Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from April 2006

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from April 2006

Some of life's mysteries.(Editorial)
April 1, 2006... Have you, like me, looked at people walking about with tiny earphones (they're called buds) listening to music coming out of a matchbox-sized object stuck in their belt or pocket, and wondered how all the music got in there? The article on page...

Larger dummy still a danger.(choice cuts)(NUK Starlight Silicone Soother )
April 1, 2006... In October 2005 we printed a Choice Cut about the NUK Starlight Silicone Soother (dummy) posing a choking danger for babies. Kerry-Ann Parsons of Townsville told us that her six-month-old baby, Alexander, had got the whole dummy into his mouth...

ADMA's 'Do Not Contact' services updated.(choice cuts)
April 1, 2006... More and more people are registering with the Australian Direct Marketing Association's 'Do Not Contact' service, which covers direct mail, telephone, email and SMS, so ADMA has now streamlined these services and changed its contact details. If...

What's disease-mongering?(choice cuts)
April 1, 2006... Disease-mongering is a condition that's on the increase. It happens when pharmaceutical companies try to create a demand for their products by encouraging people to believe they're ill when they're not. For example, sudden high media interest...

Just a small Safety Net.(choice cuts)(prescription drugs covered by the government-subsidised Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme)
April 1, 2006... Did you know that if you spend over a certain amount on PBS medicine (prescription drugs covered by the government-subsidised Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) within one calendar year, you can get the rest of the year's medication cheaper or...

Price survey: is online always cheaper?(choice cuts)(Survey)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... There's a tendency to think shopping online means lower prices, but it's not always the case. Computer CHOICE checked a few popular products to see whether the web can deliver a good deal. For the iPods, online prices tended to vary...

Thank you.(choice cuts)
April 1, 2006... We'd like to express our thanks to Mr and Mrs J N Almgren of Beecroft, NSW, who have again acknowledged our work for consumers with a generous donation. The Consumers' Association (publisher of CHOICE) is a non-profit organisation funded solely...

Can you help? Having your house looked after?(choice cuts)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... If you've used any kind of organisation that finds suitable people to look after your home while you're away (on holiday or for longer periods), we'd like to hear from you. We'd also like to hear from anyone who's registered with any...

ASIC warns about Tutormaster.(choice cuts)(Australian Securities and Investments Commission )(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) warned consumers recently to be cautious when dealing with online tutoring company Tutormaster, following numerous complaints that the company hadn't been paying its debts--tutors...

Dial-up trouble.(your letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... As I have relatives and friends in North America and Europe I bought a $10 phone card, only to find out, having made several calls, that these cards expire three months after their first use. As I am unlikely to ever make $10 worth of calls...

Forceful fitness.(your letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... I had a similar problem with FITNESS FIRST to your reader Jonathan Stuart (CHOICE, December 2005). The club refused to deal with me unless it was face to face. I asked ill could cancel my and my wife's contracts by fax or email, but they...

When Don Harding's young daughter lost one of her favourite snap-on flowers from her sandals he emailed Birkenstock's head office to find out if he could buy a replacement.(Thumbs Up!)
April 1, 2006... When Don Harding's young daughter lost one of her favourite snap-on flowers from her sandals he emailed BIRKENSTOCK'S head office to find out if he could buy a replacement. Instead it sent him a whole new package of accessories, free of charge,...

Kathryn Jacobsen awards a 'Thumbs up' to Sheridan for replacing her once used.(Thumbs Up!)
April 1, 2006... Kathryn Jacobsen awards a 'Thumbs up' to SHERIDAN for replacing her once used, twice washed fitted sheet when some of the stitching on the elastic came undone, with a new complete sheet set couriered to her door.

New twist on reverse mortgages.(hip pocket)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... If you own your home and are (usually) 60 or over, a reverse mortgage lets you borrow money against its value. Generally the loan balance increases over time as interest and fees are added, but you usually only pay off the loan when you sell...

Too late now to invest in gold?(hip pocket)
April 1, 2006... After a long drought, gold has had a remarkable run over the last few years, coming back into the investment spotlight. In the five years to December 2005 the gold price increased by a massive 90% in $US terms, reaching 20-year heights (see...

Pocket music: making sense of the digital music revolution.(TEST: Digital music players)(Cover story)
April 1, 2006... It's no exaggeration to say that digital music players have truly revolutionised the way we listen to music. Whether it's on the treadmill at the gym or the bus on the way to work, chances are you'll see someone with one of these gadgets tucked...

Designer salt? It can look beautiful--and taste a little different--but salt is salt.(REPORT: Salt)
April 1, 2006... All the celebrity chefs have their favourites: Jamie's is Maldon sea salt (from his beloved Essex); Nigella seems to go for Maldon or other sea salt too; Stefano di Pieri has tied his gondola to Murray River salt; Maeve O'Meara and her Food...

Good night, and good luck: is there any evidence to support claims for over-the-counter anti-snoring products?(REPORT: Anti-snoring products)
April 1, 2006... According to the Guinness Book of Records, the loudest snores recorded reached 93 decibels--about the volume of a bus engine. This isn't funny if you're regularly losing sleep because of your partner's snoring, or if you're repeatedly woken by...

Choosing a personal trainer: if you're thinking of hiring a personal trainer to guide and motivate you, this article will help you choose a good one.(REPORT: Fitness training)
April 1, 2006... They like to tell us that having a personal trainer is no longer just for the rich and famous, though at a cost of as much as $50-$100 for a one-on-one session, it's a lot more expensive than your average gym workout. That's why it's important...

Pesticides in fruit and veg: are they harmless--or is the truth that we don't really know?(REPORT: Pesticide residues)
April 1, 2006... Google 'pesticides' and you'll score more than 20 million hits; do it for 'pesticides' and 'cancer' and you'll still get about three million. Scare stories abound and when the pollsters ask consumers about food safety, pesticides often come up...

Storage to go: on test: 16 USB keys.(COMPUTING CHOICE: USB keys)
April 1, 2006... USB keys, also called USB flash drives, are becoming popular for transporting data from computer to computer. Like their predecessor, the floppy disc, they're highly portable and can be used with most computers. Unlike the floppy, they come in...

Digital cameras: Enough pixels already!(TEST: Digital cameras up to 6.1 megapixels)(Product/service evaluation)
April 1, 2006... For some time now there's been an emphasis from manufacturers and advertisers on a digital camera's pixel rating. It's easy to imply that more pixels equal a better product, but it isn't necessarily so. One area where megapixels do matter is...

Cosmetics: safe and cruelty-free? What's the progress on cruelty-free cosmetics?(REPORT: Animal testing for cosmetics)
April 1, 2006... Even if wearing eyeshadow or lipstick isn't your thing, by the time you leave home in the morning you're likely to have used a number of cosmetics and toiletry products--from soap, shampoo and toothpaste to deodorant, moisturiser or shaving...

Seeing the light?(chiecken meat demand)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Recent recommendations to eat lower-fat cuts of meat have seen reduced demand for the darker meat cuts of chicken--meat that mainly comes from the leg. Although arguably the tastiest part, it also has the highest fat content. A food...

100 fat calories.(food bites)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... We're less than impressed with the latest marketing campaign for ARNOTT'S Lunch Box Chips. With "Less than 100 calories per pack" blazed across it, you'd be forgiven for thinking this is a new lower-fat chip that's healthier for your kids. In...

Acrylamide update.(food bites)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... In April 2002 the Swedish National Food Authority reported the presence in some foods of elevated levels of acrylamide--a chemical produced when certain foods are cooked at high temperatures, such as when fried, roasted or baked. Since then...

Greener cleaners? Our Home Testers trialled two 'green' cleaners alongside a popular supermarket brand, to find out how well green can clean.(TRIAL: Multipurpose cleaners)
April 1, 2006... Listen to ads for cleaning products these days and you'll hear claims of their abilities to "cut through grease", "kill germs" and "protect your family from harmful bacteria". Cleaning your home has become a war against bacteria--one where the...

How safe are 4WDs? High-speed crash test results for 19 compact and large four-wheel drives.(DRIVELINES: Crash test update)
April 1, 2006... The Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has released high-speed crash test results for a number of compact and large 4WD models tested in Australia and Europe. The results show that models with side and head airbags (as well as front)...

Need to blend in? Make sure you get the right blender for the job you want to do.(TEST: Stick blenders)
April 1, 2006... Whether you want to purge soup and vegies for your toddler, blend a fruit smoothie, whip egg whites, chop breadcrumbs or create delicious homemade hummus, mayonnaise and pesto, a stick blender can be the tool for the job. Not only is it...

Recalls & bans.
April 1, 2006... 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 Product Recalls Australia website: www.recalls.gov.au. If you don't have web access, call the Product...