster bags don't live up to claims)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The claim: NoStik Toast-It nonstick toaster bags let you "turn your toaster into a grill." Slide a sandwich, pizza slice, or bacon strips into a bag, pop it in a toaster, and voile, the food is browned. Any mess stays in the bag, which can be...

Digital SLR cameras: the choice for advanced photographers.(up front: News / Trends / Advice)(single-lens reflex cameras)
September 1, 2005... Tests of seven digital single-lens reflex cameras confirm why they're the best option for professionals and serious hobbyists: They provide top-notch performance in even the most challenging picture-taking conditions. SLRs differ from...

'Disposable' camcorder: toss this idea.(up front: News / Trends / Advice)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... You buy CVS's new disposable digital camcorder from one of the drugstore chain's stores, shoot video and audio until the memory is full (expect 20 minutes), and return the camcorder to a CVS store that handles processing (some don't). An hour...

Off-brand inks: think twice.(printers and cartridges)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... With digital-camera buffs shelling out about $50 to $70 for a set of inkjet cartridges from their printers' manufacturer, alternative suppliers are winning converts. Cartridges from office-supply stores, Web sites, and franchise operations...

Meningitis vaccine recommended for kids, teens.(health wise)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Millions of children and teenagers returning to school should be inoculated with a new, potentially longer-lasting meningitis vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in May. Meningitis, which often begins with flulike...

'Smart' shoe with ivy league price.
September 1, 2005... The Adidas 1 is marketed as "the world's first intelligent shoe," and at $250, it should be a genius. Powered by a 3-volt battery, it uses a sensor, a microprocessor, and an electric motor that adjusts a cable in the heel to provide, Adidas...

Digital photography.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... Regarding your digital photography report in the July issue, have a Kodak digital camera. The USB cable connector isn't standard; you must buy a cable that fits it, available only from Kodak. While any AA batteries will work, including...

Vehicle reliability.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... I just read the July issue comparing compact pickups. For the new Honda Ridgeline and redesigned Toyota Tacoma, you say reliability should be above average. For the other two redesigns, you say reliability is unknown. How can you predict that a...

Online shopping.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... I was jolted by one sentence of the article about camping tents in the July issue. "You can buy a tent online, but go to a store first to set it up and walk (or crawl) inside." I have been trying for years to teach my kids that this is wrong,...

Banks.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... It should be suggested to Sheryl Eckert, the letter writer in the July issue who is encountering problems with the timing of deposits and payments due on the 1st and 2nd of the month, that she contact those expecting such payments and discuss...

Assisted living.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... In your July report on assisted-living facilities, you say that assisted-living meals, lodging, and medical care are tax-deductible as medical expenses. My accountant tells me you are in error, or you have information not included in the IRS...

Patio furniture.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... I've lived in Florida more than 20 years, and I've owned every type of patio furniture you can imagine. My experience has taught me that aluminum, wrought iron, and wood are excellent choices if maintenance and longevity are not a concern....

Yogurt.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... Your article on yogurt in July did not refer to frozen yogurt confections. Are those cones or cups a source of probiotics? BEVERLY S. COHEN NEW YORK We didn't test frozen yogurts, though some products claim to contain live and active...

Correction.(Your Letters)(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2005... In the July issue, a recall notice for '00 and "01 GMC SUVs contained an incorrect phone number for GMC. The correct number is 866-996-9463.

Fatalities and failures prompt recall of cardiac defibrillators.(Recalls & Safety Alerts)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Two deaths and dozens of product failures have led to the worldwide recall of tens of thousands of cardiac defibrillators implanted in patients susceptible to dangerous abnormal heart rhythms. The devices, made by the Guidant Corp. of...

Polaris model year 2004.5 and 2005 all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).(VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... May have been assembled with defective electronic-control module that could overheat and cause fire. Products: 45,000 ATVs sold 8/04 to 2/05 at Polaris dealers nationwide, including the following: Model year 2004.5 Sportsman 500; and '05...

LG and Sears Kenmore Elite Trio three-door refrigerators.(APPLIANCES)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... A faulty component in the condenser fan motor could short-circuit, causing the motor to overheat and catch fire. Products: 20,000 "French door" style refrigerators, sold 5/04 to 5/05. Sears stores nationwide sold the Kenmore brand...

LifeScan blood-glucose monitors.(HOME MEDICAL PRODUCTS)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Problems have emerged with two top-rated blood-glucose monitors in our August issue: LifeScan's OneTouch UltraSmart and OneTouch Ultra. Two other LifeScan models may also be problematic. With the OneTouch Ultra, OneTouch FastTake, and InDuo...

Our independence matters to you.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Did you know that CONSUMER REPORTS accepts no paid advertising? In fact, unlike our competitors, CONSUMER REPORTS accepts no free samples of the products it reviews, no free trips, no free lodging, no freebies at all. We insist on testing the...

Net threat rising: crime abounds, but you can fight back.(ONLINE SURVIVAL GUIDE)
September 1, 2005... Use the Internet at home and you have a 1-in-3 chance of suffering computer damage, financial loss, or both because of a computer virus or spyware that sneaks onto your computer. That's one of the unsettling conclusions from our 2005 Consumer...

Internet service: Cable vs. DSL vs. dial-up.(ONLINE SURVIVAL GUIDE)(Buyers Guide)
September 1, 2005... If you spend much time online, you're probably using a broadband Internet connection to your home or you are thinking seriously about getting one. Broadband offers near-instantaneous connections and swifter downloads than slower, albeit...

Home networking wired, wireless & both.(ONLINE SURVIVAL GUIDE)(Buyers Guide)
September 1, 2005... If you have broadband Internet service and more than one computer in your home, there's growing reason to link them to create a home network. A network allows a single broadband account to be shared throughout the home. (Alas, such...

Computer first line of defense.(ONLINE SURVIVAL GUIDE)(Buyers Guide)
September 1, 2005... Security might not be foremost in your mixed when you're shopping for a computer, but it should play a part in your decision. Your choice of hardware and software can affect your ability to deflect intruders and defend your data. Viruses...

Salsa & chips: a hot combo.(Buyers Guide)
September 1, 2005... Buoyed by America's fascination with Southwestern flavors and a flood of homegrown products with catchy names such as Scorned Woman and Hair of the Ferret, salsa has become the king of condiments, outselling ketchup, barbecue sauce, and...

Where to buy appliances: big stores aren't necessarily the best.(Buyers Guide)
September 1, 2005... Mom-and-pop stores are known for service, but many offer good prices and a better selection than the biggest nationwide chains--even Wal-Mart. That's just one of the conclusions from our latest Annual Questionnaire. More than 6,000 readers...

All-star appliances.(Buyers Guide)
September 1, 2005... Figuring out where to shop for appliances is only half the battle. You also have to decide what to buy once you get there. This is the perfect starting point: We've tested hundreds of appliances in recent months and identified the models that...

Interior paints: all have shortcomings.(Buyers Guide)
September 1, 2005... If a room has no flaws--it's not too sunny and the walls are perfectly smooth--it's easy to find a good, inexpensive paint. For other rooms, finding the right paint will take work. No paint does everything well, our tests show. Many paints...

CO alarms better sensors.(Buyers Guide)
September 1, 2005... Carbon-monoxide (CO) alarms should be in every home. A growing number of states and cities now require them, The latest models offer more ways to protect you and your family from this odorless, colorless gas, which kills roughly 500 Americans...

Weighing your health plan choices.(Buyers Guide)
September 1, 2005... You're about as likely to hear good news about your health insurance as you are to find a pair of Payless shoes in one of Paris Hilton's closets. First, there's the ever-increasing price. Since 2000, annual premiums for family coverage...

Expertise online Finding reliable information.(Health)(Buyers Guide)
September 1, 2005... Some 95 million Americans have turned to the Internet for health information, according to a May 2005 report by the nonprofit Pew Internet & American Life Project in Washington, D.C. On a typical day, more U.S. adults use the Internet than...

Housing appraisals watch out for bloat.(Money)
September 1, 2005... Kevin Marois, a real-estate agent in Forest Lake, Minn., had to break the news to a client that his lakefront home, which he was planning to sell, was worth about $550,000--not $639,000, an amount based on an appraisal performed a couple of...

Luxury sedans * gizmos and gadgets are plentiful in five opulent cruisers.(ROAD BOTS)(Buyers Guide)
September 1, 2005... Automobiles are becoming increasingly laden with high-tech gadgetry, and this trend is probably most evident among luxury cars. The five cars in this test group feature various devices such as voice-recognition controls, surround sound,...

The history of consumer reports.(Consumer's Union details its begins)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... In February of 1936, a dedicated band of professors, journalists, engineers, and labor leaders founded Consumers Union--an organization dedicated to providing information on products and services, educating the public, and as the charter said,...

Make manufactured housing a fair deal.(View point: THE CONSUMERS UNION PERSPECTIVE)
September 1, 2005... The manufactured-housing industry markets mobile homes as an affordable option. But the process of purchasing and installing the homes jeopardizes the buyers' financial as well as physical safety. Over the past three years, Consumers Union,...

From novelty to necessity.(then & now)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... "Computers. Should you take one into your home?" It seems quaint now, but we asked the question in 1983. Was spending up to $3,000 for a home computer worth it? Or would it end up in the attic, next to the Crock-Pot and CB radio? For...

Why is this woman smiling?(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Amanda Kane, "authentic clairvoyant" and "specialist in desperate cases" sent William McKenney a missive, reprinted in part at lower right, which stated no fewer than 10 times that he had won $33,150. She's able to dispense this sum, she notes,...

Now you tell us.(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)
September 1, 2005... The box of Nissin Cup Noodles refers you to the lid inside for microwave directions. Printed below are the instructions you find on the lid.

Does Stephen King know about this?(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)(Illustration)
September 1, 2005... Apparently, Doin' the Charleston Tours, of Charleston, S.C., felt that "stories set to music!" and "air-conditioned comfort!" might not be strong enough selling points.

'Nuff said.(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... THIS LETTER IS TO ADVISE YOU THAT PAYMENT OF $0.00 ON YOUR TELEPHONE ACCOUNT WAS RETURNED BY YOUR BANK. WE HAVE RECHARGED THIS AMOUNT TO YOUR ACCOUNT. IF YOU HAVE ALREADY CONTACTED OUR OFFICE REGARDING THIS CHECK, PLEASE DISREGARD THIS LETTER....

Where's the beef?(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)(Illustration)
September 1, 2005... A Washington reader expected to find chunks of meat in this sauce but was disappointed. Anyone see why?

A photo no-no.(selling it: Goofs / Glitches / Gotchas)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... A Florida reader looked at the package for the Extra-Large Total-Reach Duster and said, "Based on the photos, it must be about the size of a small redwood." The dimensions, in smaller type, tell a different tale. It's 31 1/2 by 5 1/4 inches.