Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from April 2005

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from April 2005

Food for thought.(benefits of food affect how we feel about eating)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... I don't know about you, but I'm starting to wonder if there's anything left in the world that I can safely eat. What with too much fat giving us heart disease, mercury in some fish, oils that are good for you one day and bad the next, anything...

Heater test.(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... We're currently finalising a test of electric convection heaters. The test samples were sourced from distributors' warehouses in February, which means we were able to include new models, and we only picked models that'll still be widely...

What are warranty cards worth?(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Recently a consumer wrote to us complaining that the information they had to provide on a warranty card amounted to market research and they didn't want to supply it. Their question was: if they didn't fill this information in and send it back,...

Tell us your experiences with professional pet care services.(Can you help?)
April 1, 2005... We'd like to hear about your experiences with care of your cat or dog in your absence, such as dog walking services; people who look after your pet in your home while you're away; people who look after your pet in their own home; or...

Stroller hazard.(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... In November 2004, Joshua Reilly, 20 months, was out in his jogger stroller with his grandmother when he suddenly started crying. When she checked to see what was wrong she found his index finger bleeding from a deep 1 cm gash, and a loose flap...

Pins and needles.(choice cuts)
April 1, 2005... A study has found that acupuncture plus medications may produce better results in people with arthritis of the knee than medications alone, reports the January/ February issue of CHOICE Health Reader. Researchers in a pain management unit...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
April 1, 2005... WASHER-DRYERS CHOICE, March 2005 In the table on page 25 we said the ARISTON AL128D Margherita 2000 only has a timer control for drying. In fact it has a sensor and a timer.

CompactFlash price survey.(choice cuts)
April 1, 2005... Save money on your digital storage media by shopping around. Our sister publication, ComputerCHOICE, recently surveyed 57 retailers across Australia to find which stores offered the best prices for CompactFlash cards, one of the most common...

More juicy secrets.(choice cuts)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... When we looked at the herbal supplements sold in juice bars we recommended that you don't waste your money on most of them--they don't contain enough of the medicinal herbs to be of any benefit (see CHOICE, December 2004). It's much the same...

I want to see it working!
April 1, 2005... I'm in the market for a new mobile phone. That should be easy; they're sold in nearly every second retail outlet. But I must be a real rarity. I want to see the display screen of the model that I intend to buy, not after but before I buy it....

What weight the bangle?
April 1, 2005... When I recently shopped for a gold bangle, I was astounded at the many choices I had to make and the confusion about how to compare values. A gold bangle clearly isn't just a gold bangle. I found that bangles may be hollow, silver-filled,...

Thumbs up!
April 1, 2005... * Beverly Wilkinson, who sent us the letter on the left, gives a thumbs-up to LEONARD'S WHOLESALE DIAMOND & GOLD of Newcastle, which helped her make sense of the price variations for gold bangles. * Cathy McDonald of Old Beach, Tasmania,...

Insurance ombudsman service.(hip pocket)
April 1, 2005... Insurance Enquiries and Complaints Limited (IEC) has changed its name to the Insurance Ombudsman Service Limited (lOS), but the scheme's procedures are unchanged. The CEO of IEC, Sam Parrino, is now the ombudsman. IOS can assist with...

Sydney gets (even) more expensive.(hip pocket)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Sydney is the world's 20th most expensive city, having jumped from 67th place in just one year, according to the Mercer Human Resource Consulting Cost of Living Survey 2004. Other Australian cities featuring in the top 100 are Melbourne (67th)...

Want more money info?(hip pocket)
April 1, 2005... CHOICE Money & Rights magazine is published six times a year and contains more information on money topics (and your consumer rights) than we could ever fit into CHOICE. To subscribe call 1800 069 552 toll-free or go to...

Penalty fees may be illegal.(hip pocket)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... A recent study by the Consumer Law Centre Victoria suggests that some penalties charged on bank accounts and credit cards may be illegal. A range of penalty fees is charged on your different accounts. These include overdrawn fees for going...

Hidden danger: the trans fat hidden in many processed foods is even worse for your heart than the saturated fat you know about.(FOOD: Trans fat)(Product/Service Evaluation)(Cover Story)
April 1, 2005... Did you eat a meat pie for lunch today? Maybe you had a croissant or a caramel slice for morning tea? And perhaps something for dinner made from pre-prepared pastry? All these products could be loaded with trans fat, which is bad for your...

Don't just shoot me! Want more than just a photo? Here's how to get a good one.(INVESTIGATION: Glamour photography)
April 1, 2005... We asked CHOICE readers to tell us about their experiences with glamour photography, and received a range of replies with experiences ranging from positive to negative extremes. Whether you've been bitten by the glamour bug or simply want a...

Fuel sippers: fed up with high petrol prices? A hybrid car might be just the answer.(CARS: Hybrid petrol/electric)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... The marketers of hybrid cars must be pinching themselves. They launch fuel-efficient cars onto the Australian market, and hey presto, petrol prices skyrocket. It's no surprise to hear hybrid cars are selling better than expected. The...

Cheaper, smaller lighter, faster: no need to pay the earth for a good digital camera.(UPDATE: Digital cameras)(Buyers Guide)
April 1, 2005... There are now hundreds of digital cameras on the market, but our research suggests most people thinking about buying one are looking at prices around $800 or less, so for this update we've picked the best performers from that range. As you...

Letting off steam: steam cleaners help you work up a sweat, but they don't manage quite such a workout in the cleaning department.(TEST: Steam cleaners)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... Switch the TV on during the day and chances are you'll catch an infomercial for a steam cleaner. These products claim to "sterilise" your home and clean any number of things, including tiles, grout, glass, mirrors, hard floors, cooking...

No guts, no glory ...: but would you expect anything else from a cordless drill that costs $50 or less?(TEST: Cheap cordless drills)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... If our DIY ambitions stretch to a garden pergola or timber deck, you can forget drills that cost $50 or less--they just don't have the grunt and their batteries are no mini power stations. However, if you're the kind of person who, every once...

Space invaders: do you need a new car to go bush with, or one with seven seats? Here's what our readers thought about four popular 4WDs and a people mover.
April 1, 2005... If you're shopping for a new car, information on what a car is really like to drive and use day-to-day is very valuable but--unless family members or friends happen to drive a model you're interested in--difficult to come by. That's why we...

Digital dialogue: digital cordless phones give you secure, good-quality calls.(TEST: Cordless phones)
April 1, 2005... Digital cordless phones are about to push analogue models off the marker. They provide better sound quality and encrypt your conversations, so eavesdropping isn't likely to be an issue (unless someone can listen in with a high-tech scanner, as...

The 'green' clean: is microfibre cleaning the way forward?(USER TRAIL: Microfibre cleaning mitts)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... It's that time again: you're scrubbing away at the walls of your shower, chemical cleaner to hand, heady from the fumes while streams of dirty water flow down the drain. At a moment like this, you may feel like reconsidering your cleaning...

The drying game: all the clothes dryers reported on here get your clothes dry, but some do it faster and more energy efficiently than others.(UPDATE: Clothes dryers)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... Clothes dryers are simple appliances, most consisting basically of a heating element, a filter, a fan and a tumbler. As such, pretty much every dryer will get your clothes dry. And they'll probably do so for years--clothes dryers were very...

Internet phone calls: using the internet to make cheap phone calls.(computing choice)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... Did you know you can use your broadband internet connection and computer to make voice calLs to family and friends anywhere around the world? And it's only a fraction of the cost of standard international and long-distance phone calls. The...

Recalls & bans.
April 1, 2005... Nowadays there are so many product recalls we may not be able to print all of them in CHOICE. For comprehensive recall information go to the Federal Treasury website: www.recalls.gov.au. If you don't have web access, call the Consumer Safety...