Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from April 2002

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from April 2002

Read any good books lately?(Australian Consumers Association publishing)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
April 1, 2002... G'day: I'm the CHOICE Books publisher, Richard Smart. I've been a book publisher for over 40 years, working for a variety of Australian and international companies, and no, I'm not about to bore you with more of the story. Quite recently a...

Can you help? Switching Banks. (choice cuts).
April 1, 2002... Have you changed banks within the past two years? If so, we'd like to hear about your experiences for an article we're currently researching. * What kind of account were you changing? * Why did you decide to switch banks, and which did...

CHOICE Shopper update. (choice cuts).
April 1, 2002... Ready to buy one of our recommended models? Don't forget our CHOICE Shopper service. Recently, subscribers who used the service were able to buy products for around 9% less than the price they'd said they'd be willing to pay. One...

Modern diseases, low-tech management strategies. (choice cuts).(asthma, diabetes, obesity)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Modern lifestyles have seen the rapid rise of certain diseases, including asthma, obesity and adult-onset diabetes. March's CHOICE Health Reader reports on recent research in these areas. * Dietary salt and asthma Asthma is on the rise...

Shop assistance? (choice cuts).(ComputerCHOICE rates computer retail, Australia)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... Buying a computer is complex, time-consuming and expensive. As such, making an informed choice often means relying on salespeople to know what they're talking about, assess your needs, make reasonable recommendations and clearly explain the...

Not so harmless? (World Consumer Snapshot).(kava-kava products and severe health side effects, Austria)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Kava-kava products have caused liver poisoning, liver failure, hepatitis and cirrhosis in 24 people, reported Austrian consumer publication Konsument in January, with three people needing emergency transplants and one dead. The German and...

Stacks of fun ... (World Consumer Snapshot).(CD-ROM disc stacker Kenwood DVF-J 6050)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... If you're looking for unlimited music (almost) at the touch of a button, Test from Germany has found a product that could be just what you need. Fully stacked, the KENWOOD DVF-J 6050 disc stacker allows you to play around 16 days of continuous...

... Plus dodgy politicians. (World Consumer Snapshot).(Test copyright litigation against German politician)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Test also reported recently on a survey of social institutions in Germany that found 96% of Germans knew of the organisation `Stiftung Warentest' (the publisher of Test), with it ranked first in the community for reputation--above the police...

Can you help? Financial Planners. (choice cuts).
April 1, 2002... CHOICE and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) are joining forces to conduct a nationwide study of the financial planning industry. We'll be assessing the quality of financial advice given to consumers by licensed...

Mysterious interference. (choice cuts).(long-life light bulb electromagnetic waves interfering with home appliance operation, Australia)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Has your TV switched channels of its own accord lately? Has your stereo system mysteriously changed the volume? Or has one of your remote controls behaved strangely? Two CHOICE subscribers independently reported experiencing such problems....

Arachnophobic? (choice cuts).(Spider and Bug Buster by HomeBase Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Spider & Bug Buster trialled for the UK's Which? magazine last year could be just what you need--it's a humane battery-operated bug-sucker that can even pull flies from the air. You simply vacuum up a creature and confine it with a stopper...

Meat pies? Well, sort of ...: we lifted the lid on 22 frozen meat pies to reveal the contents. Do you really want to know? (Test).(Australia)(Buyers Guide)(Cover Story)
April 1, 2002... Whether it's an occasional treat at the footie or an everyday smoko ritual, the meat pie is a big part of Aussie life. And while it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out it's not the healthiest food in the world, do most of us have a clue...

In the wash: which detergents work best, and how can you compare prices easily? If you have better things to do than work out the answers, read on. (Test: laundry detergents).(Australia)(Buyers Guide)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... No matter how technologically advanced your new washing machine is, one of the few things it can't do is choose a detergent from the many brands on the market. How do lesser-known and supermarket brands compare with the big names? Do you...

Mobile phone news: while they can be lifesavers in some situations, they've also created problems. (Update: mobile phones).(specific absorption rate and radiation)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Mobile phones have certainly had an impact on society. For some people they've become an essential part of life, for others they're a nuisance. And they're not without controversy. RADIATION VALUES There's an ongoing debate about...

Bump up your savings: saving for a holiday, a new car or stashing some money away for emergencies? Don't get short-changed by low-interest bank accounts--use one of the high-interest options and let them help you save. (Money: savings).(personal banking analysis, Australia)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... When we looked at this issue five years ago, everyday transaction accounts paid around 0.25% interest on amounts up to $5000. Today, you can count yourself lucky if you get 0.05%, with some accounts paying zero interest. For Sue and Tom...

Want to get your eyes zapped? For some people, laser eye surgery means freedom from glasses and contact lenses. But it's not suitable for everyone and there are risks and side effects. (Health: laser eye surgery).(analysis)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... Every year, thousands of Australians are choosing to have laser refractive surgery, usually because they find glasses or contact lenses inconvenient or uncomfortable. The surgery can be used to correct short sight, long sight and, in most...

What's phenylketonuria? (food bites).(inability to ingest the amino acid phenylalanine)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... You may have seen on the labels of some foods or drinks: "Warning: phenylketonurics, contains phenylalanine." Don't worry: if you were phenylketonuric, you'd know. It's an inherited problem where you can't properly digest the amino acid...

Fruity trickz. (food bites).(childrens dietary supplement Fruity Bitz by Blackmores)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... We're somewhat baffled by a new product from Blackmores called FRUITY BITZ. It's promoted as a food, it's even called a fruit snack, but on closer inspection it's a vitamin and mineral supplement for children. The advertising blurb tells...

Nutrition tip: soy. (food bites).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Including soy foods in your diet can help with some symptoms of menopause and also with very high cholesterol levels. But in both cases you have to eat enough: 100 to 200 grams of tofu or two to four cups of soymilk a day, for example. Choose...

How fresh is `fresh'? (food bites).(fruit and vegetables labeling)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... `Fresh' may conjure up images of dew-picked produce only hours old, but in fact it can just mean it hasn't been preserved by freezing, canning, high-temperature or chemical treatment. It may have been refrigerated and spent time in processing...

A bag for three seasons: you can check out a sleeping bag for fit and comfort before you buy, but it's hard to tell how warm it'll be. (Test: sleeping bags).
April 1, 2002... Going camping before winter sets in and worried your old sleeping bag won't keep you toasty at night? You probably want a bag that's compact and fairly light, warm and comfortable--but how do you know which won't leave you freezing your toes...

Polly want a cracker? Sick of carrot and celery sticks but still want a low-fat, low-salt snack? Rice crackers just might be the answer to your prayers. (Test: rice Crackers).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Rice crackers have taken the snack market by storm, promoting a healthier image. So we thought it was time to look at how well they stand up to the hype. NUTRITION LOWDOWN An advantage of rice crackers is that they're very light, so...

Bank fee ups and downs. (hip pocket).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... ANZ BANK has two new everyday transaction accounts with reduced fees. The Access Advantage account, with unlimited free transactions through ANZ channels and a $5 monthly fee, could save people who make lots of transactions up to $125 each...

Truth at last. (hip pocket).(home loans)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... CHOICE has been fighting for honesty in home loan advertising for years. Thanks to Queensland's Minister for Fair Trading, Merri Rose, 2002 may be the year consumers get the whole story about what a home loan costs. Minister Rose...

Tip for advanced investors: warrants. (hip pocket).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Warrants have become a popular choice for advanced investors. There are 20 different types to choose from, the most popular being instalment warrants. In general you pay part of the price of a share upfront and the rest at a future date, but...

Seeing into the future ... (hip pocket).
April 1, 2002... Ray Steadman (pictured) sent us a letter he received from clairvoyant Sofia Dora saying: "I beg you, do not hesitate for a single second and respond straightaway. Today you are the `chosen one' among thousands of people to receive this gift...

Blasting away dirt: do you need to spend big money on a water blaster, or will a less expensive machine do the job just as well? (Test: water blasters).
April 1, 2002... Do you have a wall in your garden that could do with a facelift? A driveway with oil stains? A patio stained with years of entertaining around the barbie? Or perhaps you just want to make it easier to keep your eaves and gutters clean? A...

Wide-screen: worth it? Should you rush out and buy one, or wait? (Test: wide-screen TVs).
April 1, 2002... You may have seen wide-screen TVs in shops, showing normal broadcasts stretched out to fill the screen, and wondered what's the point. There is more to wide-screen TV than that--here are the basics, including what we found when we put six to...

Ready? Set? Box! The ins and outs of digital set-up boxes, and the big question: do you want one? (Review: set-top boxes).
April 1, 2002... The TV industry is very excited about digital TV, or so they tell us, and 2002 looks like the year they expect you to get excited too. For most of us, the set-top box will be the way we get to see digital TV, because it's still cheaper than...

Fridges for a small family: don't simply buy on brand--it doesn't guarantee a good model. (Update: fridges).
April 1, 2002... ON TEST Twelve fridges with a capacity of around 300-375 litres: suitable for a small family. Eleven were frost-free and one was a cyclic defrost model, the VESTFROST Skandiluxe BSKF 375--see Something different, page 47, for more. ...

Recalls & bans.
April 1, 2002... THE PRODUCT: BKK Australia has recalled Golden Mountain Oyster Sauce (all use-by dates prior to January 31, 2002), in 870 mL glass bottles, sold in NSW and Queensland. The problem: It contains higher than acceptable levels of a chemical...

Australian Consumers' Association: smart living loud. (What's new at www.choice.com.au).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Laptop buying guide Want to compute on the move? Our buying guide shows how to get the best laptop for your needs. Just type `laptop' into the search box and click on the `what to look for in a laptop' article. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...